PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Martin Martini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Martini
vs
Drago

191 cm
21
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
19
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Martin Martini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ivan Drago!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Ivan Kurochkin and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drago misses with a jab, cross combination.
Martini tries to score a power double leg takedown but Drago sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Martini somewhat.
Drago gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Martini counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Martini wants to pass the guard but Drago is keeping the position.
Martini showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Martin Martini has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Martini checks a low kick from Drago.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drago gets a clinch.
Drago blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Drago scores with a shot to the side of Martini's head.
Martini stalling the fight.
Martini gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

Martini jumps guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drago stopping the sweep attempt from Martini.
Drago wants to get up but he can't break Martini's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Martini has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Drago can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Martini uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drago has taken the fight to the clinch.
Martini trying to control the position but instead, Drago has worked for underhooks and has pushed Martini into the cage.
Drago gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Martini.
Martini changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Drago fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martin Martini. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drago misses with a takedown

and Martini counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Drago's guard now.
Martini stays in close to Drago's body and controls the position.
Drago utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martini slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Martin Martini just wasn't active enough.
Drago throws a combination that misses

and Martini counters with a shoot takedown. Drago fights it but they end up in guard.
Drago 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.
Drago looks gassed!
Martini throwing strikes but missing.
Martini is stalling in the full guard.
Martini seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Drago for as long as he can get away with.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Martini trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Martini content to stall in guard here.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Martin Martini has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Drago closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Drago is looking to break free of the clinch but Martini has double underhooks.
Drago jumps guard but Martini stands there with Drago around his waist. Drago gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Martini looking to stall.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Martini misses with a knee to the head.
Martini wants to stall.
Drago blocks an elbow strike from Martini.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Martini dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Drago drives through and clinches with Martini against the cage.
Martini holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Drago is trying to break the clinch but Martini has him pressed against the cage.
Martini keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Drago's efforts to push away.
Drago has had enough of the clinch but Martini keeps him there for the moment.
Martini has Drago pushed against the cage.

Martini breaks the clinch.
Martini shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drago as he avoids it easily.

Martini looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Martini controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Drago is breathing heavily.
Martini's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Martin Martini wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Martini fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Martini fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martin Martini. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drago misses with a double jab

and Martini counters with a shoot takedown. Drago fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Drago is working an open guard so Martini takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Martini has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Martini there as he acknowledges the shot.
Martini fails with the takedown.
Martini bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Drago has Martini up against the cage in a clinch.
Martini throws an elbow that misses.
Martini trying to land knees to the body.

Martini's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice sprawl there from Drago as Martini shoots in.

Martini bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Martini controls the position from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Martini is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Drago's shoulder. That is not cool.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Martin Martini wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Martini fails with the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Drago displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Martini.
Martini shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Drago as he avoids it easily.
Drago misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Drago tries to land a body kick

and Martini counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Martini is taking a breather. Drago says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Martini passes to side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Martini cracks Drago with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Martini is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Drago's shoulder. That is not cool.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Martini dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Martini drives through with a takedown into guard.
Martini controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Martini throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Drago works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Drago 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.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Martini throwing strikes from guard but Drago blocks nicely.
Martini content to stall in guard here.
Drago takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Martin Martini just wasn't active enough.

Martini scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
A lull in the action here as Martini stalls from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Martini landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Martini is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Martin Martini.

Martini bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Martin Martini overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martini in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Martin Martini is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Martini has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

We're going to have a standup here because Martin Martini wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Martini looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martini is in close to Drago's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Martini sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Ivan Drago has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Martini showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Martini, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:26
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Martini!