PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Stewart Bishop (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erico Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Erico Drake is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Bishop
vs
Drake

225 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

182 cm
23
154 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Stewart Bishop!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Erico Drake!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bishop moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

It looks like Stewart Bishop has been cut.

Drake clinches up with Bishop and pushes him back against the cage.
Bishop looking for a takedown.
Drake stalls.
Drake lands with a right to the head.
Drake wants to break free but Bishop has control.
Drake is trying to force a seperation but Bishop has the dominant position.
Bishop has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Drake avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Drake decides to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drake doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Bishop throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drake works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bishop throwing strikes but missing.
Drake utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bishop has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bishop with a nice head shot there.
Drake wants to sweep but no luck.

Drake working for a triangle but Bishop defends it easily.
Bishop throwing strikes from guard but Drake blocks nicely.
Bishop stops Drake from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Bishop landing some decent shots from guard.

Drake uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Drake is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Drake swinging wildly here.
Bishop avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Drake drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Bishop will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake stopping the sweep attempt from Bishop.
Bishop throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Bishop working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Drake.
Bishop being controlled here, momentarily.

Drake gets to his feet - Bishop follows without any prompting.
Drake tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bishop manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Drake drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bishop is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Drake is controlling him.
Bishop keeping moving, preventing Drake from controlling successfully.
Drake throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Drake in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Drake loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bishop looking for a guillotine here but Drake defends easily.
Drake pushes down on Bishop's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erico Drake dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Stewart Bishop's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Drake shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Drake throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Drake thows a huge punch but Bishop dodges it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bishop avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Drake.
Drake has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bishop is not content to let Drake control the position.
Drake prevents Bishop from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drake stands up out of the half guard.
Drake digs a good hook to Bishop's body.
Drake fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bishop really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Drake tries to clinch up but Bishop circles away and keeps his distance.

Drake shoots in and bounces Bishop off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Drake trying to control but Bishop is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake sitting in guard here, content to control.

Bishop has his foot on Drake's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Drake works his way back into a safe position though.
Drake slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Drake stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Drake gets a double leg takedown into Bishop's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake looking to sit in guard and control but Bishop gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Drake looking to control.
Bishop throws a big right hand that misses.

Drake had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Bishop defends it easily.
Bishop throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drake works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bishop postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bishop throws a big right hand that misses.

Drake has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Bishop off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Drake closes the distance but Bishop moves to the side

and Bishop moves into the clinch.
Drake controlling the action here for a moment.
Bishop has Drake pressed against the cage, preventing Drake from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Drake drags the fight down to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erico Drake showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Stewart Bishop's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bishop is looking to clinch.

Drake looking to score a takedown here. Bishop is defending well but Drake drives through and ends up in Bishop's guard.
Bishop throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Drake prevents Bishop from getting back to his feet.
Drake trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Drake looking to sit in guard and control but Bishop gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bishop throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bishop won't allow Drake to sweep him here.
Drake is trying to keep Bishop in close.
Bishop with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Erico Drake has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bishop cracks Drake with a solid left hand.
Bishop content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Bishop landing with the ground and pound.
Drake throwing short punches from the bottom.

Drake kicks Bishop off and gets to his feet.
Drake takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bishop paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Drake drives through with a takedown into guard.
Drake loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Drake with a flurry of punches that miss.
Drake lands a couple of elbows.

Drake has gone for a leg lock! Bishop slips out almost immediately though and dives into Drake's guard.

Drake is looking for a triangle but Bishop pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bishop works over Drake with some ground and pound from guard.
Bishop throws a big right hand that misses.

Drake looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Bishop passes into side control.
Drake is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Bishop has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Drake is looking for a sweep.
The ground and pound from Bishop seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Bishop lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake manages to work his way to half guard, despite Bishop's best efforts.
Bishop prevents Drake from improving his position.
Erico Drake is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bishop not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Bishop sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Drake defending well though.
Nice strikes from Bishop there.
Bishop thows a huge punch but Drake dodges it nicely.
Bishop throwing shots but Drake is blocking nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drake wants to get back to full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Drake tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Bishop counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stewart Bishop showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Drake has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erico Drake!