PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Decebal Cretu (ranked 3897 p4p, 3824 weight class) and Pierre Couture (ranked 374 p4p, 367 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Cretu
vs
Couture

178 cm
18
160
3 - 1 - 0

177 cm
20
159
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

BANZAI NUTRITION

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight 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, Decebal Cretu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pierre Couture!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Emerson Jorge and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cretu misses with a hook. Couture ducked under it nicely.
Couture throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Cretu slips under a jab.
Cretu swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Couture blocks a jab.
Cretu definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Cretu looks to throw the jab but Couture is out of range.
The fighters circling - Cretu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Cretu throws the left hand but Couture avoids the punch easily.
Couture looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Couture tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cretu was well out of range. Poor timing from Couture.
Couture moves out of range as Cretu strikes.
A slow jab from Cretu misses its intended target.
A big right from Cretu misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Couture stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Couture moves out of range of the strikes.
A slow jab from Cretu misses its intended target.
Pierre Couture seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Couture jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Couture throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cretu throws a jab but it's blocked by Couture.
Couture doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Couture throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Couture turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cretu misses with a hook. Couture ducked under it nicely.
Cretu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Couture.
Couture throws a jab but it's blocked by Cretu.
Cretu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cretu works Couture's body with a nice hook.
Cretu throws a right hand that misses
and Couture counters with a slapping leg kick.
Cretu fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Couture on the side of the head.
Cretu lands a head shot.
Couture has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cretu finds it's way round the side to connect with Couture's head.
Cretu swinging wildly here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture jabbing away but nothing is landing.
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!
Couture swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A counter left hand to the body from Cretu misses its target.
Couture ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cretu moves away.
Cretu looks to land a right hand but Couture moved out of range.
A little jabbing left from Couture on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Cretu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Couture manages to avoid it.
Nice cross by Couture.
Cretu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Couture moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cretu connects with the punch.
Cretu missing with a left hand there. Couture was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cretu throws a looping overhand right but Couture ducks down to avoid it.
The fighters circling - Cretu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Couture feints a counter leg kick.
Cretu loads up on a big right hand but Couture slips the punch.
A jab from Cretu misses.
Cretu scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Couture doesn't seem bothered though.
Cretu misses with a straight left.
Couture flicks out a counter leg kick but Cretu steps away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cretu throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Couture avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cretu misses with a left hand
and Couture counters with a nice uppercut.
Couture moves out of range of the strikes.
Cretu misses with a left hand
enabling Couture to counter with a crisp jab.

Cretu is rocked!
Cretu lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Nice defenses there by Couture.
Cretu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.
Cretu looks to throw the jab but Couture is out of range.
Cretu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Couture throws out a counter right but Cretu avoids it with no problem.
Couture takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Couture takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Couture jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Couture throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Couture throws a looping overhand right but Cretu ducks down to avoid it.
Cretu loads up on a big right hand but Couture slips the punch.
Couture moves away from the strike by Cretu.
Cretu looks to land a right hand but Couture moved out of range.
Cretu misses with an uppercut
and Couture cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Couture ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cretu moves away.
The fighters circling - Couture throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A counter left hand to the body from Cretu misses its target.
Cretu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Couture.
Cretu is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Couture punishes Cretu's body with a nice straight punch.
Couture takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Cretu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cretu lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Couture circles away quickly and effectively.
Couture throws a jab but it's blocked by Cretu.
A solid body kick from Couture.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Decebal Cretu dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Cretu staying out of range there.
Couture throws a jab when Cretu was well out of range.
Couture misses with an uppercut.
Couture throws a leg kick but Cretu checks it.
Cretu throws a body punch but Couture moves out of range.
Cretu slips a jab from Couture.
Couture bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cretu's head backwards.
Couture lands a right hook to the body.
Cretu takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A clash of legs there as Cretu blocks the low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cretu throws a shot from downtown. Couture moves away and avoids it.
No joy there for Cretu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Couture! But no joy.
Cretu missing with a left hand there. Couture was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cretu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Couture.
Couture slips under a jab from Cretu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Cretu throws the left hand but Couture avoids the punch easily.
Couture looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Cretu misses the shot to the body.
Couture throws a body shot but no joy.
Cretu was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Cretu throws the left hand but Couture avoids the punch easily.
A big left from Cretu misses.
Cretu throws a series of punches but Couture moves out of range.
Couture throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cretu tries to move into range but Couture moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Cretu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Couture slips under a jab from Cretu.
Couture flicks out a counter leg kick but Cretu steps away.
Cretu staying out of range there.
Couture misses with a hook.
Cretu cracks Couture with a right hand to the side of the head.
Decebal Cretu is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture misses with a hook. Cretu ducked under it nicely.
A little feinted left hand from Cretu on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cretu with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Couture to score with a decent uppercut.
Couture looks to throw the jab but Cretu is out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Couture wants to slow Cretu down by chopping away at his legs.
Cretu connects with a single shot there.
Cretu misses with a wild body shot.
Cretu takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Cretu bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Cretu takes a swing at Couture's ribcage but misses.
Couture wants to land a leg kick but Cretu is out of range.
Cretu scores with a jab to the head.
Couture throws a leg kick that is checked
and Cretu counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Couture thinking.
Couture is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cretu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture slips under a jab.
A big right from Couture misses.
Cretu was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Couture is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cretu.
Cretu scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Couture looks to throw a body kick
and Couture takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Couture throws a body shot but no joy.
Cretu throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Couture counter with a right hand.
Cretu scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
The crowd cheers as Cretu lands an impressive looking overhand right. Couture doesn't seem phased though.
Couture misses with an uppercut.
Cretu lands with a nice body punch.
Cretu throws the left hand but Couture avoids the punch easily.
Cretu throws a jab when Couture was well out of range.
Cretu blocks a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Couture. That's going to slow Cretu down.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cretu misses with a left hand
and Couture counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cretu throws a body punch but Couture moves out of range.
Cretu misses with a wild body shot.
Cretu walks into a straight right hand from Couture.
Oh Cretu is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Couture dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Couture swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cretu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Couture was well out of range. Poor timing from Cretu.
Cretu seems to have got his legs back now.
Cretu moves out of range as Couture strikes.
It looked like Cretu was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Couture scores with a leg kick.
Couture keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cretu.
Cretu fails to land with a series of punches.
Cretu swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Couture counters with a good low kick that Cretu was not able to check.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pierre Couture will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Cretu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Cretu connects with a looping right hand.
Cretu misses with a looping right.
Couture steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
A chopping leg kick lands by Couture.
Good standup being displayed there by Cretu as he connects with a hook.
Couture looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Cretu throws a shot from downtown. Couture moves away and avoids it.
A punch combination from Cretu misses.
Cretu works Couture's body with a nice hook.
Cretu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Couture looks to land a left hand but Cretu moved out of range nicely.
Cretu throwing a counter right hand but Couture manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cretu takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Couture showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cretu.
Couture throws a poor cross that misses
and Cretu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture throws a half hearted mid kick.
Couture uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cretu.
Couture swings for the body but Cretu moves out of range.
Couture throws a lazy right hand but Cretu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cretu is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Couture.
Couture thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cretu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Couture - that will leave a mark!
Nice straight punches there by Couture. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Couture.
Couture is looking to land body kicks.
Cretu takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Couture buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Couture staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cretu misses with a looping left.
Cretu lands with a good body shot.
Couture takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Couture throws out a loose jab but Cretu uses good head movement to avoid it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cretu throws a sloppy body shot
and Cretu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cretu throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Couture throws a poor cross that misses
and Cretu counters with a nice uppercut.
Cretu looks to score with a jab to the body but Couture is just out of range.
Couture swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cretu slips under a jab.
A little feinted left hand from Cretu on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A slow jab from Cretu misses its intended target.
Cretu swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Couture cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Couture ducks right into an uppercut from Cretu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cretu staying out of range there.
Cretu misses with a hook. Couture ducked under it nicely.
Couture lands with a shot to the body.
Couture looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Couture throws a quick inside leg kick.
Couture throws a chopping leg kick but Cretu manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
A big left from Couture misses.
Cretu misses with a looping right.
Cretu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cretu moves out of range of the strikes.
Couture swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Couture fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cretu.
Cretu connects with a right hand. Couture shakes it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cretu misses the shot to the body.
Couture throws out a counter right but Cretu avoids it with no problem.
Cretu lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Cretu throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Couture cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A left and a right from Cretu both land. Nice combination.

Couture is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cretu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Couture is still on wobbly legs! Can Cretu finish him?
Cretu lands a nice hook to Couture's body. Couture takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Cretu jabs at Couture's body.
Couture seems to have recovered his senses.
Couture moves out of range of the strikes.
Cretu paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Couture throws a sloppy head kick and Cretu moves out of range easily.
Cretu lands with a shot to the body.
Cretu rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Couture to counter with a crisp jab.
Cretu tries to bum rush Couture with a series of wild strikes but Couture uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Couture just misses with a punch to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Decebal Cretu.
Well Cretu has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Decebal Cretu!
A relieved looking Decebal Cretu thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.