PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nicky Burks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ion Ciocan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Burks
vs
Ciocan

208 cm
18
193 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

190 cm
23
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nicky Burks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ion Ciocan!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ciocan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Burks circles away quickly and effectively.
Ciocan tries to land a front kick but Burks steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Burks showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ciocan.
Ciocan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Burks appears to be looking for a big counter.
Burks tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Ciocan counters with a right hand to the body.

Ciocan has Burks up against the cage in a clinch.
Ciocan is trying to break free.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ciocan tries to break free but Burks pushes him back against the cage.
Burks really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Burks has Ciocan pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ciocan manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Burks is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Ciocan is defending well.

Ciocan breaks the clinch.
Ciocan looks to land a body kick but Burks moved away.
Ciocan just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromBurks.
Ciocan lands a nice looking body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Burks takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Ciocan dips to his left and cracks Burks with an uppercut!

It looks like Nicky Burks has been cut.

Ciocan moves into the clinch.
Burks is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Burks has Ciocan pressed against the cage, preventing Ciocan from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Ciocan manages to break the clinch.
Burks tries to clinch up but Ciocan circles away and keeps his distance.
Burks takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Ion Ciocan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ciocan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Burks.
A combination from Ciocan does no damage.
Ciocan thuds a left hand into Burks's body.
Ciocan goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Ciocan misses with a few strikes there.

Burks tries to keep at a distance but Ciocan has taken the fight into the clinch.
Ciocan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Burks is struggling to control the position.
Burks drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ciocan gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nicky Burks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ciocan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ciocan tries to circle away but Burks has him pinned against the cage.
Ciocan gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Burks.
Ciocan presses Burks against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Burks wants to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ciocan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Burks has him pressed against the cage.
Ciocan lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Ciocan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Burks misses with some punches.
Ciocan is trying to break the clinch but Burks is controlling him.
Burks is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ciocan pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Ciocan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ciocan lands with a light punch inside.
Ciocan wants to break the clinch but can't.
A frustrated look appears on Ciocan's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ciocan tries to break the clinch but Burks is controlling the position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ciocan.
Ciocan working hard to break the clinch.
Burks prevents Ciocan from breaking the clinch.
Burks goes for a takedown attempt but Ciocan pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ciocan listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Burks is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ciocan connects with a left and a right that sees a clearly hurt Burks covering up! Ciocan comes in with a big uppercut and Burks goes doooown! He's slumped up against the cage, eyes staring blankly into space.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:16 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Ion Ciocan!