PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jake Drake (ranked 954 p4p, 2740 weight class) and Jean Jacque Custo (ranked 115 p4p, 275 weight class). Drake kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Lose Yourself. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Drake
vs
Custo

175 cm
22
150
7 - 1 - 0

174 cm
22
152
3 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

HARDCORE
EL ZOIDO FEEBLE FIGHTWEAR

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 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jake Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jean Jacque Custo!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Bruno Hogan and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake shoots for a takedown but Custo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Custo stuffs the takedown attempt from Drake. Drake gets slowly back to his feet.
Custo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drake as he avoids it easily.

Drake looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Drake tries to free his leg and advance position but Custo is retaining full guard.
Custo trying to control the position.
Drake preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake lands a couple of elbows.
Drake throws an elbow that misses. Custo uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Drake's guard. Nice move by Custo!

Drake tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Custo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Drake. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Custo slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Drake is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Drake manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Custo manages to get himself to full guard.

Drake 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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Custo is on top in guard.

In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Custo working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Drake keeping moving, preventing Custo from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Custo controls from within his opponent's guard.
It looks like Custo might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drake looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Drake looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Custo passes into half guard.
Drake wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Custo working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Drake's thigh. Drake counters though and makes it back to full guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Custo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Custo stopping the sweep attempt from Drake.
Custo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Drake swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Drake working a defensive guard but Custo manages to pass into side control anyway.
A lull in the action here as Custo stalls from top position.
Custo wants to control but Drake is keeping him busy.
Drake struggling a bit here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Drake is looking for a sweep.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jake Drake will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Custo goes for a double leg but Drake avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Drake continues to drive forward.
Custo fails with a takedown attempt.
Drake looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Custo shoots in for a double leg but Drake sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Jake Drake has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jean Jacque Custo.
Horrible takedown attempt by Drake or perhaps it was just good defense by Custo, which made it look bad.
Drake shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Custo pinned against the cage. Custo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Custo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Drake is fending him off so far but Custo persists. Nope, Drake circles away and we're back to standing.
Drake fails with a takedown attempt.

Drake closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Custo to the mat! Custo manages to get full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Custo keeping moving, preventing Drake from controlling successfully.
Custo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Custo 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 one minute gone in the round.
Custo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Custo pulls Drake in close to his closed guard and prevents Drake from doing any damage or advancing position.
Drake postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Drake stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Custo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Custo is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Custo keeping moving, preventing Drake from controlling successfully.
Custo is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

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.
Custo keeping moving, preventing Drake from controlling successfully.
Drake postures up in Custo's guard and throws a big left but Custo blocks it.
Drake cracks Custo with a solid left hand.
Drake passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Custo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Drake wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Drake working the head with strikes.
Custo is looking for a sweep.
Custo regains half guard, as Drake was trying to land strikes.
Custo manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Custo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Custo trying to keep a closed guard but Drake is proving a slippery customer.
Drake works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Custo is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Drake jumps into side control!
Drake wants to lay and pray for a moment but Custo keeps working.
Drake lands an elbow.
Custo is looking to regain half guard here but Drake keeps moving and retains side control.
Custo parries the strikes from Drake easily there. Drake is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Custo to escape.
Drake wants to lay and pray for a moment but Custo keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Custo dodges the ground and pound from Drake.
Custo parries the strikes from Drake easily there. Drake is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Custo to escape.
Custo tries to buck Drake off but Drake is having none of it.
Custo manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Drake not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Drake wants to lay and pray for a moment but Custo keeps working.
Drake is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Custo can do to turn this around?
Drake trying to pass the guard but Custo defending well.
Drake prevents Custo from improving his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Custo is not content to let Drake control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Drake dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Custo shoots in but no luck this time.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Drake.
Custo darts in looking for a takedown but Drake gets double underhooks and turns Custo into the cage.
Drake shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Custo as he avoids it easily.
Drake looks for a takedown but Custo sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Drake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Custo stuffs the takedown.
Drake shoots in for a double leg but Custo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
No luck for Custo with that takedown attempt.

Custo closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Drake is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Custo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Drake keeps working.
Drake tries to get to full guard but Custo has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Custo is taking a breather. Drake 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.
Drake is trying to control but Custo manages to pass to mount!
Drake is desperately trying to improve his position but Custo has a good base and remains in mount.
Custo controlling from the full mount.
Drake is looking to improve his position but Custo isn't that keen on the idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Custo controlling from mount.
Custo looking to control but Drake is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Custo controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Custo controlling his opponent.
Jake Drake is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Drake tries to hold on but Custo postures up.
Drake is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Drake holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Custo tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Custo wants to control the pace but Drake is squirming around nicely.
Custo takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Custo trying to control but Drake is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Drake keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jean Jacque Custo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Drake has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 29:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!