PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Emory Franco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Franco
vs
Drago

176 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

200 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Emory Franco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Drago!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Aleksandr Martynov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Drago clinches up with Franco and pushes him back against the cage.

Drago pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Franco slaps away a takedown attempt from Drago, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Franco feinted with a counter takedown.
Drago tries to clinch up.
Drago misses with a takedown

and Franco moves into the clinch.
Drago wants a takedown but no success here.
Emory Franco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Drago.

Drago escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Franco takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Emory Franco has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franco tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Drago rushes Franco and presses him up against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Drago throws an elbow but misses.
Drago keeps control of Franco as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Drago jumps guard and drags Franco to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Franco wanted to stand there but Drago had control of the position.
Drago is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Franco trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Drago has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Franco is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Drago is working for takedown but Franco is calmly controlling the position for now.
Franco changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Drago fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Emory Franco is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Drago fails with the takedown.
Franco changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Drago pushes Franco up against the cage in a clinch.
Drago prevents Franco from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franco stops a takedown attempt from Drago.

Drago drags the fight down to the ground.
Drago looking to hit a scissor sweep but Franco is one step ahead there.
Franco won't allow Drago to get back to his feet.

Franco avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Drago has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Franco might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago working a defensive guard here.
Drago is looking to stand up but Franco isn't so interested in that idea.
Drago seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Franco clinches with his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Drago looking for a takedown.
Franco tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Drago smiles and moves away.
Franco takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Drago fails to land the takedown.
Drago looks winded!

Franco clinches up with Drago and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Franco wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Drago has him pressed against the cage.
Drago stalling the fight.
Franco looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Drago dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Emory Franco's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Drago circles away from the clinch attempt.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Drago.

Drago forces Franco back against the cage and clinches.
The referee calls for Drago to work.
Drago lands with a right to the head.
Drago has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Drago is trying to pull guard but Franco turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Drago breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drago closes this distance looking for a takedown but Franco circles away.
Franco drops down looking for a counter takedown but Drago sprawls and moves away.
Ivan Drago seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Drago misses with a takedown attempt - Franco sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Franco tries to counter with a takedown but Drago is quick to defend against it.
Emory Franco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Drago.
No luck for Drago with that takedown attempt.
Drago is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Drago.
Franco appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Franco fails with an attempt to clinch.
Drago is looking to clinch.
Franco tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Drago manages to circle out of the way.
Drago misses with a takedown attempt

and Franco counters with a takedown into side control.

Franco is trying to get an arm triangle but Drago is defending well.
Drago tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.

Franco with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Franco looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Franco.
Drago wants to control but Franco is having none of it.
Drago keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Franco is looking to stand but Drago has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Drago tries to hold on but Franco postures up.
Drago is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Franco moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Drago has worked his arm free - good work by Drago!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drago trying his best to control but Franco has mounted him.
Emory Franco overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Franco cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Franco goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Drago is on top in guard.
Franco 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.

Drago stands up from Franco's guard - Drago perhaps looking for a knockout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Drago feints a jab promting Franco to slip. Drago then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Franco slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Emory Franco will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Emory Franco's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Franco throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Franco keeps the fight on the outside.
Franco tries to clinch up but Drago circles away and keeps his distance.
Drago tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Franco defends well and Drago ends up having to push Franco into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Drago lands a jab to Franco's midsection.
Franco tries to close the distance and clinch up but Drago swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The fight stays on the outside here - Franco looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Drago moves into range and clinches up with Franco.
Drago tries to pull guard but Franco forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Franco tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Drago just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago goes for a takedown attempt but Franco pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Emory Franco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ivan Drago.
Franco stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Franco wants it to stay on the feet.
Drago takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Drago.
Ivan Drago seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Drago avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice takedown defense from Franco. No joy for Drago on that attempt.
Franco fails in his attempt to clinch.
Franco thows a leg kick but Drago checks it
and Drago counters with a two punch combo.
Franco tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Drago wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Franco is predictable there
and Drago counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Franco moves in looking to clinch but Drago pushes him off.
Franco fails with an attempt to clinch.

Drago instigates a clinch.

Drago manages to break the clinch.
Ivan Drago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Drago doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Franco moves into the clinch.

Franco has hold of one of Drago's legs. Drago is fighting the takedown attempt but Franco gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Drago wants to stand up but Franco is controlling him.
Franco with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago working a defensive guard but Franco passes into half guard.

Franco is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Drago sees it coming and defends easily.
Drago is looking to escape.
Drago tries to roll over but Franco keeps him under control.

Drago is defending against the submission attempts here by Franco.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Franco is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Drago is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Franco lands a head kick!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Emory Franco.
I think Franco has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emory Franco!