PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mircea Lucarescu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob Cook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lucarescu
vs
Cook

171 cm
23
144 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

169 cm
24
146 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mircea Lucarescu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bob Cook!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lucarescu lands the left hand.
Lucarescu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lucarescu sets himself, and Cook steps forward looking for the clinch! Lucarescu avoids it this time.
Cook takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Cook throws a right and a left that Lucarescu avoids nicely.
Lucarescu looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Cook misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lucarescu.
Lucarescu lands a jab-cross combination.
Lucarescu blocks a head kick by Cook.
Cook scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lucarescu fails to land with a series of punches.
Lucarescu throws a body shot but no joy.
Lucarescu throws a nice looking combination but Cook bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bob Cook seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lucarescu throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cook lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Cook moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A combination from Lucarescu does no damage.
Cook is looking to slow Lucarescu down with leg kicks.
Cook tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cook throws a low kick but it's checked well by Lucarescu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucarescu scores with a shot to the body.
Cook feints and then cracks Lucarescu's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Lucarescu down.
Lucarescu looks to land a combination but Cook avoids it well.
Cook looks to land a right hand but Lucarescu moved out of range.
Cook rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lucarescu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cook tests Lucarescu's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cook looks for the body kick but Lucarescu saw that one coming.
Lucarescu defending well as Cook loads up on a big left hand.
Cook takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Lucarescu throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lucarescu scores with a nice right hand.
Cook has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lucarescu takes a kick to the side of the head.
Cook misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Cook misses with a double jab.
It looked like Lucarescu was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Cook.
Cook connects with a solid leg kick.
Cook lands a nice looking kick to the body. Lucarescu takes a step back to recover.
Lucarescu lands a nice hook to Cook's body. Cook takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Cook throws a series of punches but Lucarescu moves out of range.
It looked like Lucarescu was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Lucarescu misses with a series of wild punches.
Cook takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Cook takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Lucarescu works over Cook's head and body with a nice combination.
Lucarescu throws a lazy right hand but Cook sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucarescu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lucarescu avoids the body shot from Cook.
Lucarescu throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cook.
Lucarescu gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Cook on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Lucarescu connects with a right hand. Cook shakes it off.
Cook lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Lucarescu misses with a series of wild punches.
Lucarescu throws a right and a left that Cook avoids nicely.
Cook has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Lucarescu tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cook misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Lucarescu will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Cook throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Lucarescu to counter with a crisp jab.
Cook tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lucarescu uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cook.
Cook misses with a double jab
and Lucarescu counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Lucarescu looks to land a combination but Cook avoids it well.
Cook misses with a wild combination.
Cook throws a jab but it's blocked by Lucarescu.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lucarescu checks the leg kick nicely there.
A quick step to the side and Lucarescu tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lucarescu avoids the head kick by Cook.
Lucarescu lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cook circles away quickly and effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mircea Lucarescu will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Lucarescu works over Cook's head and body with a nice combination.
Lucarescu swings widly with a right hand
and Cook counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cook throws a lazy body kick
and Lucarescu counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Cook throws a head kick that misses.
Nice cross by Lucarescu.
Lucarescu scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Cook lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
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!
Lucarescu looks to land a combination. Cook sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Cook rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lucarescu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Lucarescu looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cook throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Lucarescu's head.
Lucarescu tries to bum rush Cook with a series of wild strikes but Cook uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cook works over Lucarescu's head and body with a nice combination.
Lucarescu lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cook circles away quickly and effectively.
Lucarescu connects with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucarescu bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cook's head backwards.
Cook slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Lucarescu has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Lucarescu there as he acknowledges the shot.
Cook connects with a leg kick. Lucarescu looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
No joy there for Lucarescu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cook scores with a hook to the body. Lucarescu takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Lucarescu throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Cook fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lucarescu throws a big counter combination but Cook scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Cook connects with a solid leg kick.
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!
Nice shot by Cook.
Lucarescu lands with a nice combination. Cook backs away looking to recover.
Cook misses with a straight left.
Lucarescu misses with a double jab.
Lucarescu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cook moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lucarescu takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Lucarescu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lucarescu lands the left hand.
Cook feints and then cracks Lucarescu's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Lucarescu down.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cook. That's going to slow Lucarescu down.
No joy there for Lucarescu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Lucarescu walks into a straight right hand from Cook.
Lucarescu scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Sloppy strikes from Cook. Those never looked like landing.
Cook slips a jab from Lucarescu.
Cook lands a jab.
Lucarescu is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Cook dodges the punch combination from Lucarescu.
Cook looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Lucarescu takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucarescu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cook.
Cook gets off balance looking for a body kick
enabling Lucarescu to counter with a crisp jab.
Cook keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cook misses with a wild body shot.
A head kick misses from Cook.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Cook, right into the meat.
Cook tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
As Cook looks to move away, Lucarescu throws a big counter combo but Cook just gets out of the way.
Lucarescu misses with a series of wild punches.
Lucarescu misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lucarescu tries to bum rush Cook with a series of wild strikes but Cook uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lucarescu misses with a few strikes there.
Cook throws a counter combo.
Lucarescu lands with a straight right. Cook didn't see that one coming.
Mircea Lucarescu is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lucarescu cracks Cook with a right hand to the side of the head.
Cook lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cook throws a head kick but Lucarescu moves out of range.
A nice combination there by Cook.
Lucarescu jabs at Cook's body.
Lucarescu ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Mircea Lucarescu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lucarescu lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Lucarescu missing with a left hand there. Cook was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Lucarescu looks to land a combination but Cook avoids it well.
Cook throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Lucarescu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cook misses with the combination.
Lucarescu blocks a head kick by Cook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mircea Lucarescu will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Good standup being displayed there by Lucarescu as he connects with a hook.
Sloppy strikes from Lucarescu. Those never looked like landing.
Lucarescu scores with a punch to the head.
Lucarescu chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Cook can pounce on him.
Lucarescu scores with a three punch combo!
Lucarescu steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Cook. That one must have hurt.
Lucarescu throws a body punch but Cook moves out of range.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Cook.
Cook misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A slapping leg kick lands for Cook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cook slips a jab and a cross from Lucarescu.
Nice body punch from Lucarescu.
Cook scores with a body shot.
Cook buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by Cook misses
enabling Lucarescu to counter with a crisp jab.
Lucarescu throws a sloppy body shot

and Cook counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Lucarescu as Cook tries to tie him up.
Lucarescu takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cook tries to stall but Lucarescu uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Lucarescu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cook takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Lucarescu throws a series of punches but Cook avoids them all with ease.
Lucarescu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cook tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lucarescu lands with a hook. Cook tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Lucarescu throws a hook but Cook blocks it.
A head kick misses from Cook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cook misses the jab.
A counter left hand to the body from Lucarescu misses its target.
Cook is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A combination from Lucarescu does no damage.
Cook lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cook takes a jab right on the kisser.
Cook looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Donk. Lucarescu catches Cook right on the button with a cross.
Cook throws a left and a right that both miss
and Lucarescu counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cook keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lucarescu throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cook pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lucarescu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cook.
Cook takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lucarescu throws out a loose jab but Cook uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cook throws a half hearted mid kick.
Lucarescu throws a right and a left that Cook avoids nicely.
Lucarescu avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cook throws out a loose jab but Lucarescu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cook throws a lazy head kick
and Lucarescu counters with a straight right hand.
Bob Cook has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lucarescu swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A left and a right from Lucarescu both land. Nice combination.
Lucarescu showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cook.
Lucarescu throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Lucarescu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cook moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cook rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Lucarescu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Lucarescu was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cook throws a head kick that misses.
Lucarescu went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Cook falls off balance throwing a combination
and Lucarescu counters with a three punch combo that has Cook backing up. Cook nods at Lucarescu to acknowledge the strikes.
No joy there for Lucarescu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Lucarescu moves out of range as Cook throws a body kick.
Nice uppercut lands for Lucarescu. That snapped Cook's head back.
Cook throws a lazy head kick
and Lucarescu counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Cook has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Cook takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Lucarescu is working the combinations to good effect here.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cook avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cook throws a wild body kick that Lucarescu sees coming a mile off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mircea Lucarescu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lucarescu, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mircea Lucarescu!
Mircea Lucarescu decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.