PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hershel Drake (ranked 9100 p4p, 0 weight class) and Falto Balringer (ranked 7891 p4p, 565 weight class). Hershel Drake had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Drake
vs
Balringer

207 cm
19
278 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
225 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hershel Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Falto Balringer!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Drake moves into the clinch.

Balringer manages to pull guard.
Balringer has a closed guard, preventing Drake from standing up.
Balringer pulls Drake in close to prevent any damage.
Balringer wants to stand and escape but Drake is having none of it.
Balringer looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Drake puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Drake content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Balringer looks winded!
Balringer wants to get back to full guard.
Balringer looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Balringer has eaten all the pies!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake wants to stand up but Balringer has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Balringer tries to get to full guard but Drake has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balringer is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Balringer is trying to stand back up but Drake is controlling him
Drake tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Balringer.

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

Drake takes the fight into the clinch.
Drake landing knees to the head.
Drake makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Drake goes for a takedown in the clinch but Balringer prevents it.

Drake lands a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Balringer working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Drake has passed into half guard!
Drake keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Drake wants to stand up but Balringer is controlling the position.
Drake will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Drake is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Drake tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Balringer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drake postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Balringer to stand up.
Drake cracks a nice hook into Balringer's ribs.

Drake forces Balringer back against the cage and clinches.
Drake tries for a takedown but Balringer manages to get underhooks.
Balringer jumps guard but Drake turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Balringer stops a takedown attempt from Drake.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hershel Drake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balringer gets underhooks to prevent Drake's takedown attempt.
Drake has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Balringer after a bit of a struggle.

Drake has Balringer pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Drake pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Balringer tumbling to the mat - Drake dives into Balringer's guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Balringer trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balringer trying to control the position.
Drake scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Balringer looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Drake passes into side control.

Drake is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Balringer has escaped the position, nice work there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Balringer is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hershel Drake dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Drake instigates a clinch.
Drake drops down looking for an ankle pick but Balringer pulls his leg out and moves away.
Balringer doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Drake counters by clinching up.
Balringer looking for a takedown.
Drake is looking for a takedown.
Drake drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hershel Drake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balringer stops a takedown attempt from Drake.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Balringer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Drake gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Balringer is breathing heavily.

Drake jumps guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balringer wants to control from the top but Drake keeps moving.
Drake pulls Balringer in close to prevent any damage.
Balringer must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Drake continues to stall.
Drake 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.
Drake wants to get back to his feet but Balringer is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Balringer wanted to stand there but Drake had control of the position.
Drake managing to control the position.
Drake bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Balringer's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Balringer has momentary wrist control but Drake slips an elbow through the middle.

Balringer isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Drake stacks Balringer on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Drake!

Drake is trying to get an arm triangle but Balringer is defending well.
Balringer being controlled for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balringer is looking to reverse the position.
Balringer trying his best to control but Drake has mounted him.
Drake content just to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Drake is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Balringer has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Drake controlling his opponent.
Hershel Drake overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Drake trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Balringer tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Drake working for a guillotine from mount but Balringer is in no mood to give up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hershel Drake 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. 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.

Drake fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Balringer avoids it really well and circles away.

Balringer shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Drake napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Drake is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Balringer off and has taken his back!
Drake slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Drake looking for the RNC.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drake is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Balringer defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Drake is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Balringer has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Drake looking for the choke from the back.
Balringer wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Drake is persistently looking for the submission but Balringer is defending it well.
Balringer trying to control the position but Drake manages to sink in the hooks.
Drake controlling well, preventing Balringer from escaping the position.

Drake is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Balringer has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Drake has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Balringer taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Drake doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Hershel Drake!