PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rico Gentry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Draco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steve Draco is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Gentry
vs
Draco

204 cm
19
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
191 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rico Gentry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steve Draco!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gentry moves to clinch but Draco breaks away
and Draco counters with a big head kick but Gentry shrugs it off.

Draco darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gentry gets full guard.

Gentry is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gentry looking for a sweep. Not yet Gentry, not yet.
Gentry will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gentry really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Gentry is pulling down on Draco's head. It's preventing any offense from Draco, at least for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gentry bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Draco's guard.

Gentry is looking to work some ground and pound but Draco has wrist control.

Draco throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draco utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Gentry stands up and waves to Draco to follow him.

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

Gentry kicks Draco off and gets to his feet.
Draco tries to clinch there but Gentry circles away.
Gentry swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

Draco moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gentry is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Draco unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Gentry drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Draco gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Draco pulls guard effortlessly.
Draco looks winded!
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!
Draco looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gentry is one step ahead there.

Gentry gets to his feet. Draco looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Gentry misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Draco fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gentry sprawls well initially but Draco persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Gentry has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Draco is on him like a limpet, forcing Gentry back against the cage.
Draco looking to slow down the pace here.
Gentry is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Draco pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rico Gentry. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Draco breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Draco lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Gentry looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Steve Draco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Draco shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gentry's guard.

Gentry has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Draco off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
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!

Draco changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gentry looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gentry is trying to control Draco's posture but Draco avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gentry tries to buck Draco off but Draco is having none of it.
Gentry throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Gentry is not content to let Draco control the position.
Gentry is trying to control Draco's posture but Draco avoids it.
Gentry throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Gentry is trying to control Draco's posture but Draco avoids it.
Draco is staying tight to Gentry's torso, preventing him from escaping.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rico Gentry will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Draco changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gentry looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Gentry wants to get back to his feet but Draco is dominant here and he's now got Gentry's back!
Draco avoiding Gentry 's attempts to control his hands.
Gentry is trying to break free.
Draco controlling from the back.

Draco is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Gentry defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gentry rolls, trying to escape but Draco keeps control of the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Draco is breathing heavily.
Draco missing with strikes from the back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
I really don't envy Gentry right now.

Draco is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Gentry defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Gentry tries to break free.
Draco avoiding Gentry 's attempts to control his hands.
Gentry rolls, trying to escape but Draco keeps control of the position.
Gentry wants to control his opponent's hands but Draco gets his hands free.
Gentry is trying to break free.

Draco is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Gentry is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draco doesn't have the hooks in and Gentry manages to turn into his guard.
Gentry postures up and lands a big shot to Draco's brow.
Gentry postures up and lands a big shot to Draco's brow.
Draco looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gentry is one step ahead there.

Gentry avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gentry working some strikes from top position.
Gentry has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gentry prevents Draco from getting back to his feet.
Gentry throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Draco works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Draco is adopting a defensive guard.

Draco has his foot on Gentry's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gentry works his way back into a safe position though.

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.

Gentry decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Draco, up you get!
Some wild striking there from Gentry.
Gentry backing away here, and Draco unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Gentry throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Draco stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Gentry avoids the head kick by Draco.
Gentry tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gentry fails with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Steve Draco will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Draco is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Gentry's half guard.
Gentry works his way to full guard. Good work.
Draco trying to control the position from guard on top but Gentry is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Draco stopping the sweep attempt from Gentry.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draco slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Draco won't allow Gentry to sweep him here.
Draco takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gentry is trying to control the position but Draco postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gentry is really struggling to control Draco but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Draco sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Gentry looking to control.
Gentry tries to strike from the bottom.
Gentry working a defensive guard here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Draco clinches.
Gentry is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Draco gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gentry.

Draco's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Draco scores with a takedown into Gentry's guard.
Rico Gentry overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Draco sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Draco wants to control from the top but Gentry keeps moving.
Gentry bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Draco's guard.

Draco looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Draco wants to improve his position but instead Gentry has moved into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draco is trying to get back to full guard.

Gentry decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Gentry changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Draco tries to avoid it but Gentry manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Draco to the ground. Draco escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rico Gentry. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Draco gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Draco pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gentry tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Draco swivels and escapes.

Gentry gets caught flat footed, as Draco shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Draco controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Gentry looking for a sweep. Not yet Gentry, not yet.
Gentry is working hard here to advance position.

Draco decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Gentry, up you get!

Draco closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Draco trying to control the action but Gentry is working from the bottom.
Gentry tries to buck Draco off but Draco is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Draco looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Gentry is avoiding damage well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gentry tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Draco wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Draco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Draco has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Rico Gentry!