PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ward Chapman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Draco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Chapman
vs
Draco

160 cm
19
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
191 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ward Chapman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Steve Draco!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Draco takes the fight into the clinch.

Draco breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Draco throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Chapman darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
No luck for Draco with that takedown attempt.
Chapman tries to counter with a takedown but Draco is quick to defend against it.
Draco fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Draco has managed to clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Chapman takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Chapman effectively controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Draco breaks from the clinch.
A solid body kick from Draco.
Steve Draco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Draco fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Chapman, pushing him back against the cage.
Draco is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Chapman to keep the fight standing.
Ward Chapman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Draco.

Draco jumps guard.
Chapman postures up in Draco's guard and throws a big left but Draco blocks it.

Chapman decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Draco, up you get!
Draco has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Draco fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Chapman avoids it really well and circles away.
Chapman appears to be looking for a big counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draco misses with a series of wild punches.
Chapman tries to counter by clinching up but Draco breaks away and moves out of range.

Chapman dives in and scores a takedown into Draco's guard.

Draco scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Draco throws a head kick but Chapman moves out of range.
Draco tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Chapman swivels and escapes.
Chapman went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Draco looks winded!
Draco closes this distance looking for a takedown but Chapman circles away.
Chapman drops down looking for a counter takedown but Draco sprawls and moves away.
Chapman looks to land a right hand but Draco moved out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chapman avoids the head kick by Draco.
Draco tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Chapman changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Chapman wants to clinch.
Draco tries to clinch up but Chapman circles away and keeps his distance.
Chapman avoids a punch combination nicely.
Draco throws a low kick but Chapman avoids it.

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.
Draco fails with an attempt to clinch.
Draco fails with a takedown attempt.
Draco throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Draco tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Chapman manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Draco throws a body kick that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Draco rushes Chapman and presses him up against the cage.
Draco tries to pull guard but Chapman won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Draco dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Draco closes this distance looking for a takedown but Chapman circles away.
Chapman blocks a head kick by Draco.
Draco tries to clinch but Chapman is having none of it.
Chapman appears to be looking for a big counter.
Danga de danga de dang - Chapman scores with a four punch combination!
No luck for Draco with that takedown attempt.
Chapman drops down looking for a counter takedown but Draco sprawls and moves away.
Chapman really is a fat lump.
Draco lands with an overhand left.
Ward Chapman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chapman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Draco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Draco throws a counter combo.
Chapman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draco with a poor takedown
and Chapman counters with a two punch combo.
Ward Chapman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Draco.
Draco is breathing heavily.
Chapman shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Draco sprawls well. Draco wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Chapman gets slowly back to his feet.
Draco throws a right and a left that both miss.
As Draco looks to move away, Chapman throws a big counter combo but Draco just gets out of the way.
Draco is trying hard to land a takedown here. Chapman sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Chapman slaps away a takedown attempt from Draco, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Draco doesn't manage to clinch there - Chapman circles away.
Chapman attempts a counter takedown but Draco avoids it well and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draco throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Chapman stuffs the takedown.
Chapman half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Chapman closes the distance and clinches.
Chapman is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Chapman pushes off an throws an elbow but Draco leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Draco gets underhooks to prevent Chapman's takedown attempt.
Draco gets underhooks to prevent Chapman's takedown attempt.
Chapman with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Chapman is trying to push Draco away but Draco has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Draco tries to land knees in the clinch but Chapman avoids the damage to the body.
Chapman tries a knee to the head but Draco blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chapman slows down the pace here.
Draco is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Chapman to keep the fight standing.

Draco breaks from the clinch.
Draco tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Chapman defends well and Draco ends up having to push Chapman into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Draco shoots for a takedown but Chapman saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Chapman is looking for a counter combo.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Draco is defended easily by Chapman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chapman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Draco closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Chapman using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Draco has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Draco pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Chapman lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Chapman.
Draco dives in for a single leg takedown but Chapman sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chapman stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Chapman wants it to stay on the feet.
Chapman lands a leg kick that knocks Draco off balance momentarily.
Chapman moves out of range of the body kick from Draco.
Chapman throws a big counter combination but Draco scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ward Chapman dominated that second round.
That's time! Chapman's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Chapman throws a right and a left that Draco avoids nicely.

Draco closes the distance and clinches.
Chapman is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Chapman is trying to break free.
Chapman looking for a takedown.
Draco wants to take the fight to the mat but Chapman manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Draco is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Chapman slows down the pace here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draco stops a takedown attempt from Chapman.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ward Chapman. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draco drops down looking for an ankle pick but Chapman pulls his leg out and moves away.
Draco takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Draco shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Chapman as he jumps to the side.
Draco shoots in for a double leg but Chapman sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Chapman swats away the attempt to clinch by Draco.
Chapman goes for a double leg but Draco avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Draco continues to drive forward.
Draco shoots in looking for a takedown but Chapman manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Draco's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Chapman throws a big counter combination but Draco scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Chapman looking to score a takedown here. Draco is defending well but Chapman drives through and ends up in Draco's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chapman is looking to work some ground and pound but Draco has wrist control.
Chapman is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Chapman lands a couple of elbows.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Draco is on top in guard.

Chapman might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Chapman is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Chapman trying to control the position.

Draco got a little sloppy there for a moment and Chapman has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Draco has managed to get both his arms back between Chapman's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Draco is stalling in the full guard.
Draco wants to pass the guard but Chapman is keeping the position.
Draco trying to control the position from guard on top but Chapman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chapman wants to stand up but Draco is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Draco slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Draco passes easily into side control. Nice work.

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 Ward Chapman.
I think Chapman 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Steve Draco!