PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Levar Draco (ranked 8275 p4p, 542 weight class) and Jakub Bakaj (ranked 6122 p4p, 480 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Jakub Bakaj enters the cage!

Draco
vs
Bakaj

181 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

184 cm
25
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Levar Draco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jakub Bakaj!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, David Schapiro and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bakaj has closed the distance and engaged Draco in a clinch.
Draco tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bakaj avoids it.

Bakaj breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bakaj fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Draco manages to avoid it.
Bakaj looks to land a combination but Draco avoids it well.
Draco lands a really nice looking cross but Bakaj seems unphased.
Draco connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Bakaj gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Bakaj takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Bakaj throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Bakaj thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bakaj misses with a looping right.
Bakaj ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Draco moves away.
Draco swinging wildly here.
Draco is looking to slow Bakaj down with leg kicks.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Draco connects with an inside leg kick.
Draco listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Draco looks to land a body kick but Bakaj moved away.
Levar Draco is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bakaj wants to clinch up but Draco keeps it at a distance.
Bakaj throws a low kick but it's checked well by Draco.
Draco just misses with a punch to the body.
Draco seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Bakaj has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Draco.
Bakaj throws a leg kick that is checked
letting Draco counter with a right hand.
Draco throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bakaj sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Bakaj tries a quick counter leg kick but Draco is wise to it.
A punch combination from Draco misses.
Bakaj ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Draco moves away.
A slow jab from Draco misses its intended target.
Draco staying out of range there.
Draco slips under a jab from Bakaj.
Draco 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.
Draco darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Bakaj lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Draco circles away quickly and effectively.
Draco half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Bakaj cracks Draco with an open hand slap.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Draco takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Bakaj takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A left and a right from Draco both land. Nice combination.
Levar Draco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draco plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Bakaj throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Draco counters with a left and a right that stings Bakaj.
A shot to the liver by Draco. Beautiful body shot.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Draco, right into the meat.
Draco looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Draco bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Draco throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bakaj's head.

Bakaj takes the fight into the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Draco throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Bakaj blocks it with crossed arms.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Draco with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Draco has had enough of the clinch but Bakaj keeps him there for the moment.
Bakaj is looking for a takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Levar Draco dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Draco throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Draco misses with an uppercut.

Bakaj darts in and clinches Draco up against the cage.
Bakaj blocks a body shot from Draco.
Draco scores with a shot to the side of Bakaj's head.

Bakaj breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Draco misses with a body kick.
Draco throws a head kick that misses.
Draco connects with a solid leg kick.
Draco throws a series of punches but Bakaj avoids them all with ease.
A telegraphed right hand from Bakaj misses the target.
Bakaj's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Bakaj clinches with his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draco misses with a knee strike.
Bakaj on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Bakaj on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Bakaj breaks the clinch.
Bakaj keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Draco.
Levar Draco is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bakaj scores with a takedown into Draco's guard.
Bakaj slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Bakaj being controlled here momentarily.
Draco wants to sweep but no luck.
Bakaj sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Draco is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bakaj wants to control from the top but Draco keeps moving.
Bakaj won't allow Draco to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bakaj stands and steps away. Draco gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
No joy there for Draco, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Draco with a nice cross.
Bakaj steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Draco.

Draco has taken the fight to the clinch.
Draco is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bakaj is defending well for now.
Bakaj managing to block the knees to the body from Draco.
Draco misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Bakaj's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bakaj lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Bakaj.

It looks like Levar Draco has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Draco connects with the punch.
Draco is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bakaj can do to turn this around?
Draco misses with a double jab.
Bakaj unleashes a big counter combination but Draco bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Draco uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bakaj.
Draco throws a looping overhand right but Bakaj ducks down to avoid it.
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 Levar Draco will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Levar Draco's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bakaj closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
The fighters circling - Bakaj throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Draco misses with a jab, cross combination.
Draco moves in looking to clinch but Bakaj pushes him off.
Bakaj throws a leg kick which misses Draco's front leg but catches the back leg as Draco tries to avoid it.
Bakaj moves in looking to clinch but Draco pushes him off.
Draco tries a head kick but it misses.
Bakaj thows a left - swing and a miss!
Draco keeps the fight on the outside.
Draco lands with a slapping head kick.
Levar Draco is winning the standup battle so far.
Bakaj throws a solid leg kick but Draco takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Bakaj.
Draco throws a quick inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draco fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Draco ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Draco scores with a hook to the body. Bakaj takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bakaj throws a leg kick but Draco moved away.
Bakaj misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Draco fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Bakaj.
Bakaj with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Draco scores with a jab. Bakaj acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Good leg kick by Draco there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Bakaj throws a leg kick but Draco sees it coming and moves out of range.
Draco lands a body shot.
Bakaj moves in looking to clinch but Draco pushes him off.
Good exchange - Draco coming out on top.
Bakaj avoids the head kick by Draco.
Draco looks to land a combination but Bakaj avoids it well.
Draco pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Draco scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Draco lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bakaj's sensitive parts.
Draco moves away from the strike by Bakaj.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Draco lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Bakaj at a distance.
Bakaj will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
It looked like Draco was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Draco scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Draco lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bakaj circles away quickly and effectively.
Bakaj wants to counter the offense by Draco and move into the clinch position.
Draco throws a lazy right hand but Bakaj sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Bakaj rushes Draco and presses him up against the cage.
Bakaj tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Draco just stands there and leans against the cage.

Bakaj's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bakaj shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Draco pinned against the cage. Draco gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bakaj takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Bakaj throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Draco stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Draco moves into range and clinches up with Bakaj.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Levar Draco clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Levar Draco's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Draco loads up on a big right hand but Bakaj slips the punch.
Draco pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Draco looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Bakaj checks the leg kick.
Sloppy strikes from Draco. Those never looked like landing.
Draco throws a good cross that connects.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Draco, right into the meat.
Bakaj tries to close the distance and clinch but Draco swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A solid leg kick lands there for Draco.
Bakaj tries to clinch up.

Bakaj closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch on the inside from Draco fails to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draco throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Bakaj blocks it with crossed arms.
Draco lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Bakaj or not.
Bakaj blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Bakaj manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bakaj feints and then cracks Draco's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Draco down.
Bakaj avoids a kick to the body.
Draco stuffs the takedown attempt from Bakaj. Bakaj gets slowly back to his feet.
Some bone on bone action there as Bakaj checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Draco is looking to land body kicks.
Draco jabs Bakaj to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Draco swings for the body but Bakaj moves out of range.
Bakaj takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Bakaj throws a body shot but no joy.
Draco lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
No luck for Bakaj with that takedown attempt.
Bakaj takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Draco misses with a head kick.
Draco lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bakaj will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Levar Draco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jakub Bakaj.
Bakaj throws a jab but it's blocked by Draco.
Draco fails with an attempt to clinch.
As Draco backs off Bakaj throws a huge counter combo but Draco manages to avoid it all.
Good standup being displayed there by Draco as he connects with a hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Draco fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bakaj drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Draco lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Bakaj misses the jab.
Draco is looking to slow Bakaj down with leg kicks.
Bakaj fails with a takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bakaj looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Draco scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Levar Draco had his way with Jakub Bakaj in that round.
The cut man is working on Levar Draco's cut.
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!

Draco throws out a powerful jab.
Bakaj shoots in but Draco avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bakaj misses with a wild body shot.
Draco misses with a straight left.
Draco thumps Bakaj with a low kick.
Bakaj looks to land a left hand but Draco moved out of range nicely.
Bakaj has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bakaj. Draco does a little dance to reset his feet.
It looked like Draco wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Draco turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Draco looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Some wild striking there from Draco.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Draco throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bakaj sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Draco clinches with his opponent.
Draco misses with a short punch on the inside.

Bakaj escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bakaj has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Draco.
Bakaj tries to clinch but Draco moves out of range.
Draco connects with a body shot that sends Bakaj's belly button to the back.
Bakaj motions for Draco to come forward. Bakaj throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Draco is looking to counter punch.
Draco throws a series of punches but Bakaj moves out of range.
Bakaj swinging wildly here.
Draco slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Draco swings for the body but Bakaj moves out of range.
Bakaj takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
A decent looking cross lands there for Draco.
Bakaj throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Draco is looking for a counter combo.
Draco misses the shot to the body.
Bakaj takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by Draco.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bakaj ducks under a wild hook from Draco.
A slapping leg kick lands for Draco.
Bakaj slips a straight right by Draco.
A nice side step and Bakaj releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Draco lands a jab to Bakaj's midsection.
A solid leg kick lands there for Draco.
Bakaj takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Bakaj shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Draco as he jumps to the side.
Draco misses with a hook. Bakaj ducked under it nicely.
A head kick from Draco lands but Bakaj takes it in his stride.
Draco is looking to clinch but Bakaj is avoiding it.

Bakaj has taken the fight to the clinch.
Draco looking to throw knees to the head but Bakaj is blocking nicely.
Jakub Bakaj has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Draco with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Draco wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Levar Draco showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Draco, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 50:45
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 50:45
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 50:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Levar Draco!
After the fight, Levar Draco was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.