PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chester Drawers (ranked 3482 p4p, 2753 weight class) and Dirk Van Beest (ranked 330 p4p, 278 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Dirk Van Beest was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Drawers
vs
Van Beest

169 cm
40
146
18 - 15 - 0

186 cm
30
152
5 - 5 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

KOMBAT KLOTHING

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 18 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chester Drawers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dirk Van Beest!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Beest jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A cross from Van Beest lands.
Van Beest lands the left hand.
Van Beest chopping away at his opponent's legs.
An inside leg kick from Van Beest misses.
Drawers tries to counter with a takedown but Van Beest is quick to defend against it.
Van Beest throws an overhand right that lands on Drawers's shoulder, as Drawers tries to avoid the shot.
Nice defenses there by Drawers.
Van Beest throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Drawers feinted with a counter takedown.
Van Beest tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Drawers drops down looking for a counter takedown but Van Beest sprawls and moves away.
A head kick misses from Van Beest.
Dirk Van Beest seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Beest swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Drawers feinted with a counter takedown.
Van Beest wants to slow Drawers down by chopping away at his legs.
Van Beest thows a leg kick but Drawers checks it

and Drawers counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Drawers.
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!
Drawers with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drawers pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Van Beest is keeping the position for now.
Van Beest is trying to keep Drawers in close.
Drawers passes Van Beest's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Van Beest is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Drawers is working for a kimura but Van Beest is defending it quite comfortably.
Van Beest wants to control but Drawers is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Van Beest avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Drawers.
Van Beest is looking to escape.
Van Beest keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Drawers is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Van Beest!
Van Beest tries to reverse the position but Drawers maintains control.
Van Beest is controlling an arm, preventing Drawers from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Drawers lands a big elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest is in a horrible position here. Drawers smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Drawers working for a guillotine from mount but Van Beest is in no mood to give up.
Van Beest taking shots to the head.
Van Beest is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Drawers is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Van Beest has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Van Beest!
Drawers keeping moving, preventing Van Beest from controlling successfully.
Van Beest stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Drawers swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Van Beest trying to control but Drawers is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Van Beest working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Drawers working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Van Beest has passed into half guard!
Van Beest seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Drawers does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Drawers might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Van Beest works his way into side control.
Van Beest wants to lay and pray for a moment but Drawers keeps working.
Drawers 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.
Drawers is looking for a sweep.
Drawers manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Drawers looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Van Beest pushes past his half guard into mount!
Van Beest lands a couple of good shots and Drawers has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest has good solid back control here.
Drawers wants to escape the position.
Van Beest is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
I really don't envy Drawers right now.
Van Beest is looking to control Drawers but Drawers is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Van Beest throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Drawers is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Drawers rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Van Beest is looking to advance position but Drawers won't allow it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Beest is taking a breather. Drawers 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.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dirk Van Beest will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Drawers takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
A big right from Van Beest misses.
Van Beest throws a leg kick

and Drawers counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Drawers prevents Van Beest from improving his position.
Van Beest won't allow Drawers to pass to mount.

Drawers is working for a submission of some sort.
Van Beest moves into full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Beest manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Drawers manages to get himself to full guard.

Van Beest trying to control but Drawers is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drawers had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Van Beest defends it easily.

Drawers looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Van Beest wants to control from the top but Drawers keeps moving.
Van Beest 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.

Drawers looking for a guillotine here but Van Beest defends easily.

Drawers working for submissions but it's allowed Van Beest to get to half guard.
Van Beest seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Drawers does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two 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.

Drawers is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Van Beest pulls his head out easily.
Van Beest trying to pass the guard but Drawers defending well.

Drawers is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Van Beest pulls his head out easily.
Van Beest tries to pass the half guard into mount. Drawers knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Van Beest is looking to take a break and control but Drawers is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chester Drawers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Drawers actively working from the bottom here.
Van Beest trying to control the action but Drawers is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Drawers haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Drawers is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Van Beest pulls his head out easily.
Drawers is staying active underneath Van Beest, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Van Beest tries to pass to full mount but Drawers defends it.
Van Beest trying to control the action but Drawers is working from the bottom.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Van Beest working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

Drawers looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Drawers looking for submissions off his back.
Van Beest prevents Drawers from improving his position.

Drawers looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Van Beest is controlling the pace.

Drawers actively working from the bottom here.
Still in half guard, Van Beest seems content to control.
Drawers is staying active underneath Van Beest, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Drawers with the active half guard here but Van Beest passes nicely into side control.
Drawers tries to improve position but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Van Beest trying to control the action but Drawers is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Van Beest showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Drawers slips a straight right by Van Beest.
Drawers half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Drawers slips under a jab from Van Beest.
Van Beest looks to land a left hand but Drawers moved out of range nicely.
Van Beest throws a leg kick

and Drawers counters with a nice double leg into side control. Van Beest won't be happy with that.

Van Beest throws Drawers to one side and escapes!
A head kick misses from Van Beest.
Drawers changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Drawers defending well as Van Beest loads up on a big left hand.
Van Beest moves in looking to clinch but Drawers pushes him off.
Van Beest misses with a leg kick

and Drawers counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Drawers.

Van Beest is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Drawers presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Drawers blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A right hand to the body from Van Beest.
Drawers takes an elbow to the temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Beest fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Van Beest throws an elbow that misses.
Van Beest misses with a body punch.
Drawers fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Drawers is trying to pull guard but Van Beest has him pressed against the cage.
Van Beest has a couple of punches blocked by Drawers.
Van Beest misses with a punch to the body.

Van Beest's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Van Beest lands a right hook to the body.
Van Beest connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Van Beest throws a body punch but Drawers moves out of range.
Drawers ducks under a wild hook from Van Beest.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drawers steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Van Beest.
Drawers drops down looking for a counter takedown but Van Beest sprawls and moves away.
Van Beest swings widly with a right hand

and Drawers counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Van Beest!

Drawers is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Van Beest is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van Beest tries to improve position but can't.
Drawers tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Van Beest has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Van Beest is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Drawers wants to work for an arm triangle but Van Beest is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Van Beest is in trouble now - Drawers has advanced to mount!
Van Beest is desperately trying to improve his position but Drawers has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drawers moves to the back position.
Van Beest trying to control the action but Drawers just sinks the hooks in.

Van Beest is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Van Beest can't escape the position.
Drawers missing with strikes from the back.
Drawers lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Van Beest tries to break free.
Drawers is punishing Van Beest with some ground and pound.
Drawers controlling well, preventing Van Beest from escaping the position.
Van Beest trying to get back to his feet but Drawers is in full control for now.

Drawers working for a choke but Van Beest reverses nicely into Drawers 's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drawers can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Van Beest controls the pace.

Drawers is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Van Beest defends well.
Dirk Van Beest is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Drawers keeping moving, preventing Van Beest from controlling successfully.

Drawers is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Chester Drawers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Van Beest engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Drawers working for a triangle but Van Beest defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dirk Van Beest comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Van Beest winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dirk Van Beest!
Dirk Van Beest very nearly forgot to thank KOMBAT KLOTHING amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.