PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dan Draven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damon Rekker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Draven
vs
Rekker

175 cm
23
169 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

180 cm
19
180 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Win Nutritional
Win Nutritional

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dan Draven!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Damon Rekker!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rekker keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Draven.
Jab, jab by Draven - just one landing.
Rekker moves away from the strike by Draven.
Draven tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rekker paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Draven rushes Rekker and presses him up against the cage.
Draven is trying to break the clinch but Rekker has him pressed against the cage.
A short left from Draven.

Rekker jumps guard and drags Draven to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Draven wants to control from the top but Rekker keeps moving.
Rekker lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Draven!
Rekker working the ground and pound effectively.
Rekker connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rekker jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Draven is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Draven and Rekker has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Draven knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rekker on the ground.

Rekker goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Draven has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Rekker but great work by Draven.
Rekker manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Rekker scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Draven manages to mount him!
Rekker is looking to get to half guard.
Rekker avoids a series of strikes thrown by Draven.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rekker regains half guard.
Draven wants to stand but Rekker has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Draven is breathing heavily.
Rekker gets back to full guard.
Draven prevents Rekker from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Draven accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Draven has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Draven trying to move into half guard but instead Rekker has managed to sweep!
Rekker throwing strikes from guard but Draven blocks nicely.
Draven preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rekker trying to control but Draven is working from the bottom.
Draven utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rekker looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Rekker drives through with a takedown into guard.
Draven keeping full guard, as Rekker tries to pass.
Rekker passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rekker has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Rekker tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rekker has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Rekker tries for a kimura but Draven is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damon Rekker dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Draven wants to clinch.
Rekker looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Draven is fending him off so far but Rekker persists. Nope, Draven circles away and we're back to standing.
Draven tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Rekker darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Rekker wants to work for an arm triangle but Draven is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Rekker is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Draven defends it well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draven is trying to get back to full guard.
Ground and pound from Rekker.
Rekker slips a nice elbow through Draven's hands, connecting with Draven's forehead.

Rekker is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Draven sees it coming and defends easily.
Rekker wants to lay and pray for a moment but Draven keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rekker takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Rekker is just content to waste time from the top position. Draven takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Rekker trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rekker trying to control the position from guard on top but Draven is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rekker with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rekker throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rekker wants to control from the top but Draven keeps moving.
Draven 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.
Rekker throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Draven works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rekker works the jab nicely.
Draven throws a chopping leg kick but Rekker manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Rekker closes this distance looking for a takedown but Draven circles away.

Rekker drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rekker postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Draven defending against the ground and pound.
Draven is trying to get back to half guard.
Check out the look on Rekker's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Draven avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Rekker.

Rekker tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rekker has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Rekker working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damon Rekker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Rekker shoots in for a takedown but Draven shows good takedown defense.
Draven is looking to clinch but Rekker is avoiding it.
Dan Draven is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Draven swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Rekker gets the takedown into side control.
Rekker misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Rekker is trying to move to mount but Draven reverses beautifully and ends up in Rekker's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Draven preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rekker seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Rekker has his foot on Draven's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Draven works his way back into a safe position though.
Draven loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rekker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Rekker has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Draven doesn't defend quickly enough and Rekker has managed to lock this one up! Can Draven escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Rekker on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Damon Rekker!