PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jelan Drayton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Georgiy Balabanko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Drayton comes to the cage accompanied by 99 Problems. Georgiy Balabanko has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Drayton
vs
Balabanko

178 cm
25
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

172 cm
19
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jelan Drayton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Georgiy Balabanko!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, David Hoff and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drayton looks to clinch

and Balabanko counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Balabanko.
Balabanko throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drayton works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Balabanko throwing strikes from guard but Drayton blocks nicely.
Drayton working a defensive guard here.
Balabanko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Drayton swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drayton controls Balabanko momentarily but Balabanko frees himself.
Drayton is breathing heavily.
Balabanko with a flurry of punches that miss.
Balabanko wants to control from the top but Drayton keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balabanko is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Drayton is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Drayton has escaped and now he's on top!

Balabanko is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Balabanko working the head and body with strikes.
Balabanko thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Drayton's head.
Balabanko trying to control the action but Drayton is working from the bottom.
Drayton definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Balabanko not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balabanko throwing shots but Drayton is blocking nicely.
Balabanko with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Balabanko is trying to control the action in half guard but Drayton is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Balabanko trying to pass the guard but Drayton defending well.
Balabanko is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Balabanko sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Drayton defending well though.

Balabanko is looking for a kimura here.
Balabanko lands with a punch from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balabanko thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Drayton's head.
Balabanko wants to free his trapped foot but Drayton is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Drayton keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Balabanko missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Balabanko scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Balabanko thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Drayton's head.
Balabanko throwing shots but Drayton is blocking nicely.

Balabanko is looking for a kimura here.
We've been informed that Balabanko has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Balabanko trying to control from half guard but Drayton is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balabanko sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Drayton defending well though.

Balabanko is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Drayton is just riding it out for now. Balabanko eventually gives up the hold.
Balabanko is keen to just control but Drayton is a slippery customer.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Balabanko is looking for a kimura but Drayton is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Balabanko to get the leverage.
Balabanko throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Drayton is staying active underneath Balabanko, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Georgiy Balabanko dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Balabanko avoids the body shot from Drayton.
Balabanko is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Drayton shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Balabanko sprawls well. Balabanko wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Drayton gets slowly back to his feet.
Balabanko feints the counter takedown.
Drayton misses with a lunging right hand

and Balabanko counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Balabanko's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Balabanko working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Balabanko trying to control but Drayton is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balabanko lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Balabanko throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Balabanko distracts Drayton with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Balabanko throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balabanko wants to control from the top but Drayton keeps moving.
Balabanko throwing strikes from guard but Drayton blocks nicely.
Balabanko throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Balabanko working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Drayton's head.
Balabanko looking to pass the guard.
Balabanko missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Balabanko drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Balabanko jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Balabanko postures up and lands a big shot to Drayton's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Balabanko with a flurry of punches that miss.
Balabanko wants to control from the top but Drayton keeps moving.
Balabanko might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Drayton haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Drayton preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A punch combination from Drayton misses.
Balabanko with the counter takedown but Drayton avoids it easily.
Drayton will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Balabanko tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Drayton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Balabanko was well out of range. Poor timing from Drayton.
Drayton misses with a takedown attempt

so Balabanko counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jelan Drayton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balabanko trying to control the position from guard on top but Drayton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balabanko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Drayton swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Balabanko lands a couple of digs.
Drayton utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Drayton keeping moving, preventing Balabanko from controlling successfully.
Balabanko has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Drayton trying to keep a closed guard but Balabanko is proving a slippery customer.
Balabanko trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Balabanko drops back looking for a submission - "I'm sorry sir, but I'm gunna break your leg" says Balabanko as he cranks on the unfortunate limb! Drayton screams and taps out before any major damage is done! Don't mess with Balabanko! Nice submission victory there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Georgiy Balabanko!