PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tear Drop Drake (ranked 2734 p4p, 2695 weight class) and Jesse Kruger (ranked 340 p4p, 337 weight class). Tear Drop Drake has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Drake
vs
Kruger

185 cm
20
198
3 - 2 - 1

181 cm
20
200
3 - 2 - 1

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Powerful

Un-Kaged Nutrition
Fantasy Threads

Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 1, fighting out of London, Tear Drop Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Jesse Kruger!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Ian Loll and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kruger fails with the takedown.
Drake slips under a jab from Kruger.
Kruger moves away from the strike by Drake.
Kruger shoots for a takedown but Drake saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Kruger manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Drake on his heels. He'll look to pass Drake's guard now, I'm sure.
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.

Kruger thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kruger throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drake works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Drake wants to improve his position but instead Kruger has moved into half guard.
Kruger has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake tries to get to full guard but Kruger has control of the leg.
Kruger has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Combat Wombat Burrow. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Drake wants to control but Kruger is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruger lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Drake wants to get back to his feet.
Kruger thows a huge punch but Drake dodges it nicely.
Drake is refusing to be controlled, as Kruger sits in half guard.
Drake on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Drake tries to get out of the position.
Kruger missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kruger drops an elbow to the side of Drake's head.
Drake trying to hold on to Kruger's head to control him but Kruger postures up.
Kruger passes the guard and advances to mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kruger trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruger landing strikes from the mount and Drake is in trouble!
Kruger throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Drake taking shots to the head.
Kruger punching from mount but Drake doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Kruger avoids the attempt from Drake to control.
Kruger looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Kruger has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Drake's face.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kruger connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Drake is working to get back to half guard.
Poor strikes thrown by Kruger there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kruger throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Drake is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kruger sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Drake tries to hold on but Kruger pushes him away.
Kruger raining down hammerfists from mount.
Kruger avoids the attempt from Drake to control.
BOOM! Kruger connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Kruger throws some wild stikes that Drake manages to avoid easily.
Drake holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Kruger tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Drake tries to hold on but Kruger pushes him away.
Kruger thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Drake definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Kruger punching from mount but Drake doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kruger breaks from Drake's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Kruger misses with a head shot.
Kruger tries to control but Drake wriggling away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kruger is in the full mount, landing strikes.
A nice elbow there by Kruger.
Kruger can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Drake is looking to escape.
Kruger throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Drake is trying desperately to improve position.
Drake blocking the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Drake doesn't manage to clinch there - Kruger circles away.
And Kruger tries to counter it with a takedown but Drake pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Kruger shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Drake defends it nicely.
Kruger uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Drake.

Kruger looking to score a takedown here. Drake is defending well but Kruger drives through and ends up in Drake's guard.
Kruger trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Drake keeping moving, preventing Kruger from controlling successfully.
Kruger advances to half guard.
Kruger not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Drake knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kruger on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kruger is looking to take a break and control but Drake is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Drake is trying to stand back up but Kruger is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruger thows a huge punch but Drake dodges it nicely.
Kruger thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Drake on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Drake is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kruger's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kruger's back!
What can Kruger do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Kruger trying to control the action but Drake just sinks the hooks in.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Drake controlling the positon.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruger trying to control the hands but Drake breaks the grip.
Jesse Kruger has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kruger is in bad spot here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kruger is still trying to improve position.
Kruger wants to control his opponent's hands but Drake gets his hands free.
You can see the frustration on Kruger's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Kruger trying to control the hands but Drake breaks the grip.
Good control from Drake.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kruger trying to control the action but Drake just sinks the hooks in.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
I really don't envy Kruger right now.
Drake has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Kruger's body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tear Drop Drake dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

A big right from Drake misses.
Drake throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Kruger shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Kruger was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
You can see the frustration on Drake's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kruger misses with the ground and pound.
Kruger working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Drake wants to get back to his feet but Kruger drags him back down.
The strikes coming from Kruger are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kruger throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Kruger tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kruger has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kruger in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruger in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Kruger throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Kruger is looking to take a break and control but Drake is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Drake avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Kruger.
Kruger trying to control the action but Drake is working from the bottom.
Kruger wants to take a breather but Drake manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Kruger.
Kruger working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruger loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kruger throwing strikes but missing.
Kruger lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kruger throwing strikes but missing.
Drake working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kruger.
Drake keeping moving, preventing Kruger from controlling successfully.
Kruger has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kruger accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kruger stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Drake swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kruger trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kruger stands up over Drake, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Drake is pulling down on Kruger's head. It's preventing any offense from Kruger, at least for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kruger accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kruger is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Drake wants to sweep here but Kruger controlling him for the moment.
Kruger stays in close to Drake's body and controls the position.
Kruger trying to control but Drake is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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.
Kruger will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Kruger bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Drake is working to avoid the ground and pound but Kruger connects with a decent elbow.
Drake on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Drake struggling a bit here.
Kruger throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Kruger misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Kruger cracks Drake with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kruger sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Drake is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Drake is not content to let Kruger control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesse Kruger comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kruger has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesse Kruger!
Jesse Kruger thanked the fans post fight for their support.