PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brady Baird (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Drago has chosen Russian Anthem as his entrance music. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Baird
vs
Drago

175 cm
20
177 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

185 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Brady Baird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Drago!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Drago fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Baird sprawls well initially but Drago persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Baird tries to roll over but Drago keeps him under control.
Baird throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Baird looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drago wants to pass to mount but Baird is defending the position.
Drago prevents Baird from standing back up.
Baird gets full guard.

Baird looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Baird is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Baird being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago trying to control but Baird is working from the bottom.
Drago controls from within his opponent's guard.
Baird not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Baird is looking for a triangle but Drago pushes his legs off easily.
Baird is breathing heavily.
Drago tries to free his leg and advance position but Baird is retaining full guard.
Drago must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Drago trying to control the position from guard on top but Baird is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Drago sitting in guard here, content to control.
Drago slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Baird gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Baird wants to improve his position but Drago is controlling well.
Baird flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago wants to control but Baird is keeping him busy.
Drago is taking a breather. Baird says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drago prevents Baird from improving his position.
Drago wants to pass the guard but Baird is defending well.

Drago is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Baird is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Drago pulls his head out easily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Drago tries to close the distance and clinch up but Baird swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Drago throws a sloppy head kick and Baird moves out of range easily.
Drago closes this distance looking for a takedown but Baird circles away.
Baird shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Drago counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Baird is striking but Drago is not phased and passes to half guard.

Baird is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Drago pulls his head out easily.
Baird is trying to get back to full guard.
Drago is trying to control the action in half guard but Baird is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Drago dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

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

Baird is looking for a triangle but Drago pushes his legs off easily.
Baird keeping full guard, as Drago tries to pass.

Baird is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Drago wants to pass the guard but Baird is keeping the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Drago wants to stand but Baird has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Baird controls Drago momentarily but Drago frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baird looking for a sweep. Not yet Baird, not yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Drago has managed to clinch.
Baird is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Drago unloads a knee to the mid-section. Baird lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Drago pulls guard successfully.
Baird tries to free his leg and advance position but Drago is retaining full guard.
Baird trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Drago wants to sweep here but Baird controlling him for the moment.

That's two 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 is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Drago keeping moving, preventing Baird from controlling successfully.
Baird is looking to work some ground and pound but Drago has wrist control.

Drago looking for a guillotine here but Baird defends easily.
Baird tries to free his leg and advance position but Drago is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Baird shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Drago pinned against the cage. Drago gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Drago has closed the distance and engaged Baird in a clinch.
Drago changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Baird fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Baird tries to clinch but fails miserably

so Drago counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Baird has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Drago can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Drago avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Baird 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drago trying to control the position from guard on top but Baird is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Baird wants to sweep but no luck.
Baird is trying to control the position but Drago postures up.

Baird is looking for a triangle but Drago pushes his legs off easily.

Drago avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Drago showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Drago fails with the takedown

and Baird decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Drago's guard.
Baird is looking to work some ground and pound but Drago has wrist control.
Baird thows a big elbow that misses.
Drago is looking to sweep but instead, Baird has passed into half guard.

Baird is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Drago has managed to free his arm - good work.
Baird not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Drago wants to control but Baird is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baird wants to take a breather but Drago is having none of it.
Drago trying to hold on to Baird's head to control him but Baird postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Baird fails with the takedown

so Drago counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Drago missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Baird looking for subs off his back but Drago has passed one foot through into half guard.
Drago prevents Baird from improving his position.
Baird is refusing to be controlled, as Drago sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baird is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Drago prevents Baird from standing back up.
Baird is trying to control but can't.
Baird missing with punches from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Drago scores with a leg kick.

Drago shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Baird's guard.
Ivan Drago is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Baird keeping moving, preventing Drago from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baird looking to control.

Baird is looking for a triangle but Drago pushes his legs off easily.
Ivan Drago has got the better of the ground game so far.
Baird wants to sweep but no luck.
Baird can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Drago controls the pace.

Baird working for a triangle but Drago defends it easily.

Baird looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Brady Baird has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baird looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Drago passes into half guard.

Baird is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Drago pulls his head out easily.
Baird wants to get back to his feet.

Baird is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Drago pulls his head out easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ivan Drago.
Well Drago has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30

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