PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joe Bradley (ranked 7617 p4p, 668 weight class) and Viorel Furnica (ranked 4922 p4p, 540 weight class). The key to victory for Joe Bradley has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Bradley
vs
Furnica

178 cm
28
173 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

180 cm
28
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Joe Bradley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Viorel Furnica!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Albert Achterberg and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Furnica tries to land a leg kick but Bradley saw it coming and moves away.
Furnica avoids the head kick by Bradley.
A punch combination from Bradley misses.
Bradley lands with a straight right. Furnica didn't see that one coming.
Bradley scores with a punch to the head.
Bradley throws a sloppy head kick and Furnica moves out of range easily.
Furnica goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Bradley with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Furnica misses with a combination
and Bradley counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Furnica gets the takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Furnica lands a nice forearm strike.
Furnica taking a breather here.
Furnica wants to stand but Bradley has his arm trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bradley taking punishment in the form of punches.
Bradley is looking to regain half guard here but Furnica keeps moving and retains side control.

Furnica swings around for an armbar but Bradley sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Furnica's guard.

Bradley got a little sloppy there for a moment and Furnica has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bradley has managed to get both his arms back between Furnica's legs - danger averted.
Bradley looking to sit in guard and control but Furnica gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Bradley is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Furnica's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Furnica throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Bradley working for a triangle but Furnica defends it easily.
Furnica stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bradley swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bradley can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Furnica controls the pace.
It looks like Furnica might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's four 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.
Furnica works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Furnica tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bradley knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Furnica looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Furnica's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Furnica pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Furnica shoots for a takedown but Bradley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
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 Joe Bradley will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Furnica walks into a straight right hand from Bradley.
A looping hook to the body misses from Furnica. Bradley does a little dance to reset his feet.
Furnica's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Bradley connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Furnica scrambles back to his feet.
Bradley lands a right hook to the body.
Bradley lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Viorel Furnica has been cut.

Bradley forces Furnica back against the cage and clinches.
Bradley trying to control the position but instead, Furnica has worked for underhooks and has pushed Bradley into the cage.
Bradley tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Bradley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bradley dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Furnica falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bradley counters with a nice body shot.
Joe Bradley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Furnica shoots in for a double leg but Bradley sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bradley misses with a head kick.
Furnica wants to counter with a clinch but Bradley pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Furnica has managed to clinch.
Furnica prevents Bradley from breaking the clinch.
Bradley is looking to break free of the clinch but Furnica has double underhooks.

Furnica tightens his grip and picks Bradley up, before dumping him to the ground. Bradley manages to land in guard.
Bradley is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Furnica can do to turn this around?
Furnica distracts Bradley with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bradley throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Furnica controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Furnica lands a couple of elbows.
Furnica is in close to Bradley's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Furnica is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bradley is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Furnica is stalling in the full guard.
Bradley trying to keep a closed guard but Furnica is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Furnica blocks a head kick by Bradley.
A head kick misses from Bradley.
Furnica avoids the head kick by Bradley.
Furnica dodges the punch combination from Bradley.
Some wild striking there from Bradley.
Furnica blocks a head kick by Bradley.
Furnica shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bradley sprawls well. Bradley wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Furnica gets slowly back to his feet.
Furnica avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bradley sets himself, and Furnica steps forward looking for the clinch! Bradley avoids it this time.
Bradley throws a head kick that Furnica semi-blocks.
Furnica keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bradley.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bradley swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bradley lands with a slapping head kick.
Furnica closes the distance and clinches up with Bradley, looking for a takedown. Furnica pushes Bradley against the cage but Bradley circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Joe Bradley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Viorel Furnica.
Furnica throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bradley.
Joe Bradley is winning the standup battle so far.
Bradley throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bradley misses with a lunging right hand
and Furnica counters with a nice uppercut.
Bradley lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Bradley throws an overhand right that lands on Furnica's shoulder, as Furnica tries to avoid the shot.
Furnica fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Furnica has a takedown stuffed.
Bradley scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Furnica doesn't seem bothered though.
Furnica avoids the head kick by Bradley.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Bradley dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Viorel Furnica's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Bradley scores with a punch to the head.
A head kick by Bradley misses

and Furnica counters by clinching up.
Furnica has Bradley pressed against the cage, preventing Bradley from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Bradley throws an elbow that misses.
Furnica using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bradley has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Furnica lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bradley backwards.

Furnica pulls guard.
Bradley throws a big elbow that misses.
Bradley wants to control from the top but Furnica keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Furnica pulls Bradley in close to prevent any damage.
Furnica throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Furnica utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bradley looking to sit in guard and control but Furnica gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Hammerfist, elbow! yells Furnica's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Furnica trying to stand up but can't free himself from Bradley's guard.
Furnica stands and throws Bradley's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bradley is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Furnica asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Furnica tries to stand but Bradley is controlling his head.
Furnica controls the position from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Furnica scoring with punches from side control.
Bradley looks to move to half guard but instead Furnica has passed into mount! Damn!
Furnica dominating with strikes here.
Furnica controlling from the full mount.
Viorel Furnica has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bradley tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Furnica controlling from mount.
Furnica landing strikes from the mount and Bradley is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bradley wants to control but Furnica is having none of it.
Bradley is in a horrible position here. Furnica smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Furnica is landing with some decent strikes but Bradley is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Furnica working the ground and pound effectively.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bradley wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Viorel Furnica has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joe Bradley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Furnica punches Bradley on the ear.

And that's the end of the fight!
Viorel Furnica comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bradley 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Joe Bradley!
After the fight, Joe Bradley was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.