PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Patrick Kearney (ranked 1069 p4p, 1029 weight class) and Constantin Niculescu (ranked 126 p4p, 119 weight class). Constantin Niculescu told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Kearney
vs
Niculescu

225 cm
28
265
13 - 10 - 0

183 cm
28
230
16 - 10 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Fast

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Patrick Kearney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Constantin Niculescu!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Donald Grub and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Niculescu throws a sloppy body shot
and Kearney counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like Constantin Niculescu has been cut.
Kearney swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Niculescu counter with a right hand.
Kearney lunges at Niculescu with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Niculescu's hand.
Niculescu tries to clinch up.

Niculescu throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Kearney tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Niculescu is in Kearney's guard.
Niculescu distracts Kearney with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Kearney keeping full guard, as Niculescu tries to pass.
Kearney is pulling down on Niculescu's head. It's preventing any offense from Niculescu, at least for the moment.
Niculescu forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kearney is positioning himself well to prevent Niculescu advancing to mount.
Kearney is refusing to be controlled, as Niculescu sits in half guard.
Niculescu winds up and cracks Kearney with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Niculescu not doing much here.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Niculescu working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Kearney is trying to get back to full guard.
Kearney keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Niculescu sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kearney defending well though.
Kearney keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Niculescu not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Niculescu missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Niculescu trying to control from Kearney's half guard. Kearney has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Kearney will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Niculescu accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Niculescu being controlled here momentarily.
Kearney lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu keeping moving, preventing Kearney from controlling successfully.
Niculescu wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Niculescu lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Niculescu accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Niculescu throwing strikes from guard but Kearney blocks nicely.
Niculescu missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Niculescu wants to control from the top but Kearney keeps moving.
Niculescu is working Kearney over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Niculescu with a flurry of punches that miss.
Niculescu missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Niculescu landing with the ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kearney avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Kearney scores with a sloppy right hand. Niculescu should have avoided that one.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Constantin Niculescu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Constantin Niculescu's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Niculescu moves out of range of the strikes.
Kearney takes a swing at Niculescu's ribcage but misses.
A countering left hand to the body from Niculescu misses.
Kearney drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Niculescu dives in for a single leg takedown but Kearney sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A quick step to the side and Kearney tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Niculescu throws a body shot but no joy.

Kearney closes the distance and pushes Niculescu back into the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kearney.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Niculescu has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kearney avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Niculescu keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kearney's efforts to push away.
Niculescu blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kearney softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kearney misses with a punch to the body.
Niculescu tries for a takedown. No joy.
Patrick Kearney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Constantin Niculescu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Kearney.
Kearney lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kearney gets underhooks to prevent Niculescu's takedown attempt.
Kearney scores with a shoulder strike.
Kearney stops a takedown attempt from Niculescu.
Kearney can't find room to land a body shot as Niculescu controls the action.

Niculescu works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Niculescu's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Niculescu postures up in Kearney's guard and throws a big left but Kearney blocks it.
Kearney preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kearney is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Niculescu postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Niculescu connects with a couple of short punches.
Niculescu is looking to work some ground and pound but Kearney has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu working some strikes from top position.
Niculescu throws a strike but Kearney rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kearney passes Niculescu's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Niculescu trying to control but Kearney postures up.
Kearney is controlling the pace.
Niculescu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kearney throws a strike but Niculescu avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Kearney seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Niculescu seems keen to control Kearney's posture.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Niculescu throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kearney counters with a stiff right hand.
Niculescu throws a combination that misses
letting Kearney counter with a right hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kearney ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Patrick Kearney is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Niculescu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Patrick Kearney dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Constantin Niculescu's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Niculescu with a poor takedown
and Kearney counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Niculescu throws an overhand right that lands on Kearney's shoulder, as Kearney tries to avoid the shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Kearney misses the target.
Kearney tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Niculescu was well out of range. Poor timing from Kearney.
Despite the aggression on Niculescu's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Niculescu bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Kearney's head backwards.

Niculescu shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kearney wants to sweep here but Niculescu controlling him for the moment.
Kearney is working hard here to advance position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Niculescu with a nice head shot there.
Niculescu postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kearney wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niculescu stopping the sweep attempt from Kearney.
Niculescu throws an elbow that misses. Kearney uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Niculescu's guard. Nice move by Kearney!

Kearney is looking to advance position but Niculescu has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Niculescu has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kearney's face.
Niculescu throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Constantin Niculescu has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee warns Kearney that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Niculescu lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Kearney is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu cracks Kearney with a big head shot that has him covering up instantly! He's rolled onto his side and the referee has seen enough - this one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Constantin Niculescu!
A less than humble Constantin Niculescu misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.