PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sammy Beach (ranked 110 p4p, 74 weight class) and Radu Dracul (ranked 18 p4p, 13 weight class). Radu Dracul has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Beach
vs
Dracul

194 cm
33
215
26 - 16 - 0

190 cm
29
202
15 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Counter fighter
Fast

Bondi MMA 🏝️
FUClothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sammy Beach!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Radu Dracul!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Taro Takaoka and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Beach wants to clinch but Dracul slips to the side

and Dracul counters with a nice double leg into side control. Beach won't be happy with that.
Beach struggling a bit here.
Dracul lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Beach down.
The strikes coming from Dracul are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Dracul working his ground and pound in the gym.

Dracul wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Beach, who protects the arm well.
Beach is not content to let Dracul control the position.
Dracul throwing shots but missing, from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The ground and pound from Dracul seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Dracul creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dracul misses with the ground and pound.
Dracul in side control, throwing shots but Beach defends.
Beach dodges the ground and pound from Dracul.
Beach pushes Dracul away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Dracul gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Dracul looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Beach is avoiding damage well.

Dracul is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Beach has escaped the position, nice work there.
Beach takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Dracul tries to advance to mount but can't.
Dracul working the ground and pound but Beach is defending the strikes.
Dracul is looking to take a break and control but Beach is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dracul lands a few punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dracul lands some shots froms side control.
Dracul scoring with punches and elbows.
Dracul postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Dracul landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Dracul connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Beach some visible discomfort.

Beach is rocked!
Dracul throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Oh Beach is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Beach sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Beach seems to have got his legs back now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dracul is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Dracul throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beach tries to get to full guard but Dracul has control of the leg.
Dracul has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dracul not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Dracul throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dracul is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Dracul thows a huge punch but Beach dodges it nicely.
Beach on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Beach taking some punishment here, with Dracul in his half guard.
Dracul trying to control the action but Beach is working from the bottom.
Dracul throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Beach to regain full guard.
Beach preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beach working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dracul.
Dracul working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Beach has his feet on Dracul's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Beach has managed to clinch.
Beach lands a shoulder strike.
Beach misses with a punch on the inside.
Dracul wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dracul is trying to push Beach away but Beach has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Beach misses with a hook to the ribs.
Dracul wants a takedown but no success here.
Dracul is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Dracul is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Beach is defending well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dracul is looking to take this one to the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Radu Dracul dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Beach moves in looking to clinch but Dracul pushes him off.
Beach tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Dracul manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Dracul feints the counter takedown.
Beach wants to clinch up but Dracul keeps it at a distance.
Dracul changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Beach pushes Dracul up against the cage in a clinch.
Beach misses with some punches.
Dracul blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Beach stops a takedown attempt from Dracul.

Beach breaks from the clinch.
Beach tries to clinch up.
Beach doesn't manage to clinch there - Dracul circles away.
Dracul feints the counter takedown.
Dracul has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Beach throws a hook but Dracul avoids it easily.
Dracul tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Beach tries to clinch up but Dracul circles away and keeps his distance.
And Dracul tries to counter it with a takedown but Beach pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Beach tries to clinch

and Dracul counters with a shoot takedown. Beach fights it but they end up in guard.
Beach trying to keep a closed guard but Dracul is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dracul throws a big right hand that misses.
Beach keeping moving, preventing Dracul from controlling successfully.
Beach managing to control the position.
Dracul tries to free his leg and advance position but Beach is retaining full guard.
Dracul loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dracul throwing strikes from guard but Beach blocks nicely.
Dracul wants to pass the guard but Beach is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Dracul throws a big elbow that misses.
Dracul controls from within his opponent's guard.
Dracul loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dracul throws an elbow that misses. Beach uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Dracul's guard. Nice move by Beach!

Dracul working for submissions but it's allowed Beach to get to half guard.
Dracul keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Dracul manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Beach avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Radu Dracul has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dracul manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Beach manages to get himself to full guard.

Dracul loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dracul stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Beach swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beach utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dracul throws a big right hand that misses.
Dracul with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dracul throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dracul throwing strikes from guard but Beach blocks nicely.
Dracul scoring with some ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dracul trying to control but Beach is working from the bottom.
Dracul scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Radu Dracul showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Beach moves in looking to clinch but Dracul pushes him off.
Beach moves to clinch but Dracul breaks away

and Dracul decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Beach's guard.
Dracul scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Beach keeping moving, preventing Dracul from controlling successfully.
Beach controls Dracul momentarily but Dracul frees himself.
Dracul with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dracul looking to pass the guard.
Dracul landing with the ground and pound.
Dracul throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dracul slips nicely into half guard.

Dracul has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Beach defend it? Dracul steps over the head and cranks it - Beach is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Dracul!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:17 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Radu Dracul!
Radu Dracul is the new light heavyweight champion!
A victorious Radu Dracul thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.