PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Radu Dracul (ranked 26 p4p, 276 weight class) and Willy Mataitai (ranked 5 p4p, 43 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Dracul
vs
Mataitai

190 cm
30
202
18 - 4 - 0

195 cm
31
215
21 - 8 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter fighter
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Radu Dracul!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 8 - 1, fighting out of New York, Willy Mataitai!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mataitai misses with an uppercut

and Dracul decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mataitai's guard.
Dracul works over Mataitai with some ground and pound from guard.
Dracul works over Mataitai with some ground and pound from guard.

Dracul postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Mataitai is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Dracul, into his guard.

Dracul bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mataitai's guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mataitai wants to stand and escape but Dracul is having none of it.
Dracul loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dracul with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dracul trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dracul wants to control from the top but Mataitai keeps moving.
Mataitai preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dracul trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mataitai utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dracul postures up in Mataitai's guard and throws a big left but Mataitai blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dracul throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mataitai works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dracul looking to sit in guard and control but Mataitai gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Mataitai trying to stand up but can't free himself from Dracul's guard.
Dracul has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Dracul has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Mataitai has passed into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dracul tries to buck Mataitai off but Mataitai is having none of it.
Dracul is working hard here to advance position.
Dracul struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dracul tries to improve position but can't.

Mataitai decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Mataitai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Dracul moves away.
Mataitai misses with a wild body shot.
Dracul attempts a counter takedown but Mataitai avoids it well and moves away.
Mataitai throws a hook to the side of Dracul's head but Dracul sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Dracul changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Mataitai loads up on a big right hand but Dracul slips the punch.
Dracul takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Willy Mataitai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mataitai misses with an uppercut.
Dracul has been working on his balance at ZuccoTraining Ground, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Mataitai.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mataitai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dracul was well out of range. Poor timing from Mataitai.
Mataitai scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Dracul doesn't seem bothered though.
Mataitai loads up on a big right hand but Dracul slips the punch.
Dracul tries to counter with a takedown but Mataitai is quick to defend against it.
Dracul uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mataitai.
Dracul feinted with a counter takedown.
Mataitai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dracul takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Dracul ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Mataitai missing with a left hand there. Dracul was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Dracul feinted with a counter takedown.
A big left from Mataitai misses.
Dracul tries to counter with a takedown but Mataitai is quick to defend against it.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mataitai darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mataitai misses the shot to the body.
Dracul half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dracul keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dracul attempts a counter takedown but Mataitai avoids it well and moves away.
Mataitai throws a body shot but no joy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Willy Mataitai dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mataitai throws an off balance right hand

and Dracul counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Dracul working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Dracul wants to pass the guard but Mataitai is keeping the position.
Dracul missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mataitai working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dracul.
Dracul with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dracul trying to control the position from guard on top but Mataitai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Radu Dracul overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dracul postures up in Mataitai's guard and throws a big left but Mataitai blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dracul postures up in Mataitai's guard and throws a big left but Mataitai blocks it.
Dracul content to stall in guard here.
Dracul trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mataitai keeping moving, preventing Dracul from controlling successfully.
Dracul working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dracul accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Dracul landing some decent shots from guard.
Mataitai has momentary wrist control but Dracul slips an elbow through the middle.
Dracul is looking to work some ground and pound but Mataitai has wrist control.
Dracul with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mataitai utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mataitai preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dracul stops Mataitai from standing up.
Dracul wants to control from the top but Mataitai keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dracul ducks under a wild hook from Mataitai.
Dracul drops down looking for a counter takedown but Mataitai sprawls and moves away.
Mataitai fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dracul manages to avoid it.
Dracul blocks a jab.
Dracul changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Mataitai throws a jab but it's blocked by Dracul.
Dracul ducks under a wild hook from Mataitai.
Mataitai misses with the combination.
Mataitai misses with an uppercut.
Dracul feinted with a counter takedown.
Dracul uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mataitai.
Dracul appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Mataitai throws a body punch but Dracul moves out of range.
Dracul half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Mataitai misses

and Dracul counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Mataitai pushes Dracul off and gets back to his feet.
Willy Mataitai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mataitai loads up on a big right hand but Dracul slips the punch.
Mataitai swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Dracul counters with a nice double leg into side control. Mataitai won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dracul works to advance to full mount. Mataitai defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Dracul thowing shots but they're missing.
Dracul thowing shots but they're missing.
Dracul unloads with some shots from mount but Mataitai bucks and avoids them well.
Dracul with the ground and pound from mount.

It looks like Willy Mataitai has been cut.
Dracul looking to ground and pound but Mataitai is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mataitai holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Dracul tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Dracul looking to ground and pound but Mataitai is blocking nicely.
Dracul lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Mataitai is rocked!

That has opened up Willy Mataitai's cut even more.
Whack. That's a big, big shot from Dracul! Mataitai is out cold! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Radu Dracul!
Radu Dracul retains his light heavyweight title!
A very excited looking Radu Dracul made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
Willy Mataitai spoke after the fight, saying 'Back to the gym.'.