PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tormund Giantsbane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frankie Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tormund Giantsbane has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Giantsbane
vs
Drake

180 cm
29
157 lbs
19 - 9 - 0

166 cm
23
152 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Tormund Giantsbane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Frankie Drake!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Phil Schofield and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake tries to clinch but Giantsbane is having none of it.
Giantsbane avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Drake misses with a wild body shot.

Drake rushes Giantsbane and presses him up against the cage.
I was talking to Giantsbane's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Giantsbane is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Giantsbane is trying to break the clinch but Drake has him pressed against the cage.
Drake lands a right hand that snaps the head of Giantsbane backwards.
Drake pressing his opponent against the cage.
Giantsbane tries to circle away but Drake has him pinned against the cage.
Drake misses with a short punch on the inside.
Giantsbane has had enough of the clinch but Drake keeps him there for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giantsbane working hard to break the clinch.

Drake manages to break the clinch.
Drake shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Giantsbane as he jumps to the side.
Giantsbane connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Drake momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giantsbane bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Tormund Giantsbane is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Giantsbane throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Drake stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Drake bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nice body punch from Giantsbane.
Giantsbane's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Giantsbane duly obliges.
Tormund Giantsbane seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice defenses there by Drake.
Giantsbane catches Drake with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Drake throws an overhand right that lands on Giantsbane's shoulder, as Giantsbane tries to avoid the shot.
Giantsbane avoids the head kick by Drake.
Giantsbane tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Drake was well out of range. Poor timing from Giantsbane.
Nice cross by Giantsbane.
A swing and a miss from Giantsbane.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Giantsbane smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Drake is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Giantsbane uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Drake has time to react.
Giantsbane missing with a left hand there. Drake was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Giantsbane tries to sprawl but Drake drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Drake is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Giantsbane pushes Drake off and gets back to his feet.

Drake manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Giantsbane on his heels. He'll look to pass Giantsbane's guard now, I'm sure.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Giantsbane keeping moving, preventing Drake from controlling successfully.
Giantsbane knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Drake on the ground.
Giantsbane is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Drake is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Drake pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Giantsbane is keeping the position for now.
Giantsbane wants to stand but Drake is controlling the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Drake trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Drake closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Drake prevents Giantsbane from standing back up.
Drake stalling away here and it's allowed Giantsbane to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Giantsbane is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Drake is controlling him.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Giantsbane preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Drake won't allow Giantsbane to get back to his feet.
Drake pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Giantsbane is keeping the position for now.
Drake loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tormund Giantsbane will probably get the nod.
That's time! Giantsbane's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Drake throws a hook but Giantsbane avoids it easily.
Drake throws a big shot that misses.
Giantsbane misses the jab.
Giantsbane swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Giantsbane throws an overhand right that lands on Drake's shoulder, as Drake tries to avoid the shot.
Drake fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Giantsbane manages to avoid it.
Giantsbane lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Drake at a distance.
Giantsbane scores with a three punch combo!
Giantsbane misses with a wild body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Giantsbane misses the target.
Nice defenses there by Giantsbane.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giantsbane tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Drake was well out of range. Poor timing from Giantsbane.

Drake gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A nice left hand lands by Drake.
Giantsbane is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Giantsbane is looking to break free of the clinch but Drake has double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giantsbane has had enough of the clinch but Drake keeps him there for the moment.
Giantsbane has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Giantsbane wants to get back to striking at distance but Drake won't allow it.
Giantsbane is looking to break free of the clinch but Drake has double underhooks.
Giantsbane is trying to break the clinch but Drake is controlling him.
Giantsbane is trying to break the clinch but Drake has him pressed against the cage.
Drake makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Giantsbane wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Drake has him pressed against the cage.
Drake lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Giantsbane backwards.
Drake keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Giantsbane's efforts to push away.
Drake throws a punch but it's blocked by Giantsbane.
Drake misses with a punch on the inside.
Giantsbane is trying to break the clinch but Drake is controlling him.
Drake prevents Giantsbane from breaking the clinch.
Drake working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giantsbane has had enough of the clinch but Drake keeps him there for the moment.
Giantsbane tries to break free but Drake pushes him back against the cage.
Drake keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Giantsbane's efforts to push away.
Drake working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Giantsbane wants to break free but Drake has control.
Drake lands a body punch.
Giantsbane blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Giantsbane wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Drake is pushing Giantsbane up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Drake misses with a body punch.
Giantsbane is trying to break free.
A short left from Drake.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake lands a nice uppercut.
Drake lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Drake keeps control of Giantsbane as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Giantsbane letting Drake take a breather here.
Drake gets through Giantsbane's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Drake misses with some punches.
Giantsbane wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Giantsbane has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A frustrated look appears on Giantsbane's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Giantsbane wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Giantsbane is looking to break free of the clinch but Drake has double underhooks.
Drake leaning his opponent against the cage.
Drake working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake tries for a takedown but Giantsbane manages to get underhooks.
Frankie Drake seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Drake prevents Giantsbane from breaking the clinch.
Giantsbane blocking some punches.
Drake tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Drake lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Giantsbane backwards.
Giantsbane wants to break free but Drake has control.
Drake is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Giantsbane has had enough of the clinch but Drake keeps him there for the moment.
Drake swings wildly with an uppercut but Giantsbane uses good head movement to avoid it.

Drake breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Giantsbane just misses with a punch to the body.
Giantsbane is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Drake bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Drake clinches with his opponent.
Giantsbane wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Drake has him pressed against the cage.
Drake has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Giantsbane's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Drake showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Drake misses the shot to the body.
Drake moves in looking to clinch but Giantsbane pushes him off.
Giantsbane swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Giantsbane throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Giantsbane lands with a hook. Drake tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Giantsbane missing with a left hand there. Drake was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Drake bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A slow jab from Giantsbane misses its intended target.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Giantsbane checks a leg kick.
Giantsbane throws a jab when Drake was well out of range.
Drake is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Drake has managed to clinch.
Drake swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Giantsbane breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Drake tries to clinch there but Giantsbane circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Giantsbane misses.
Drake scores with a hook to the body. Giantsbane takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Drake ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Drake drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Drake working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Drake in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Giantsbane pushes Drake away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Drake gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Drake thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Drake in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake wants to control but Giantsbane is keeping him busy.
Drake happy to just control the position for now.
Giantsbane managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Drake.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake tries to advance to mount but Giantsbane denies him.

Drake is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Giantsbane is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Drake working the strikes but Giantsbane uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Giantsbane is refusing to be controlled, as Drake sits in half guard.

Drake is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Giantsbane sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Drake is looking to pass Giantsbane's guard but actually Giantsbane recovers to full guard.
Drake pushing down on Giantsbane's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Giantsbane on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Drake looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frankie Drake comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Drake 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frankie Drake!