PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Erico Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Viet Tran (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Drake
vs
Tran

182 cm
23
154 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

153 cm
24
157 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Bad Man Clothing (Nothing Over $40)
The Knot

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Erico Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Viet Tran!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tran.
Drake looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Tran looks for a takedown but Drake sprawls well.

Tran drives through with a takedown into guard.
Tran is looking to work some ground and pound but Drake has wrist control.
Tran landing some decent shots from guard.
Tran scoring with punches to the head and body.
Tran is pushing down on Drake's leg trying to pass to half guard. Drake is fighting to maintain full guard but Tran has managed to sneak the leg through.
Drake gets back to full guard.
Drake wants to stand and escape but Tran is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tran lands a couple of digs.
Tran trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Tran cracks Drake with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tran lands a couple of elbows.
Tran throws a big elbow that misses.
Tran throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drake works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tran accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tran throws a big right hand that misses.

Tran gets to his feet. Drake looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Tran throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Drake tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Tran is in Drake's guard.
Drake working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tran.
Tran is in close to Drake's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Tran's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Tran is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Tran with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tran is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tran is looking to work some ground and pound but Drake has wrist control.
Tran wants to pass the guard but Drake is keeping the position.
Tran scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Tran pushes down on Drake's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Drake pushes Tran off looking to stand but Tran dives back in and keeps control.
Drake on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tran lands a nice short elbow.
Drake is trying to stand back up but Tran is controlling him
Tran lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tran sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Drake defending well though.
Tran lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Tran scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Tran tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Drake.
Drake has hold of Tran's hands but Tran slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Tran scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Drake trying to control from the bottom.
Tran is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Drake is trying to stand up here but Tran is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tran throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tran landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Tran lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Tran connects with a nice short shot to Drake's temple.
Tran working over Drake with some ground and pound. Drake looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Tran throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tran prevents Drake from improving his position.
Tran drops an elbow to the side of Drake's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Viet Tran dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tran closes the distance and pushes Drake back into the cage.
Tran wants a takedown.
Tran tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Tran has Drake pressed against the cage, preventing Drake from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Tran looking for a takedown.
Erico Drake has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Viet Tran.
Drake trying to stall but Tran improves his position.

Tran pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tran goes for a double leg but Drake avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Drake continues to drive forward.
Drake stops a takedown attempt from Tran.

Tran jumps into guard, dragging Drake to the mat.
Drake postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tran has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake trying to control the position from guard on top but Tran is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tran doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tran throws a couple of heel strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake trying to control but Tran is working from the bottom.

Drake stands up and waves to Tran to follow him.
Drake tries to clinch up

and Tran holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Tran lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Drake has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tran is working away from the top position though.
Tran throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Drake keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Drake flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tran working the head and body with strikes.
Tran wants to pass the guard but Drake is defending well.
Tran is thwarting Drake's attempts to control the position.

Drake looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Tran looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Tran is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Tran not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tran takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Tran seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Tran working over Drake with some ground and pound. Drake looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Drake looks like he's trying to stand up.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Tran connects with a nice short shot to Drake's temple.
Tran thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Drake's head.
Tran throwing shots but Drake is blocking nicely.
Drake blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tran.
Drake is pressing down on Tran's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Tran in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake has his hands on Tran's head, controlling the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Drake keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Drake leaves Tran with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Drake tries to clinch but Tran is having none of it.

Drake gets a clinch.
Drake gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tran.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Drake has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Drake lands a shoulder strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Viet Tran showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Tran shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Drake sprawls well. Drake wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tran gets slowly back to his feet.
Tran throws a one two combo.
Tran is looking to clinch.
Tran closes this distance looking for a takedown but Drake circles away.

Tran changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Drake looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Tran in side control lands a decent elbow.
Tran really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Drake. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Drake is trying to control Tran's posture but Tran avoids it.
Tran landing strikes.
Drake takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Drake tries to buck Tran off but Tran is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tran landing strikes.
Tran is chipping away with strikes.
Tran scores with a couple of short elbows.
Tran connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Drake some visible discomfort.
Tran lands a few punches from side control.
Drake taking punishment in the form of punches.
Tran working the ground and pound.
Drake wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Check out the look on Tran's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Drake can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tran working the head and body with strikes.
Drake is trying to control Tran's posture but Tran avoids it.
Tran works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Tran tries to score with some ground and pound. Drake controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Drake gets back to half guard.
Drake pushes Tran off looking to stand but Tran dives back in and keeps control.
Drake has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tran is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tran looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Tran working over Drake with some ground and pound. Drake looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Drake is trying to stand.
Drake is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Tran scores with a couple of nice shots.
Drake is trying to stand.
Tran working the head and body with strikes.
Tran working the head and body with strikes.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tran lands a nice short elbow.
Drake is pressing down on Tran's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tran working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Tran must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Tran throws a big right hand that misses.
Erico Drake has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Drake bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tran's guard.

Drake stands up and waves to Tran to follow him.
No luck for Drake with that takedown attempt.
Viet Tran seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Drake looks for a takedown but Tran sprawls well.
Viet Tran is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Tran drives through and clinches with Drake against the cage.
Viet Tran is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tran drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Viet Tran comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tran winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 26:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Viet Tran!