PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Constantin Niculescu (ranked 339 p4p, 277 weight class) and Devonte Pinks (ranked 48 p4p, 41 weight class). Pinks has chosen HUMBLE. as his entrance music. Devonte Pinks has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Constantin Niculescu's chin.

Niculescu
vs
Pinks

183 cm
25
205
13 - 6 - 0

190 cm
25
210
14 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Urban Fighter

Akuma Wear
Seventh Circle Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Constantin Niculescu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Devonte Pinks!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, William Gold and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pinks throws a front kick aimed at Niculescu's knee but Niculescu avoids it well.
Pinks misses with an uppercut. Niculescu saw that one coming.
Niculescu misses the jab.
Pinks misses the shot to the body.
Niculescu half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Pinks fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Niculescu on the side of the head.
Pinks slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Niculescu throws a lazy uppercut
and Pinks counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Pinks ducks under a wild hook from Niculescu.
Pinks looks to land a left hand but Niculescu moved out of range nicely.
Niculescu attempts a counter takedown but Pinks avoids it well and moves away.
Pinks misses with a leg kick

and Niculescu counters with a takedown into side control.
Niculescu cracks Pinks with a big right hand but Pinks just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Niculescu working the ground and pound but Pinks is defending the strikes.
Niculescu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pinks keeps working.
Niculescu tries to score with some ground and pound. Pinks controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinks is looking to reverse the position.
Pinks takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Niculescu trying to control the position but Pinks is working away.
Niculescu working the strikes but Pinks uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Niculescu drops an elbow to the side of Pinks's head.
Niculescu trying to control from half guard but Pinks is working away.
Pinks blocking the ground and pound attempt from Niculescu.
Niculescu throws a strike but Pinks avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu wants to pass the guard but Pinks is keeping the position.
Niculescu preventing the sweep.
Pinks working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Niculescu.
Niculescu missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Niculescu's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Niculescu trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pinks keeping moving, preventing Niculescu from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Nice uppercut lands for Niculescu. That snapped Pinks's head back.
Devonte Pinks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Niculescu looks to score with a jab to the body but Pinks is just out of range.
Pinks throws out a loose jab but Niculescu uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu jabs at Pinks's body.
Niculescu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pinks.
Pinks throws a push kick but Niculescu slaps the foot to one side.
Pinks misses with a hook.
Pinks swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Niculescu misses with an uppercut.
Niculescu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pinks throws out the jab.
Niculescu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pinks finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A cross from Pinks lands.
Pinks misses with a low kick.
Pinks missing with a left hand there. Niculescu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Niculescu throws a looping overhand right but Pinks ducks down to avoid it.
Niculescu is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Pinks's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Pinks's jab looks to have found its range, popping Niculescu under the eye.
Niculescu goes for a double leg but Pinks avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pinks continues to drive forward.
Pinks misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Niculescu gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pinks moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Niculescu throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Niculescu postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've been hearing that Niculescu has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Pinks preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Niculescu throwing strikes but missing.
Niculescu trying to control but Pinks is working from the bottom.
Niculescu with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Constantin Niculescu dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Pinks fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Niculescu is out of range.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Pinks.
Pinks lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A solid leg kick lands there for Pinks.
Niculescu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Pinks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Niculescu was well out of range. Poor timing from Pinks.
A low kick lands for Pinks.
Niculescu checks a low kick from Pinks.
Niculescu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pinks.
Pinks attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Pinks tries to score with a low kick but Niculescu moves his leg out of the way.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pinks feints and then cracks Niculescu's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Niculescu down.
Niculescu connects with the punch.
Pinks missing with a left hand there. Niculescu was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Devonte Pinks seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pinks throws a poor cross that misses

and Niculescu decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Pinks's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Niculescu throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinks wants to improve his position but instead Niculescu has moved into half guard.
Pinks blocking the ground and pound attempt from Niculescu.
Niculescu drops an elbow to the side of Pinks's head.
Pinks keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Niculescu scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Niculescu seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Pinks does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Niculescu is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Pinks is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Niculescu thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Pinks is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu throwing shots but Pinks is blocking nicely.
Niculescu wants to pass to mount but Pinks is defending the position.
Niculescu with the ground and pound but Pinks uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Niculescu trying to control the position from guard on top but Pinks is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pinks tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Niculescu makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Niculescu throwing strikes from guard but Pinks blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu cracks Pinks with a solid left hand.
Niculescu wants to control from the top but Pinks keeps moving.
Niculescu working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Niculescu landing some decent shots from guard.
Niculescu throws a big elbow that misses.
Niculescu looking to pass the guard.
Niculescu wants to control from the top but Pinks keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pinks fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Niculescu looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Pinks connects with an inside leg kick.
Pinks scores with the left hand. Niculescu knows he should have avoided that one.
Pinks wants to slow Niculescu down by chopping away at his legs.
Pinks defending well as Niculescu loads up on a big left hand.
Pinks misses with a straight left.
Niculescu missing with a left hand there. Pinks was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pinks tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Niculescu was well out of range. Poor timing from Pinks.
Niculescu feinted with a counter takedown.
Devonte Pinks is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pinks misses with a kick to the body

and Niculescu counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Pinks!
Niculescu trying to control the position but Pinks is working away.
Pinks dodges the ground and pound from Niculescu.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Constantin Niculescu dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Pinks wants to slow Niculescu down by chopping away at his legs.
Niculescu appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Niculescu.
Niculescu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Pinks.
Pinks moves into range and connects with a jab.
The fighters circling - Niculescu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Niculescu moves out of range of the body kick from Pinks.

Niculescu shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Pinks tries to roll over but Niculescu keeps him under control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Niculescu is keen to just control but Pinks is a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niculescu missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Niculescu lands strikes from half guard.
Niculescu missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Niculescu works his foot free and advances to mount.
Niculescu working the ground and pound effectively.
Niculescu punching from mount but Pinks doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Niculescu landing strikes from the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu working Pinks over with strikes here.
Niculescu prevents Pinks from getting the reversal.
Pinks taking shots to the head.
Niculescu sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Pinks is looking to improve his position but Niculescu isn't that keen on the idea.
Constantin Niculescu overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Niculescu landing strikes from the mount and Pinks is in trouble!
Niculescu throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Niculescu is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu raining down shots from the mount!

Pinks is rocked!
Niculescu is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Pinks can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Pinks is still in real trouble! Can Niculescu finish him?
Niculescu connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
A big strike lands for Niculescu! That's really hurt Pinks and he's turned his back - Niculescu keeps firing away and the ref dives in to stop the fight! Niculescu jumps to his feet to celebrate the victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Constantin Niculescu!
Constantin Niculescu tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.