PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dan Vespa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gary Drudge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gary Drudge is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Vespa
vs
Drudge

169 cm
19
143 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

160 cm
19
140 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Dan Vespa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Gary Drudge!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, James Atkins and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Drudge clinches up with Vespa and pushes him back against the cage.
Vespa fails to pull guard.
Vespa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Drudge pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Vespa tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Drudge smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Vespa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drudge displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

It looks like Dan Vespa has been cut.
Drudge takes a swing at Vespa's ribcage but misses.
Nice jab there from Drudge.

Vespa drives through with a takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Drudge wants to stand up but Vespa is controlling him.
Vespa trying to control the position from guard on top but Drudge is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Drudge working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Vespa.
Vespa is standing up over Drudge. Drudge looks to escape but Vespa dives into side control.
Vespa tries to score with some ground and pound. Drudge controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Drudge wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Drudge is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vespa tries to move into full mount but can't pass Drudge's legs.
Drudge is trying to buck Vespa off.
Vespa has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vespa misses with the ground and pound.
Vespa is chipping away with strikes.
Vespa tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Vespa prevents Drudge from escaping the position.
Drudge looks gassed!
Drudge stops Vespa from passing to mount.
Drudge is pushing Vespa's head away, looking to escape. Vespa manages to hold on to the position though.
Vespa throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Drudge is not content to let Vespa control the position.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vespa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Vespa darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Vespa connects with a nice short shot to Drudge's temple.
Drudge wants to get back to his feet.
Drudge avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Vespa.
Vespa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Drudge does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Drudge wants to get back to his feet.
Vespa lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Vespa working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vespa is looking for a kimura but Drudge is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Vespa to get the leverage.
Drudge is looking to escape.

Vespa is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Vespa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Drudge taking some punishment here, with Vespa in his half guard.
Drudge is refusing to be controlled, as Vespa sits in half guard.

Vespa is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Drudge sees it coming and defends easily.
Drudge blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vespa.
Vespa lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Vespa landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Vespa prevents Drudge from standing back up.

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

Vespa gets a takedown into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Vespa lands a nice short elbow.
Vespa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Drudge defending well though.
Vespa trying to control the action but Drudge is working from the bottom.
Vespa is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Drudge is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vespa thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Drudge is trying to stand back up but Vespa is controlling him

Vespa stands up and beckons Drudge to join him on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Vespa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dan Vespa's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Vespa gets a clinch.
Vespa tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Drudge smiles and moves away.

Vespa gets the takedown into side control.
Drudge wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Vespa throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Drudge dodges the ground and pound from Vespa.
Drudge wants to get back to his feet but Vespa drags him back down.

Vespa is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Drudge is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Vespa landing strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
An elbow from Vespa crashes against the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drudge takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Drudge is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Vespa working the ground and pound.

Vespa is trying to get an arm triangle but Drudge is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vespa tries to advance to mount but can't.
Drudge wants to get back to his feet but Vespa drags him back down.
Drudge is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Vespa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Vespa decides to stand back up. Vespa steps back and let's Drudge get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drudge moves into range and clinches up with Vespa.
Stalling in the clinch from Vespa.
Vespa looking for a takedown.
Vespa controlling the action here for a moment.

Vespa jumps into guard, dragging Drudge to the mat.

Vespa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Vespa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Drudge can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Vespa looking for a sweep. Not yet Vespa, not yet.
Drudge has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Vespa is proving hard to escape from.
Dan Vespa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vespa controls Drudge momentarily but Drudge frees himself.
Drudge must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Drudge stopping the sweep attempt from Vespa.
Drudge wants to stand but Vespa is controlling his posture from full guard.

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

Vespa shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Vespa showed some decent athleticism there.
Vespa lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Vespa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Drudge does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vespa prevents Drudge from standing back up.
Drudge has hold of Vespa's hands but Vespa slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Drudge on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Vespa postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Drudge to stand up.
Vespa shoots in looking for a takedown. Drudge tries to sprawl out of it but Vespa keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Drudge manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Vespa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vespa slips under a jab from Drudge.

Vespa closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Drudge is trying to stand up here but Vespa is controlling him well.
Vespa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Drudge defending well though.
Vespa not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vespa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Drudge defending well though.
Drudge is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Vespa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dan Vespa's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Vespa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Drudge's waist but Drudge gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Vespa off to one side.
Drudge tries to clinch but Vespa moves away

and Vespa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Vespa.

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

Vespa looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Drudge!

Vespa throws some shoulder strikes here and then postures up. Oh, he's gone for an armbar! Drudge has his hands clasped together but Vespa breaks the hold and Drudge is forced to tap! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over! That was lightning fast by Vespa!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Dan Vespa!