|
|
PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Neil Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Pinaglabanan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
 |
|
 |
| 165 cm
30
145 lbs
16 - 7 - 0 |
|
171 cm
30
144 lbs
13 - 4 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible |
|
Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin |
|
| |
|
Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Neil Drake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, John Pinaglabanan!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Colin Fotheringham and Sam Margolis.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Pinaglabanan forces Drake back against the cage and clinches.
Pinaglabanan lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Pinaglabanan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Drake decides to pull guard.
Drake trying to keep a closed guard but Pinaglabanan is proving a slippery customer.
Pinaglabanan is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Drake is on top in guard.
Drake passes Pinaglabanan's left leg - he's now in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pinaglabanan trying to control but Drake postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drake is working for a kimura but Pinaglabanan is defending it quite comfortably.
Drake trying to control the action but Pinaglabanan is working from the bottom.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinaglabanan wants to improve his position but Drake is controlling well.
Drake is looking for a kimura but Pinaglabanan is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Drake to get the leverage.
Drake is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Pinaglabanan is trying to get back to full guard.
Drake is looking for a kimura here.
Pinaglabanan has his hands clasped together around Drake's back. He's all about the action.
Pinaglabanan is looking for a sweep. Drake is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Drake is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Pinaglabanan trying to control from the bottom.
Pinaglabanan moves into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pinaglabanan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pinaglabanan has control of Drake's left arm, preventing Drake from doing any damage.
Drake trying to control the position from guard on top but Pinaglabanan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pinaglabanan pulls Drake in to control the position.
Drake looking to pass the guard.
Pinaglabanan looking for a sweep. Not yet Pinaglabanan, not yet.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pinaglabanan has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Pinaglabanan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Drake controls the pace.
The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
John Pinaglabanan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Drake fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Pinaglabanan manages to avoid it.
Pinaglabanan dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Pinaglabanan punishes Drake's body with a nice straight punch.
Drake thuds a left hand into Pinaglabanan's body.
Pinaglabanan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Drake half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Drake uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pinaglabanan.
Jab, jab by Pinaglabanan - just one landing.
A slow jab from Pinaglabanan misses its intended target.
It looked like Drake was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Pinaglabanan.
Drake sizes up Pinaglabanan with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Drake drops his hands momentarily and Pinaglabanan takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Drake darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pinaglabanan is controlling Drake's position as best he can from this difficult position.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake passes into side control, despite Pinaglabanan's attempt to control the position.
Drake is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pinaglabanan has escaped the position, nice work there.
Drake advances nicely into full mount.
Pinaglabanan is looking to improve his position but Drake isn't that keen on the idea.
Drake looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Pinaglabanan is wriggling around trying to escape.
Drake looking to control but Pinaglabanan is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Pinaglabanan is looking to improve his position but Drake isn't that keen on the idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Neil Drake dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!
Drake looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Pinaglabanan tries to get to full guard but Drake has control of the leg.
Still in half guard, Drake seems content to control.
Pinaglabanan is not content to let Drake control the position.
Neil Drake overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pinaglabanan wants to control but Drake is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Drake looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Drake wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pinaglabanan keeps working.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drake seems to be working for a kimura but Pinaglabanan defends the submission attempt.
Pinaglabanan tries to roll over but Drake keeps him under control.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake is trying to work for a kimura but Pinaglabanan is defending well.
Drake is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pinaglabanan can do to turn this around?
Pinaglabanan is looking for a sweep. Drake is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Drake works his foot free and advances to mount.
Pinaglabanan is looking to get to half guard.
Pinaglabanan tries to hold on but Drake postures up.
Drake sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pinaglabanan is squirming around, avoiding Drake's attempts to control the action.
Pinaglabanan felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pinaglabanan is trying to escape the mount.
Drake sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Pinaglabanan is wriggling around trying to escape.
Drake trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Drake is working for a guillotine from mount but Pinaglabanan frees his head quite easily.
Pinaglabanan tries to lock up and control but Drake gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pinaglabanan is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Drake is staying active.
Drake can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pinaglabanan is looking to escape.
Pinaglabanan is wriggling around trying to escape.
Drake tries to control but Pinaglabanan wriggling away.
Drake is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Pinaglabanan to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Pinaglabanan shrugs it off.
Drake content just to control the position here.
Pinaglabanan is squirming around, avoiding Drake's attempts to control the action.
Pinaglabanan keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake thowing shots but they're missing.
Pinaglabanan is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Drake trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pinaglabanan working to try and regain half guard.
Pinaglabanan bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Drake utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pinaglabanan is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Drake had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Pinaglabanan defends it easily.
Drake seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Pinaglabanan throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Neil Drake dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!
Pinaglabanan wants to clinch
and Drake counters with a nice body shot.
Drake misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pinaglabanan.
Drake pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
The crowd cheers as Drake lands an impressive looking overhand right. Pinaglabanan doesn't seem phased though.
Pinaglabanan rushes Drake and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pinaglabanan.
Drake successfully pulls guard.
Drake keeping moving, preventing Pinaglabanan from controlling successfully.
Pinaglabanan stopping the sweep attempt from Drake.
Pinaglabanan got a little sloppy there for a moment and Drake has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pinaglabanan has managed to get both his arms back between Drake's legs - danger averted.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pinaglabanan trying to control the position from guard on top but Drake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pinaglabanan throws a big elbow that misses.
Pinaglabanan trying to control the position from guard on top but Drake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pinaglabanan postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Drake is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Drake looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Drake wants to sweep but no luck.
Pinaglabanan is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Drake working a defensive guard here.
Drake controlling Pinaglabanan's posture.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pinaglabanan postures up and lands a big shot to Drake's brow.
Drake controls Pinaglabanan momentarily but Pinaglabanan frees himself.
Pinaglabanan wants to control from the top but Drake keeps moving.
Pinaglabanan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pinaglabanan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Drake ducks right into an uppercut from Pinaglabanan.
Pinaglabanan takes the fight into the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Pinaglabanan.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Pinaglabanan on the inside.
Drake is trying to maintain a safe position but Pinaglabanan gets an underhook and turns Drake into the cage.
Pinaglabanan lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A short body shot lands from Pinaglabanan as the two fighters clinch.
The referee calls for Drake to work.
Nice body punch from Pinaglabanan - that landed with a thud.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Drake is trying to stall.
Pinaglabanan misses with the head strike.
Drake is trying to pull guard but Pinaglabanan has him pressed against the cage.
Drake swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pinaglabanan lands with a short shot to the head.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Drake creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Pinaglabanan tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Pinaglabanan throws a punch but it's blocked by Drake.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake is leaning against Pinaglabanan and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Pinaglabanan throws a head punch that misses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Drake stalls.
Pinaglabanan lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Pinaglabanan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pinaglabanan lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Drake backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pinaglabanan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pinaglabanan digs a right hand underneath Drake's ribcage. Drake let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Pinaglabanan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pinaglabanan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Pinaglabanan lands a hook to the side of the head.
Drake lands with a light punch inside.
Pinaglabanan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Drake blocks a body shot from Pinaglabanan.
And that's the end of the fight!
John Pinaglabanan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Drake 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Neil Drake!
A victorious Neil Drake thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
|
S |
C |
G |
|
energy
A | B |
|
hype
A | B |
|
pop
A | B |
|
mgr
A | B |
|
FIGHT
RATING
38% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
