PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rolf Spicer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan Drago has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Drago
vs
Spicer

185 cm
21
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
20
190 lbs
3 - 7 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Drago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rolf Spicer!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spicer looks to land a combination. Drago sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Spicer gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Spicer keeping moving, preventing Drago from controlling successfully.
Spicer wants to get back to his feet but Drago passes into half guard.
Spicer wants to stand back up but Drago manages to pass into side control.
Drago scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago laying and praying for a moment but Spicer takes advantage and regains half guard.
Drago thows a huge punch but Spicer dodges it nicely.
Drago is pressing down on Spicer's thigh, looking to free his foot. Spicer is holding on for now.
Drago looks to land a strike but Spicer avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Drago trying to control but Spicer is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Spicer wants to stand and escape but Drago is having none of it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Nice takedown defense from Spicer. No joy for Drago on that attempt.
Spicer throws a series of punches but Drago avoids them all with ease.
Spicer throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Spicer tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Drago paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Drago shoots in for a double leg but Spicer sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Spicer has his takedown stuffed
and Drago counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drago changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Spicer looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Spicer looks gassed!
Spicer wants to get back to his feet.
Drago wants to control but Spicer is keeping him busy.
A lull in the action here as Drago stalls from top position.
Drago wants to take a breather but Spicer manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Drago.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spicer keeping moving, preventing Drago from controlling successfully.
Drago looking to sit in guard and control but Spicer gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Spicer wants to get up but he can't break Drago's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Drago dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Spicer swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Drago counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Drago seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Drago thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Spicer's head.
Drago is controlling the pace.
Drago throws a strike but Spicer avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drago slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spicer keeping moving, preventing Drago from controlling successfully.
Drago has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Spicer kicks Drago off and gets to his feet.
Spicer has a takedown stuffed.
Spicer closes the distance but Drago moves to the side
and Drago counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Spicer is breathing heavily.
Spicer swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Drago counters with a left to the body.

Drago shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Drago showed some decent athleticism there.
Drago keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Drago not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nice strikes from Drago there.
Drago is tying to control. Spicer wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ivan Drago just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Spicer misses with a straight right.

Drago gets the takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spicer is trying to buck Drago off.
Spicer is not content to let Drago control the position.
Drago working the head with strikes.
Drago is looking to take a break and control but Spicer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Drago fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Drago throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Spicer takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Spicer tries to escape but Drago is in control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Spicer stops Drago from passing to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Drago dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

No luck for Drago with that takedown attempt.
Drago lands with a shot to the body.
Spicer throws a series of punches but Drago moves out of range.
Spicer misses with a few strikes there.
Spicer swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Drago cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Drago misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Drago fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Drago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drago circles away from the clinch attempt
and Drago counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Spicer throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

so Drago counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Drago trying to control the position from guard on top but Spicer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Spicer pushes Drago off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago looks for a takedown but Spicer sprawls well.
Spicer wants to clinch but Drago slips to the side
and Drago counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Ivan Drago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Spicer throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Drago.
Spicer tries to clinch up but Drago circles away and keeps his distance.
Drago lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Spicer darts in and clinches Drago up against the cage.

Spicer manages to break the clinch.
Drago blocks the body kick.

Drago scores with a takedown into Spicer's guard.
Drago trying to control but Spicer is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Drago trying to control but Spicer is working from the bottom.
Drago is looking to work some ground and pound but Spicer has wrist control.
Spicer wants to get back to his feet but Drago passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago thows a huge punch but Spicer dodges it nicely.
Spicer taking some punishment here, with Drago in his half guard.
Drago is tying to control. Spicer wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Drago stalling.
Drago thows a huge punch but Spicer dodges it nicely.
Rolf Spicer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ivan Drago is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Drago seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Spicer does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Drago has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Drago looks to land a strike but Spicer avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

Spicer escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Drago gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Drago postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Drago showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Drago, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Drago!