PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nasir Drogo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jd Almanez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Almanez has chosen Rock Hood by Shinobi Ninja as his entrance music. Nasir Drogo had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Drogo
vs
Almanez

183 cm
29
196 lbs
19 - 8 - 0

190 cm
26
190 lbs
15 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp (159.49 $75)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nasir Drogo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jd Almanez!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, John Kavanagh and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Almanez turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Drogo throws a jab when Almanez was well out of range.
Almanez scores with a three punch combo!
Drogo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Almanez moves out of range of the strikes.
Almanez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Almanez tries to keep at a distance but Drogo has taken the fight into the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Almanez tries to pull guard but Drogo holds him up against the cage and eventually Almanez drops back down to his feet.
Drogo effectively controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almanez is trying to drag Drogo to the mat but Drogo just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Nasir Drogo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jd Almanez.
Almanez goes for a takedown in the clinch but Drogo prevents it.
Drogo stalling against the cage.
Drogo struggles to land a body shot inside as Almanez controls his hands.
The referee is keeping an eye on Drogo - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Almanez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almanez's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Almanez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Almanez swings for the body but Drogo moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Drogo. Those never looked like landing.
Drogo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Almanez avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Almanez shoots in for a takedown but Drogo shows good takedown defense.
Nice shot by Almanez.
Drogo throws the left hand but Almanez avoids the punch easily.
Almanez on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Drogo looks to land a left hand but Almanez moved out of range nicely.
A looping hook to the body misses from Drogo. Almanez does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drogo is looking to clinch.
Drogo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Almanez.
Drogo throws a solid leg kick but Almanez takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Drogo.
Drogo scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Nasir Drogo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Drogo on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Drogo lands a nice leg kick that just misses Almanez's sensitive parts.
Drogo bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Almanez's head backwards.
Almanez lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Almanez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Almanez throws a right and a left that Drogo avoids nicely.
Almanez throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Drogo on the side of the head.
Almanez scores with a nice head shot.
Drogo takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Drogo with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Almanez to score with a decent uppercut.
Drogo misses with a looping left.
Almanez's jab looks to have found its range, popping Drogo under the eye.
Almanez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Drogo defends it nicely.
Almanez looks to land a combination but Drogo avoids it well.
Almanez is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Drogo had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Almanez clobbers Drogo with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Nasir Drogo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Drogo is looking to clinch but Almanez is avoiding it.
Drogo misses with a hook.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Almanez takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Drogo misses with a lunging right hand
and Drogo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Drogo fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jd Almanez will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Drogo moves out of range as Almanez strikes.
Drogo cracks Almanez with a good jab.
Almanez tests Drogo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Almanez uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Drogo.
Drogo throws a jab but it's blocked by Almanez.
Drogo is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Drogo misses the target.
A left and a right from Almanez both land. Nice combination.
Almanez moves away from the strike by Drogo.
Drogo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Almanez.
Almanez cracks Drogo with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Almanez moves away from the strike by Drogo.
Drogo takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drogo getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Drogo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Almanez.
Drogo checks a low kick from Almanez.
Almanez throws a nice outside leg kick.

Drogo instigates a clinch.
Almanez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Drogo backwards.
Almanez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Drogo misses with a punch to the body.
Drogo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Almanez.
Drogo misses with a knee to the head.
Drogo lands an elbow inside that Almanez shrugs off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drogo tries to land a knee to the head but Almanez blocks with his arms.
Drogo is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Drogo is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Almanez misses with a punch on the inside.
Drogo throws an elbow that misses.
Almanez throws a punch but it's blocked by Drogo.
Drogo blocking some punches.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Almanez goes for a takedown attempt but Drogo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Drogo misses with an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almanez slips a jab from Drogo.
Almanez gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Almanez with a hook.
Almanez dives in and grabs Drogo's left leg, looking for a takedown. Drogo pushes down on Almanez's head and hops out.
Nasir Drogo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jd Almanez.
Almanez has a takedown stuffed.
Almanez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Drogo looks to throw a body kick
and Almanez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Drogo lands a nice shot that snaps Almanez's head back.
Drogo connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Almanez momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Almanez closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Drogo's guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Drogo pulls Almanez in close to prevent any damage.
Almanez prevents Drogo from getting back to his feet.
Almanez wants to control from the top but Drogo keeps moving.
Almanez stops Drogo from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Almanez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drogo wants to sweep here but Almanez controlling him for the moment.
Almanez trying to control but Drogo is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nasir Drogo will probably get the nod.
That's time! Drogo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Almanez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Drogo circles away quickly and effectively.
Drogo throws a series of punches but Almanez avoids them all with ease.
Almanez connects with the punch.
Drogo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Almanez looks to land a combination but Drogo avoids it well.
Drogo has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Drogo there as he acknowledges the shot.
Almanez sizes up Drogo with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Drogo ducks under a wild hook from Almanez.
Almanez throws a head kick but Drogo moves out of range.
Drogo scores with a decent looking hook.
Almanez stuns Drogo with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Drogo lands with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almanez scores with a hook.
Almanez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Drogo was well out of range. Poor timing from Almanez.
Drogo throws a body kick that misses.

Drogo closes the distance and pushes Almanez back into the cage.
Drogo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Almanez's efforts to push away.
Almanez is trying to pull guard but Drogo turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Almanez is looking to break free of the clinch but Drogo has double underhooks.
Almanez tries to pull guard but Drogo won't allow it.
Almanez letting Drogo take a breather here.
Drogo landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drogo tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Almanez's elbow.
Almanez takes an elbow to the temple.
Almanez avoiding damage as Drogo throws knees to the body.
Drogo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Almanez's efforts to push away.
Almanez can't break the clinch.
Drogo lands a good knee to the midsection. Almanez won't want to take too many of those.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Drogo misses with a punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drogo lands a shoulder strike.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Drogo.
Drogo missing with knees to the body.
Drogo is stalling here.
Drogo trying to stall but Almanez improves his position.
Drogo stalling in the clinch.
Almanez has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Almanez avoids a wild elbow strike from Drogo.
Almanez working hard to break the clinch.
Drogo misses with an elbow over the top.
Drogo comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almanez blocks an elbow strike.
Drogo is struggling to control the position.

Almanez manages to break the clinch.
Drogo defending well as Almanez loads up on a big left hand.
Drogo looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Drogo throws a right hand that misses
and Almanez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Drogo lands a jab to the head.
Almanez looks to land a right hand but Drogo moved out of range.
Almanez motions for Drogo to come forward. Almanez throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drogo misses with a combination
and Almanez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Drogo lands a head shot.
Almanez throws the left hand but Drogo avoids the punch easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Nasir Drogo.
I think Drogo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!