PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Steven Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steven Drake looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Drake
vs
Jones

185 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 9 - 0

180 cm
19
172 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 9 - 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, BJ Jones!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Chris Downing and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jones 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 looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Jones creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Drake sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Drake is not content to let Jones control the position.
Jones throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Jones throws a strike aimed at the side of Drake's head but Drake avoids it well.
Jones throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Jones has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Drake!
Jones breaks from Drake's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Jones takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jones lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Jones landing punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones unloads with some shots from mount but Drake bucks and avoids them well.
Jones is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Drake can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Jones working the ground and pound effectively.
Drake holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Jones tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Jones pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Drake is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Drake avoids a series of strikes thrown by Jones.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jones sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
BOOM! Jones connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones throwing strikes here but Drake is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Jones trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Drake blocking the ground and pound.
Jones thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Jones throws some wild stikes that Drake manages to avoid easily.
Jones looking to finish Drake with some ground and pound. This is bad for Drake!
Jones throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Jones postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Drake looks a forlorn figure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Jones lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Jones misses with a head shot.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Jones cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Jones scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Drake?
Jones fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Jones lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Jones has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Jones looking to ground and pound but Drake is blocking nicely.
Jones thowing shots but they're missing.
Jones is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones looking to ground and pound but Drake is blocking nicely.
Drake holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Jones tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Jones thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Jones lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Jones working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Drake is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Drake is in all sorts of trouble here.
Jones can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Drake is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ Jones dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Jones misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Drake lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Jones moves out of range as Drake throws a body kick.
Drake thuds his shin into the meat of Jones's side.
Drake is looking to clinch but Jones is avoiding it.
Jones shoots in and drives through. Drake sprawls well.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Steven Drake has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Jones.
Drake is looking to clinch.
Drake tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Drake slaps away a takedown attempt from Jones, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch but Jones swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Drake fails with an attempt to clinch.
Steven Drake is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake scores with a nice body kick.

Jones scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Drake is pushing Jones's head away, looking to escape. Jones manages to hold on to the position though.
The ground and pound from Jones seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Drake is pushing Jones's head away, looking to escape. Jones manages to hold on to the position though.
Drake parries the strikes from Jones easily there. Jones is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Drake to escape.
Jones throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Jones landing strikes.
Jones misses with the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jones swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Drake is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake is looking to clinch.
Drake stuffs the takedown.
Drake tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Jones throws a lazy right hand but Drake sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Jones swats away the attempt to clinch by Drake.
Drake tries to clinch but Jones moves out of range.
Steven Drake is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Jones.
Drake doesn't manage to clinch there - Jones circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Drake looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Jones fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Drake sprawls well initially but Jones persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Jones thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Drake regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Jones.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones throwing strikes from guard but Drake blocks nicely.
Jones postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Drake can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Jones controls the pace.
Drake working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jones.
Jones with a flurry of punches that miss.
Drake wants to stand and escape but Jones is having none of it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Drake throws a head kick but Jones moves out of range.

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.
Drake keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
No luck for Jones with that takedown attempt.
Drake tries to clinch there but Jones circles away.
Drake lands with a nice body kick.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch but Jones swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Jones moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Jones shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drake as he avoids it easily.
Drake tries to clinch but Jones moves out of range.
Drake tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Drake lands a head kick!
Jones shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Drake pinned against the cage. Drake gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Jones tries for a takedown but Drake sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but BJ Jones will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Jones or perhaps it was just good defense by Drake which made him look bad.
Drake tries to clinch up.
Drake keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jones is defended easily by Drake.
Steven Drake has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Jones.
Jones circles away from the clinch attempt.
Drake wants to clinch up but Jones keeps it at a distance.
Steven Drake seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Drake tries to clinch but Jones moves out of range.
Drake fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake scores with a kick to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Drake as Jones shoots in.
Drake is looking to clinch but Jones is avoiding it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Drake is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Drake tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake moves in looking to clinch but Jones pushes him off.
Drake tries to clinch there but Jones circles away.
Jones misses with a takedown attempt - Drake sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jones keeps the fight on the outside.
Drake moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Drake is looking to clinch but Jones is avoiding it.
Jones tries to score a power double leg takedown but Drake sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Jones somewhat.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jones swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Drake tries to clinch up.
Drake scores with a spinning back kick!
Drake fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jones tries to bum rush Drake with a series of wild strikes but Drake uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Drake is looking to clinch.
No luck for Jones with that takedown attempt.
Drake keeps Jones at a distance using the push kick.

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.
Drake dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Jones. That did some damage!
Drake stuffs the takedown attempt from Jones. Jones gets slowly back to his feet.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Drake.
Jones circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jones looks for a takedown but Drake sprawls well.
Jones swinging wilding here.
Jones fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Drake tries to clinch up but Jones circles away and keeps his distance.
Jones tries to bum rush Drake with a series of wild strikes but Drake uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jones swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Drake tries to clinch up but Jones circles away and keeps his distance.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Drake - that will leave a mark!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Drake fails in his attempt to clinch.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jones swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Drake throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Jones.
A nice inside leg kick there by Drake. That's going to slow Jones down.
Jones fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Drake avoids it really well and circles away.
Drake moves in looking to clinch but Jones pushes him off.
Drake wants to clinch up but Jones keeps it at a distance.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jones is defended easily by Drake.
Horrible takedown by Jones or perhaps it was just good defense by Drake which made him look bad.

Drake moves into the clinch.
Steven Drake has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Jones.
Jones wants a takedown but no success here.
Drake is trying to stall.
Drake misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Jones.
Drake trying to land knees to the body.
Drake looking to slow down the pace here.
Drake taking a breather.
Jones managing to block the knees to the body from Drake.
Jones has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Drake avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Jones tries for a takedown but Drake manages to get underhooks.
Drake tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Jones avoids it.
Drake taking a breather.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones can't get the takedown.
Jones managing to block the knees to the body from Drake.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Jones as Drake tries to tie him up.
Jones blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Drake showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Jones 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... BJ Jones!