PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Steven Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Oliva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steven Drake has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Drake
vs
Oliva

185 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 8 - 0

169 cm
20
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 0 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steven Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Oliva!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Cecil Peabody and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Oliva shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Drake as he jumps to the side.
Drake looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Oliva shoots in for a takedown but Drake shows good takedown defense.
Drake tries to clinch there but Oliva circles away.
Drake takes a kick to the side of the head.

Oliva fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Drake, pushing him back against the cage.
Oliva gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Oliva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Drake wants to clinch but Oliva slips to the side

and Oliva counters with a shoot takedown. Drake fights it but they end up in guard.
Oliva throwing strikes from guard but Drake blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drake is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Oliva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Oliva stands and steps away. Drake gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Oliva rushes Drake and presses him up against the cage.

Oliva decides to pull guard.
Oliva lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Drake!
Oliva is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Oliva trying to control but Drake is having none of it.
Oliva punching from mount but Drake doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oliva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Oliva mounts Drake! Really nice guard pass there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oliva lands a heavy elbow.
Oliva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Oliva throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Drake because Oliva loaded up on that one.
Oliva trying to control but Drake is having none of it.
Oliva takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

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.
Oliva fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Oliva tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
BOOM! Oliva connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Oliva throws some wild stikes that Drake manages to avoid easily.
Oliva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Oliva dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Drake is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Oliva is defending well for now.
Drake trying to land knees to the body.

Oliva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Oliva fails with a takedown attempt.
Oliva shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drake as he avoids it easily.
Oliva should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Oliva darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Well, if Oliva is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oliva is keen to just control but Drake is a slippery customer.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Oliva stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Drake to get to his feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Oliva.
Oliva controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oliva advances nicely into full mount.
Drake knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Oliva on the ground.
Oliva tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Oliva looking to ground and pound but Drake is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oliva looking to control but Drake is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Oliva scoring with strikes but Drake is staying in there.
Oliva punching from mount but Drake doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Oliva misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Oliva controlling his opponent.
A nice elbow there by Oliva.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Oliva thowing shots but they're missing.
Oliva landing shots from mount.
Oliva controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Oliva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

No luck with that takedown attempt from Oliva.

Oliva darts in and clinches Drake up against the cage.
Oliva tries for a takedown but Drake manages to get underhooks.

Oliva gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Oliva with a flurry of punches that miss.
Oliva missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Oliva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Drake is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Oliva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drake works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oliva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Drake is keeping the position for now.
Oliva trying to control the position from guard on top but Drake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Oliva gets to his feet. Drake looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Oliva clinches up with Drake and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Oliva manages to break the clinch.

Oliva rushes Drake and presses him up against the cage.
Nice elbow from Oliva.

Oliva pulls guard effortlessly.
Oliva controlling Drake's posture.

Oliva wriggles free and stands up.

Oliva changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Drake looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Drake seems a little lost for a moment, as Oliva dominates the positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oliva's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Oliva wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Drake, who protects the arm well.
Oliva taking a break here but Drake is having none of it and regains half guard.
Steven Drake has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Drake keeping hold of Oliva's head, controlling as best he can.

Drake makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Oliva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Oliva has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Oliva!