PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Normand Stein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vlad Dracul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Dracul's choice of entrance music: Infected Mushroom - Dracul. Vlad Dracul has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Normand Stein's chin.

Stein
vs
Dracul

224 cm
19
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 St Petersburg, Normand Stein!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vlad Dracul!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dracul looks to clinch

and Stein holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Stein breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dracul loads up on a big right hand but Stein slips the punch.
Dracul tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Stein moves into the clinch.
Dracul is trying to break free.
Stein swings wildly with an uppercut but Dracul uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dracul working hard to break the clinch.
Dracul is trying to break free.
Stein is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Dracul to keep the fight standing.
Stein keeps control of Dracul as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Stein breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dracul tries to clinch up

and Stein counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Dracul wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Stein has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dracul is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dracul wants to get back to striking at distance but Stein won't allow it.
Dracul wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dracul tries to circle away but Stein has him pinned against the cage.
Dracul looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Dracul wants to break free but Stein has control.
Dracul has had enough of the clinch but Stein keeps him there for the moment.
Stein is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Dracul to keep the fight standing.
Dracul tries to break the clinch but Stein is controlling the position.
Dracul wants to get back to striking at distance but Stein won't allow it.
Stein jumps guard but Dracul stands there with Stein around his waist. Stein gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Normand Stein. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Stein breaks from the clinch.
Dracul looks to clinch

and Stein counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stein.
Dracul is trying to force a seperation but Stein has the dominant position.

Stein jumps guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stein has control of Dracul's left arm, preventing Dracul from doing any damage.
Stein has a closed guard, preventing Dracul from standing up.

Stein pushes Dracul off and scrambles back to his feet.
Dracul moves to clinch but Stein breaks away

and Stein counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stein.
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!
A frustrated look appears on Dracul's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Dracul is trying to push Stein away but Stein has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Dracul is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Stein breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dracul tries to clinch up

and Stein counters by moving into the clinch.
Dracul wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Stein has him pressed against the cage.
Dracul tries to break free but Stein pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dracul has had enough of the clinch but Stein keeps him there for the moment.
Dracul has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Dracul wants to get back to striking at distance but Stein won't allow it.
Dracul is looking to break free of the clinch but Stein has double underhooks.
Stein keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Dracul's efforts to push away.
Stein is trying to pull guard but Dracul turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Stein breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dracul darts in trying to clinch

and Stein counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stein.
Nice elbow from Stein.
Dracul wants to get back to striking at distance but Stein won't allow it.
Dracul has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dracul tries to break free but Stein pushes him back against the cage.
Dracul is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Stein tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dracul smiles and moves away.
Dracul closes the distance looking to clinch

and Stein counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Dracul working hard to break the clinch.
Dracul wants to break the clinch but can't.
Stein really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Dracul looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Dracul is trying to break free.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Stein escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dracul tries to clinch but Stein moves away

and Stein counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stein.
Stein jumps guard but Dracul stands there with Stein around his waist. Stein gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dracul tries to break the clinch but Stein is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Vlad Dracul will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Dracul closes the distance but Stein moves to the side

and Stein counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Stein pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dracul wants to clinch

and Stein counters by clinching up.
A frustrated look appears on Dracul's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Stein breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dracul throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Stein counters by clinching up.

Stein breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dracul looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Dracul closes the distance looking to clinch
and Stein counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Dracul darts in trying to clinch

and Stein moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stein pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dracul wants to clinch but Stein slips to the side

and Stein counters by clinching up.
Dracul is trying to break the clinch but Stein is controlling him.
Dracul working hard to break the clinch.
Dracul looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Dracul is looking to break free of the clinch but Stein has double underhooks.
Dracul looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Stein pulls guard effortlessly.

Stein throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Stein will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Stein has control of Dracul's left arm, preventing Dracul from doing any damage.
Stein looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dracul is looking to stand up but Stein won't let him.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Stein manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Stein tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Dracul just stands there and leans against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dracul dodges an elbow strike from Stein.
Dracul is looking to break free of the clinch but Stein has double underhooks.
Dracul wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dracul can't break the clinch.
Dracul wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dracul working hard to break the clinch.
Dracul wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Stein misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Dracul.

Stein pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dracul closes the distance looking to clinch
and Stein counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stein circles away from the clinch attempt
and Stein counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Dracul moves to clinch but Stein breaks away

and Stein counters by clinching up.

Stein gets control of Dracul's arms and successfully pulls guard. Stein will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Stein holds on and takes a little breather.

Dracul stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Dracul throws a lazy uppercut

and Stein counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Dracul is trying to break free.

Stein breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dracul keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dracul will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Dracul looks to clinch

and Stein moves into the clinch.

Stein escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dracul tries to clinch up

and Stein moves into the clinch.
Dracul can't break the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dracul looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Stein keeps control of Dracul as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Stein breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Normand Stein dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Dracul wants to clinch

and Stein counters by moving into the clinch.
Stein is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Dracul to keep the fight standing.
Dracul wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Stein has him pressed against the cage.
Dracul wants to get back to striking at distance but Stein won't allow it.
Dracul wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dracul wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Stein escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vlad Dracul seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dracul wants to clinch but Stein slips to the side

and Stein holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Dracul wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Stein successfully pulls guard.
Dracul wants to stand but Stein is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Stein pushes Dracul off and scrambles back to his feet.
Dracul wants to clinch but Stein slips to the side

and Stein moves into the clinch.
Dracul is trying to break free.

Stein breaks from the clinch.
Stein circles away from the clinch attempt
and Stein counters with a nice body kick.
Dracul tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Stein counters with a straight right hand.
Dracul closes the distance looking to clinch

and Stein counters by clinching up.

Stein decides to pull guard.

Dracul gets to his feet. Stein looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Vlad Dracul is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dracul looks to clinch

and Stein counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A frustrated look appears on Dracul's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Dracul takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stein working Dracul over with knees to the body.
Dracul wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dracul can't break the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stein lands an elbow inside.
Stein has Dracul pressed against the cage, preventing Dracul from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Dracul wants to get back to striking at distance but Stein won't allow it.
Dracul is trying to break free.
Stein prevents Dracul from breaking the clinch.

Stein breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dracul tries to clinch up

and Stein counters by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dracul tries to break free but Stein pushes him back against the cage.

Stein jumps guard.
Stein throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Stein is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Stein seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Dracul wants to stand but Stein is controlling his posture from full guard.
Normand Stein overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Stein escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dracul gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Stein throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stein wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Stein pushes Dracul off and scrambles back to his feet.
Dracul closes the distance but Stein moves to the side

and Stein counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Stein.
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!
Stein is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Dracul to keep the fight standing.
Dracul wants to get back to striking at distance but Stein won't allow it.
Stein pushes off an throws an elbow but Dracul leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Stein breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dracul tries to clinch but Stein moves away
and Stein counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Dracul thinking.
Dracul tries to clinch but Stein moves away

and Stein counters by moving into the clinch.

Stein breaks from the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Normand Stein showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stein 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Normand Stein!