PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jeremiah Gilliam (ranked 6298 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Drakko (ranked 4780 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan Drakko has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Jeremiah Gilliam's chin.

Gilliam
vs
Drakko

191 cm
24
215 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

200 cm
24
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jeremiah Gilliam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ivan Drakko!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gilliam drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Drakko takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Gilliam lands an elbow.
Drakko is looking to regain half guard here but Gilliam keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drakko keeps trying to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drakko wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Gilliam 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drakko is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilliam lands a few punches from side control.
Gilliam in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Gilliam remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Gilliam in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Gilliam working the ground and pound.
Gilliam scoring with punches from side control.
A control attempt from Drakko but he's now mounted!
Gilliam scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Drakko?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drakko is working to get back to half guard.
Gilliam raining down hammerfists from mount.
Gilliam working Drakko over with strikes here.
Gilliam controlling the pace for now.
Drakko takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Gilliam working the ground and pound effectively.
Drakko working to try and regain half guard.
Drakko is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Gilliam has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drakko's face.
Gilliam lands a big elbow.
Drakko is in a horrible position here. Gilliam smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Drakko really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gilliam. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gilliam looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gilliam with good strikes from the mount here!
Drakko working to try and regain half guard.
Drakko is in a horrible position here. Gilliam smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gilliam raining down shots from the mount!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Drakko takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeremiah Gilliam dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Drakko doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gilliam moves into the clinch.

Gilliam wants the takedown. Drakko is fighting it off but Gilliam persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Drakko's guard against the cage.

Drakko has his feet on Gilliam's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Drakko shoots and misses

and Gilliam counters with a shoot takedown. Drakko fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gilliam connects with a couple of short punches.
Jeremiah Gilliam overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gilliam slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Gilliam distracts Drakko with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Gilliam with a nice head shot there.
Gilliam not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drakko is trying to control the position but Gilliam postures up.
Gilliam makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Drakko looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gilliam is working Drakko over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Drakko looking to control.
Drakko wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Gilliam is now in half guard.
Drakko is breathing heavily.
Gilliam takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Gilliam seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam slows the pace down in half guard.
Gilliam working Drakko over with strikes.
Gilliam 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.
Drakko throws a strike from the bottom but Gilliam passes into side control!
Gilliam is staying tight to Drakko's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Drakko is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Gilliam is one step ahead and moves to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drakko taking shots to the head.
Drakko wants to control but Gilliam is having none of it.
Gilliam lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The referee warns Drakko that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Gilliam breaks from Drakko's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Gilliam lands a heavy elbow.
Drakko is in a horrible position here. Gilliam smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gilliam controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drakko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gilliam fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Gilliam in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Drakko is trying to stand.
Gilliam looking to finish Drakko with some ground and pound. This is bad for Drakko!
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!
Gilliam dominating with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeremiah Gilliam dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Drakko looks to clinch

so Gilliam counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Gilliam stands up over Drakko, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Drakko isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Gilliam stacks Drakko 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 Gilliam!
Gilliam working away.
Gilliam is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Drakko can do to turn this around?
Gilliam moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drakko takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Drakko tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilliam breaks from Drakko's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Drakko tries to lock up and control but Gilliam gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gilliam lands a big elbow.
Gilliam tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Gilliam with a couple of short strikes.
Gilliam working Drakko over with strikes here.
Gilliam working away from the top, dropping strikes.
You get the feeling that Drakko really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam landing punches.
Gilliam lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Drakko tries to lock up and control but Gilliam gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gilliam lands a nice shot to the head.
Gilliam raining down hammerfists from mount.
Gilliam working Drakko over with strikes here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gilliam lands a heavy elbow.
Gilliam lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Drakko hang on?
Gilliam looking to control and managing it successfully.
Drakko is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam scoring with strikes but Drakko is staying in there.
Gilliam with good strikes from the mount here!
Gilliam sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gilliam has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drakko's face.
Drakko tries to reverse the position but Gilliam maintains control.
Gilliam controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilliam working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Gilliam is landing with some decent strikes but Drakko is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Gilliam fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Drakko tries to hold on but Gilliam pushes him away.
Gilliam working Drakko over with strikes here.
Gilliam lands a big shot there that rocks Drakko but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Gilliam cracks Drakko with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Gilliam scoring with strikes but Drakko is staying in there.
Ivan Drakko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jeremiah Gilliam is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gilliam raining down hammerfists from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jeremiah Gilliam showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gilliam has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:26
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:26
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jeremiah Gilliam!