PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Neil Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Arnold (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). BJ Arnold has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Drake
vs
Arnold

165 cm
31
145 lbs
18 - 7 - 0

154 cm
31
134 lbs
20 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Highland Clothing

Museum of Monsters & Madmen
Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Neil Drake!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, BJ Arnold!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, James Atkins and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arnold tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Drake misses with a hook
and Arnold counters with an inside leg kick.
Arnold throws a head kick but Drake moves out of range.
Drake misses with a right hand
and Arnold counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Arnold lands a jab to the nose.
Drake looks to land a right hand but Arnold moved out of range.
Drake lands a jab to Arnold's midsection.
We've been hearing reports that Drake has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Arnold does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Drake connects with a body shot that sends Arnold's belly button to the back.
Drake takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Drake pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Drake throws an off balance right hand
and Arnold counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Arnold fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Drake.
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!
Arnold throws a wild body kick that Drake sees coming a mile off.
Arnold stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Drake.
A looping hook to the body misses from Drake. Arnold does a little dance to reset his feet.
Arnold only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Arnold tries to work over Drake's front leg with a kick but Drake checks it.
Arnold has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Arnold ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Arnold keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Arnold looking to land some kicks to the body here.
BJ Arnold is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Arnold pushes Drake up against the cage in a clinch.
Arnold makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Drake fails to land.
Arnold lands a body punch.
Arnold struggles to land a body shot inside as Drake controls his hands.
Arnold lands an uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Arnold.
Arnold missing with knees to the body.
Drake displaying some good clinch control by pressing Arnold up against the cage.
Drake can't find room to land a body shot as Arnold controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arnold tries to throw a body punch but Drake avoids it by throwing Arnold back against the cage.
A body shot lands from Arnold.
Drake taking a breather.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Arnold.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Drake tries to pull guard but Arnold holds him up against the cage and eventually Drake drops back down to his feet.
Arnold lands with a light punch inside.

Drake is rocked!
Good body shot from Arnold.
Arnold blocks a body shot from Drake.
Arnold misses with some punches.
Drake fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Drake jumps into guard, dragging Arnold to the mat.
Arnold must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Drake tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Arnold stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Drake swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake trying to control the position.
Drake is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arnold is trying to get back to full guard.
Arnold avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Drake.
Arnold is looking to control Drake's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Arnold avoid being mounted?

Drake is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Arnold doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Drake.
Arnold is looking for a sweep. Drake is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake is looking to take a break and control but Arnold is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Arnold is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Drake trying to mount his opponent but Arnold defends it.
Arnold is pressing down on Drake's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Arnold being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ Arnold dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A nice leg kick lands there from Arnold.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Drake is defended easily by Arnold.
Arnold flicks out a counter leg kick but Drake steps away.
Drake misses with a lunging right hand
and Arnold finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Drake misses with a takedown attempt
and Arnold connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Drake misses with a takedown attempt
and Arnold counters with a body kick that stops Drake in his tracks momentarily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neil Drake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drake throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Arnold's waist but Arnold gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Drake off to one side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Arnold lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Drake throws a predictable looking body shot
and Arnold counters with an outside leg kick.
Drake digs a good body shot into Arnold's ribs.
Arnold moves forwards but Drake connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Arnold jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arnold uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Drake slips under a jab.
Drake scores with a hook.
Arnold uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Drake.
Drake lands a head shot.
Arnold throws a push kick but Drake slaps the foot to one side.
Drake throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Arnold fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Drake has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Neil Drake seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arnold's corner calls for a 1-2. Arnold obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Arnold fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Drake missing with a left hand there. Arnold was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Arnold lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Drake is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Drake throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A solid leg kick lands there for Arnold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Drake steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Arnold. That one must have hurt.
Drake jabs Arnold right on the nose. Arnold blinks but takes it well.
Drake blocks a jab.
Drake moves out of range of the leg kick from Arnold.
Arnold tests Drake's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Arnold comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Arnold has managed to clinch.
Drake misses with a punch on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Arnold.
A shot in the inside from Arnold.
Oh Drake is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Arnold lands with a short shot to the head.
Arnold lands a big right hand that drops Drake! The killer instinct kicks in and Arnold finishes his opponent with a series of strikes from mount. A dominating finish by Arnold!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). BJ Arnold! BJ Arnold retains his bantamweight title!
BJ Arnold decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.