PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Oscar Blaydes (ranked 196 p4p, 400 weight class) and Valen Dreth (ranked 27 p4p, 64 weight class). Blaydes's entrance music is Black Sunshine - White Zombie. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Blaydes
vs
Dreth

171 cm
31
158
13 - 5 - 1

175 cm
37
165
32 - 17 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Northern Zombie
Shadow Realm Apparel

NARCOS
FF Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Oscar Blaydes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Valen Dreth!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Micheangelo Fripello and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dreth lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Valen Dreth seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Dreth drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Blaydes is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Dreth's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Blaydes is holding on to half guard well.
Blaydes wants to control but Dreth is keeping busy and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blaydes keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Blaydes slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dreth loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dreth trying to control the position from guard on top but Blaydes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dreth looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Dreth is looking to work some ground and pound but Blaydes has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Dreth trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Blaydes ducks under a wild hook from Dreth.

Dreth gets caught napping as Blaydes dives in and scores a takedown. Dreth manages to retain guard.

Blaydes got a little sloppy there for a moment and Dreth has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Blaydes has managed to get both his arms back between Dreth's legs - danger averted.
Blaydes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Blaydes stopping the sweep attempt from Dreth.
Blaydes content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blaydes trying to control but Dreth is working from the bottom.
Dreth is trying to control the position but Blaydes postures up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Dreth might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Blaydes haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Blaydes takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Blaydes looks for the body kick but Dreth saw that one coming.
Dreth throws a hook to the side of Blaydes's head but Blaydes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Dreth keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Blaydes shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Blaydes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaydes controlling the action here.
Blaydes scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Blaydes trying to mount his opponent but Dreth defends it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dreth wants to control the action here but instead Blaydes manages to pass to full mount!
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 Oscar Blaydes will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dreth throws a series of punches but Blaydes avoids them all with ease.
Blaydes ducks under a wild hook from Dreth.
A jab from Dreth misses.
Blaydes scores with a jab to the head.
Dreth fails to land the takedown.
A low kick lands for Blaydes.
Horrible takedown attempt by Dreth or perhaps it was just good defense by Blaydes, which made it look bad.
Dreth shoots in for a takedown but Blaydes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Oscar Blaydes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Valen Dreth.
Dreth looks to land a left hand but Blaydes moved out of range nicely.
Blaydes gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Blaydes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dreth.
Dreth looks to land a left hand but Blaydes moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blaydes jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Blaydes throws a push kick but Dreth slaps the foot to one side.
Blaydes uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Dreth.
Dreth thows a left - swing and a miss!
Blaydes takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A big right from Dreth misses.
Valen Dreth seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Dreth on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dreth throws out a loose jab but Blaydes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Blaydes moves out of range of the body kick.
Blaydes misses with a wild body shot.
Dreth throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Dreth blocks a leg kick.
And Dreth tries to counter it with a takedown but Blaydes pushes his down on his head and steps out.
A nice leg kick from Dreth, right into the meat of the thigh.
Dreth throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Nice sprawl there from Dreth as Blaydes shoots in.
Blaydes checks the leg kick nicely there.
Blaydes scores with a spinning back kick!
Dreth cracks Blaydes with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Dreth throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dreth throws a hook to the side of Blaydes's head but Blaydes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Blaydes misses with a wild body shot.
A big left from Dreth misses.
Nice straight punches there by Blaydes. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Blaydes.
Blaydes misses with a wild body shot.
Dreth takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Blaydes misses with a head kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Blaydes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Dreth can pounce on him.
Blaydes just misses with a punch to the body.
Dreth misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
It looked like Blaydes was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blaydes throws a leg kick that misses.

Blaydes shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Dreth manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Dreth working a defensive guard here.
Blaydes slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Dreth working for a triangle but Blaydes defends it easily.
Blaydes postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blaydes wants to control from the top but Dreth keeps moving.
Blaydes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Blaydes postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Blaydes cracks a nice hook into Dreth's ribs.
Dreth throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Blaydes staying out of range there.
Blaydes pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Some wild striking there from Dreth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaydes fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Dreth on the side of the head.
Dreth misses with a low kick.
Dreth uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Blaydes.
Blaydes is looking to wear down Dreth with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Blaydes is defended easily by Dreth.
Blaydes dodges the punch combination from Dreth.
Dreth lands a nice looking body kick.
Blaydes throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dreth's waist but Dreth gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Blaydes off to one side.
Blaydes takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Dreth scores with the left hand. Blaydes knows he should have avoided that one.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Blaydes listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Dreth misses with an uppercut
and Blaydes counters with a head kick. That will keep Dreth thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Dreth stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Blaydes.
Dreth missing with a left hand there. Blaydes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Dreth shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Blaydes seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Valen Dreth will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Dreth gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Blaydes to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Blaydes scoring with some ground and pound.
Dreth keeping moving, preventing Blaydes from controlling successfully.
Blaydes sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blaydes trying to control but Dreth is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blaydes scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Blaydes controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Dreth trying to control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Blaydes darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Blaydes misses with an attempted mid kick.
Blaydes pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Blaydes shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Dreth but Dreth pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Blaydes misses with a body shot.
Dreth attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Blaydes shoots in for a takedown but Dreth shows good takedown defense.
Blaydes steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Dreth.
A good leg kick by Dreth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blaydes just misses with a punch to the body.
A punch combination from Dreth misses.
Dreth missing with a left hand there. Blaydes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Blaydes shoots for a double leg takedown but Dreth sprawls well. He's pushed Blaydes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Oscar Blaydes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dreth misses the jab.
Dreth tried to score with a low kick but Blaydes checks it.
Blaydes bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Horrible takedown attempt by Blaydes or perhaps it was just good defense by Dreth, which made it look bad.
Dreth fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Blaydes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A clash of legs there as Blaydes blocks the low kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Blaydes takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Blaydes throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Dreth on the side of the head.
Blaydes is looking to chop away at Dreth's legs.
A nice leg kick from Dreth, right into the meat of the thigh.
Blaydes slips a jab from Dreth.
Blaydes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Dreth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blaydes catches Dreth with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Blaydes darts in looking for a takedown but Dreth gets double underhooks and turns Blaydes into the cage.
Blaydes lands a shoulder strike.
Blaydes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Blaydes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Dreth gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Dreth goes for a takedown in the clinch but Blaydes prevents it.

Dreth lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Dreth prevents Blaydes from improving his position.
Blaydes is looking to control Dreth's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Blaydes avoid being mounted?
Blaydes has a hand on Dreth's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Dreth takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaydes tries to lock up and control but Dreth gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Blaydes wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Dreth.
Blaydes has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Dreth's lack of action.
Blaydes keeping hold of Dreth's head, controlling as best he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Valen Dreth.
I think Dreth 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Valen Dreth!
Our winner, Valen Dreth, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.