PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kirk Hale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Pucheanu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alex Pucheanu has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Kirk Hale's chin.

Hale
vs
Pucheanu

184 cm
24
151 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

180 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kirk Hale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Alex Pucheanu!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Micheangelo Fripello and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pucheanu shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Hale is holding on to half guard well.

Hale looking for submissions off his back.
Pucheanu wants to control but Hale is keeping him busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pucheanu is thwarting Hale's attempts to control the position.
Hale regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hale is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pucheanu 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.
Pucheanu wants to pass the guard but Hale is keeping the position.
Pucheanu keeps trying to improve his position.

Hale looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Pucheanu stands up and waves to Hale to follow him.

Hale shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Hale was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Hale working away.

Hale tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hale has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Hale really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pucheanu is trying to work for a sweep but Hale has mounted him!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pucheanu tries to hold on but Hale pushes him away.
Pucheanu tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Pucheanu tries to lock up and control but Hale gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Pucheanu manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Pucheanu is trying to maintain the position but Hale is very close to passing his half guard.
Hale passes into side control, despite Pucheanu's attempt to control the position.
Pucheanu is not content to let Hale control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hale scores with punches from side control.
Pucheanu sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Pucheanu slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Pucheanu throws his legs up looking for a submission but Hale uses it to pass to side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pucheanu looking for a sweep but Hale has passed into full mount! Oh no!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kirk Hale dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pucheanu gets a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pucheanu thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hale's head.
Pucheanu trying to pass the guard but Hale defending well.
Pucheanu is trying to control. Hale wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hale is trying to control but Pucheanu manages to pass to mount!
Hale's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pucheanu controlling from mount.
Hale is squirming around, avoiding Pucheanu's attempts to control the action.
Hale is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Hale is trying desperately to improve position.
Pucheanu sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Pucheanu throws some wild stikes that Hale manages to avoid easily.
Hale is looking to improve his position but Pucheanu isn't that keen on the idea.
Pucheanu looking to finish with strikes here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pucheanu misses with some ground and pound and Hale recovers position to half guard.
Alex Pucheanu has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hale is trying to stand.
Pucheanu is stalling here. Hale is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Pucheanu seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Hale has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Hale is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Pucheanu will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Hale trying to control the action but Pucheanu is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pucheanu wants to control but Hale postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A lull in the action here as Hale stalls from top position.
Pucheanu can't do much from the bottom here.

Hale decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Pucheanu clinches up against the cage.
Hale is working for takedown but Pucheanu is calmly controlling the position for now.

Pucheanu manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Pucheanu keeping moving, preventing Hale from controlling successfully.

Pucheanu looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Pucheanu is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hale defends well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hale is stalling in the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Pucheanu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Hale's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Pucheanu clinches up with Hale and pushes him back against the cage.

Hale decides to pull guard.
Hale not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hale holds on and takes a little breather.
Hale avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hale avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Hale looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Pucheanu passes into half guard.
Hale is looking for a sweep. Pucheanu is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hale avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Pucheanu.
Hale is trying to control but can't.
Pucheanu is pressing down on Hale's thigh, looking to free his foot. Hale is holding on for now.
Pucheanu not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Pucheanu stands up from half guard.
Pucheanu lands with a nice combination. Hale backs away looking to recover.
Hale fails with the takedown
and Hale takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hale gets caught napping as Pucheanu dives in and scores a takedown. Hale manages to retain guard.
Hale is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Pucheanu trying to control but Hale is working from the bottom.
Hale is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Pucheanu trying to control the position from guard on top but Hale is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Pucheanu gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pucheanu clinches up with Hale and pushes him back against the cage.

Hale breaks the clinch.
Hale wants to clinch but Pucheanu slips to the side
and Pucheanu counters with a three punch combo that has Hale backing up. Hale nods at Pucheanu to acknowledge the strikes.

Hale is rocked!

It looks like Kirk Hale has been cut.

Pucheanu closes the distance looking for a takedown. Hale stuffs it but Pucheanu still has hold of him. Pucheanu picks Hale up in a fireman's lift! The crowd roars in approval. Pucheanu slams Hale to the floor and that's really hurt Hale - he doesn't know where he is! Pucheanu throws a couple of strikes and the referee steps in to save him! This one is in the books!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Alex Pucheanu!