PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Carl Draiman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mohammad Al Nasser (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Draiman
vs
Al Nasser

178 cm
27
193 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

178 cm
29
190 lbs
10 - 13 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Knockout power

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Carl Draiman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 13 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mohammad Al Nasser!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Nasser has his takedown stuffed

and Draiman counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Al Nasser!
Al Nasser can't do much from the bottom here.
Al Nasser is not content to let Draiman control the position.
Draiman working away.
Draiman trying to control the action but Al Nasser is working from the bottom.

Draiman wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Al Nasser, who protects the arm well.
Draiman tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draiman trying to control the action but Al Nasser is working from the bottom.
Al Nasser is looking to regain half guard here but Draiman keeps moving and retains side control.
Draiman tries to advance to mount but Al Nasser denies him.
You can see the frustration on Al Nasser's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Al Nasser is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Nasser is trying to control Draiman's posture but Draiman avoids it.
Al Nasser seems a little lost for a moment, as Draiman dominates the positioning.
We've been hearing good reports from Draiman's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Al Nasser sneaks back into half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Al Nasser is looking for a sweep. Draiman is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Draiman controlling the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Carl Draiman wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Draiman drives through with a takedown into Al Nasser's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Nasser trying to keep a closed guard but Draiman is proving a slippery customer.
Draiman tries to free his leg and advance position but Al Nasser is retaining full guard.
Draiman stays in close to Al Nasser's body and controls the position.
Al Nasser manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Al Nasser wants to control the pace but Draiman is squirming around nicely.
Draiman working to try and regain half guard.
Draiman tries to lock up and control but Al Nasser gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Draiman is looking to get to half guard.
Draiman is squirming around, avoiding Al Nasser's attempts to control the action.
Draiman is trying desperately to improve position.
Draiman tries to lock up and control but Al Nasser gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Al Nasser looking to control but Draiman is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Draiman is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carl Draiman dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Al Nasser looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Carl Draiman overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Draiman wants to get back to his feet.
Draiman is trying to get back to full guard.
Draiman wants to control but Al Nasser is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Al Nasser trying to control the pace.

Draiman actively working from the bottom here.
Al Nasser missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Draiman keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Nasser prevents Draiman from improving his position.
Al Nasser tries to stand but can't do so whilst Draiman controls his leg.
Al Nasser stalling away here and it's allowed Draiman to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Al Nasser wants to stand but Draiman is controlling his posture from full guard.
Draiman keeping moving, preventing Al Nasser from controlling successfully.
Al Nasser trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Draiman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draiman wants to sweep but no luck.
Al Nasser wants to control from the top but Draiman keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mohammad Al Nasser.

Draiman feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Al Nasser is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Draiman trying to hold on to Al Nasser's head to control him but Al Nasser postures up.
Al Nasser sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Draiman defending well though.
Draiman is looking to improve his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Al Nasser seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Nasser thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Draiman's head.
Draiman trying to control from the bottom.
Al Nasser thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Al Nasser thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Draiman's head.
It looks like Al Nasser is going to stand back up.
Draiman manages to get to full guard.
Al Nasser would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Al Nasser throws a big right hand that misses.
Draiman has his hands on Al Nasser's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Nasser wants to control from the top but Draiman keeps moving.
Al Nasser tries to stand but Draiman is controlling from the bottom.
Draiman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Al Nasser has closed the distance and engaged Draiman in a clinch.
Al Nasser is trying to force a seperation but Draiman has the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Draiman pulls guard effortlessly.
Al Nasser throwing strikes from guard but Draiman blocks nicely.
Draiman is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mohammad Al Nasser will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Al Nasser dives in and grabs Draiman's left leg, looking for a takedown. Draiman pushes down on Al Nasser's head and hops out.
Draiman fails in his attempt to clinch.

Draiman scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Draiman wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Al Nasser, who protects the arm well.
Al Nasser manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Al Nasser is trying to maintain the position but Draiman is very close to passing his half guard.
Al Nasser regains full guard. Nicely done.
Al Nasser throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Draiman wants to control from the top but Al Nasser keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Nasser is trying to keep Draiman in close.
Draiman trying to control but Al Nasser is working from the bottom.
Draiman wants to pass the guard but Al Nasser is keeping the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Carl Draiman wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Draiman shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Draiman stopping the sweep attempt from Al Nasser.
Al Nasser trying to strike off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Nasser keeping moving, preventing Draiman from controlling successfully.
Al Nasser trying to control the position.
Al Nasser looking to hit a scissor sweep but Draiman is one step ahead there.
Draiman wants to stand and escape but instead Al Nasser has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Al Nasser is looking to stand up but Draiman won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Nasser trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Draiman pulls Al Nasser in close to prevent any damage.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Al Nasser showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

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

Al Nasser drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Draiman wants to sweep here but Al Nasser controlling him for the moment.
Al Nasser throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Nasser trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Al Nasser has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Draiman is proving hard to escape from.
Draiman throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Draiman controls Al Nasser momentarily but Al Nasser frees himself.
Al Nasser postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Draiman keeping full guard, as Al Nasser tries to pass.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Draiman pulls Al Nasser in to control the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Carl Draiman wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Draiman displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Al Nasser.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mohammad Al Nasser.
I think Al Nasser 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!