PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cliff Rigano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Costea Dinescu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cliff Rigano has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Rigano
vs
Dinescu

188 cm
21
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
166 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

V-Mask Clothing (10%)

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cliff Rigano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Costea Dinescu!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dinescu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Rigano counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Dinescu!
Sloppy strikes there by Rigano.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Rigano has knee on belly momentarily but Dinescu bucks him off and regains half guard.
Dinescu on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Dinescu is looking to improve his position.
Dinescu trying to control here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rigano thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Dinescu's head.

Rigano seems to be looking for submissions.
Rigano wants to control but Dinescu is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rigano passes the guard and advances to mount!
Rigano working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Rigano scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Dinescu?
Dinescu takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

It looks like Costea Dinescu has been cut.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Dinescu can do anything to dispel that myth.
Dinescu holds of for dear life.
Dinescu wants to control but Rigano is having none of it.
Dinescu bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rigano lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rigano passes into half guard.
Dinescu avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rigano.
Rigano trying to pass the guard but Dinescu defending well.
Rigano wants to take a breather but Dinescu is having none of it.
Rigano is pressing down on Dinescu's thigh, looking to free his foot. Dinescu is holding on for now.
Dinescu is refusing to be controlled, as Rigano sits in half guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Dinescu tries to get to full guard but Rigano has control of the leg.
Dinescu blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rigano.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dinescu taking some punishment here, with Rigano in his half guard.
Dinescu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Dinescu is trying to maintain the position but Rigano is very close to passing his half guard.
Rigano has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rigano performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Dinescu gets full guard.
Dinescu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rigano passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dinescu is looking for a sweep.

Rigano working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Dinescu is trying to improve his position.

Rigano tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rigano has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rigano creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Dinescu can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cliff Rigano dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Costea Dinescu's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rigano tries a head kick but it misses.
Rigano tries to score with a low kick but Dinescu moves his leg out of the way.
Dinescu swings widly with a right hand
and Rigano counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rigano misses with a double jab
letting Dinescu counter with a right hand.
Rigano throws a right hand that misses
and Dinescu counters with a straight right hand.
Rigano pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A little jabbing left from Dinescu on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Dinescu looks to score with a jab to the body but Rigano is just out of range.
Rigano is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dinescu can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rigano feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Dinescu's calf.
Costea Dinescu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dinescu tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Rigano dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Dinescu. That did some damage!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rigano with a hook.
Rigano misses with a hook.
Dinescu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rigano manages to avoid it.
Rigano throws a quick counter head kick but Dinescu was just out of range.
Dinescu steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rigano.
Dinescu thuds his right hand into Rigano's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Rigano connects with a right hand. Dinescu shakes it off.
Dinescu lands with a kick to the ribs.
The crowd cheers as Dinescu lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rigano doesn't seem phased though.
Cliff Rigano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dinescu moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Dinescu moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Dinescu drops Rigano with a beautiful combination! Rigano stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Dinescu is looking for the KO!

Rigano is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rigano fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Dinescu.
Oh Rigano is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Dinescu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rigano moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rigano seems to have got his legs back now.
Dinescu thows a left - swing and a miss!
Costea Dinescu seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A punch combination from Dinescu misses.
Rigano feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Dinescu's calf.
Dinescu misses the jab.
Jab from Dinescu.

Dinescu lands a big uppercut and Rigano crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Rigano looks OK. Dinescu waves Rigano back to his feet!
Dinescu throws a right and a left that Rigano avoids nicely.
Rigano misses with the body kick
letting Dinescu counter with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rigano misses with the body kick
and Dinescu counters with a stiff right hand.
Dinescu lands a slapping body shot.
A chopping leg kick lands by Rigano.
Rigano goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That has opened up Costea Dinescu's cut even more.
Rigano dodges the punch combination from Dinescu.
As Dinescu backs away, Rigano returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Rigano defending well as Dinescu loads up on a big left hand.
Rigano swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rigano throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Dinescu's head.
Dinescu takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dinescu blocks a leg kick.
Dinescu misses with an uppercut. Rigano saw that one coming.
Rigano throws a body shot but no joy.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A jab from Dinescu does it's job there.
Rigano jabs Dinescu to the body, keeping him at a distance.
It looks like Rigano has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Dinescu looks to score with a jab to the body but Rigano is just out of range.
Rigano throws a big counter combination but Dinescu scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
A swing and a miss from Dinescu.
Dinescu just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromRigano.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dinescu takes a kick to the side of the head.
Dinescu avoids the head kick by Rigano.
Dinescu flicks out a counter leg kick but Rigano steps away.
Dinescu feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Riganos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Costea Dinescu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Costea Dinescu's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Dinescu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rigano throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
It seemed like Dinescu was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A combination from Dinescu does no damage.
Rigano defending well as Dinescu loads up on a big left hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rigano. Dinescu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rigano connects with a high kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rigano, right into the meat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rigano throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Rigano throws a head kick but Dinescu moves out of range.
Dinescu misses with a head kick.
Rigano throws a head kick but Dinescu moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rigano throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rigano is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Dinescu looks to land a right hand but Rigano moved out of range.
Dinescu looks to land a left hand but Rigano moved out of range nicely.
Rigano scores with a body shot.
Dinescu jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Dinescu feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Riganos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Dinescu connects with an inside leg kick.
Rigano swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Dinescu misses with an uppercut

and Rigano counters with a shoot takedown. Dinescu fights it but they end up in guard.
Rigano is in close to Dinescu's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rigano trying to control the position from guard on top but Dinescu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dinescu trying to control the position.
Rigano scoring with punches to the head and body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rigano with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dinescu keeping full guard, as Rigano tries to pass.
Rigano won't allow Dinescu to sweep him here.
Rigano wants to control from the top but Dinescu keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rigano won't allow Dinescu to sweep him here.
Dinescu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rigano. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rigano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rigano makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rigano with a nice head shot there.
Dinescu trying to control the position.

Dinescu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rigano landing with the ground and pound.
Rigano postures up in Dinescu's guard and throws a big left but Dinescu blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rigano content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

The cut above Costea Dinescu's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

Dinescu had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rigano defends it easily.
Rigano pushing down on Dinescu's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rigano is looking to take a break and control but Dinescu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rigano scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Costea Dinescu's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Costea Dinescu's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Cliff Rigano!
After winning the bout, Cliff Rigano thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.