PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Iosue Nicu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Bourdain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nicu's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot. The key to victory for Iosue Nicu has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Nicu
vs
Bourdain

190 cm
20
216 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

185 cm
20
212 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

KAISER
Sun-Tzu

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Iosue Nicu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Anthony Bourdain!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bourdain moves into the clinch.
Bourdain gets through Nicu's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

It looks like Iosue Nicu has been cut.
Bourdain lands a body shot in the clinch.
Nicu pushes Bourdain back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

It looks like Anthony Bourdain has been cut.
Nicu goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Bourdain jumps into guard, dragging Nicu to the mat.

Bourdain has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nicu can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Nicu content to stall in guard here.
Nicu wants to control from the top but Bourdain keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nicu slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Bourdain looking for a guillotine here but Nicu defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicu engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Bourdain looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Nicu content to stall in guard here.

Bourdain escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nicu gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bourdain is trying to keep Nicu in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Bourdain throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Nicu escapes and throws Bourdain's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Bourdain is not content to let Nicu control the position.
Bourdain is trying to control Nicu's posture but Nicu avoids it.
Bourdain seems a little lost for a moment, as Nicu dominates the positioning.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nicu decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bourdain to his feet.
Bourdain on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Nicu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice shot by Bourdain.
Nicu blocks a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bourdain takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Bourdain has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Bourdain wants to clinch up but Nicu keeps it at a distance.
Nicu connects with a high kick.
Bourdain will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Bourdain throws a leg kick that misses.
Nice cross by Bourdain.
Bourdain buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Nicu seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
A punch combination from Bourdain misses.
Nicu tried to counter with a leg kick but Bourdain avoided it.
A slapping leg kick lands for Nicu.
Nicu getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Nicu checks a leg kick nicely.
Nice straight punches there by Nicu. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Nicu.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bourdain looks to land a right hand but Nicu moved out of range.

Bourdain moves into the clinch successfully.
Bourdain lands a body punch.
Nicu tries to work over Bourdain's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bourdain scores with a hook to the body.
Nicu throws a punch but it's blocked by Bourdain.
Bourdain is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Nicu to keep the fight standing.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Nicu.
Nice body punch from Bourdain - that landed with a thud.
Nicu lands a body shot in the clinch.
Bourdain works on Nicu's body with a couple of short punches.
Nicu tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bourdain's elbow.
Bourdain digs a right hand underneath Nicu's ribcage. Nicu let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Bourdain blocks a body shot from Nicu.
Bourdain can't find room to land a body shot as Nicu controls the action.

Nicu breaks the clinch.
Nicu connects with a leg kick. Bourdain looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Nicu takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Nicu keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Nicu throws a sloppy head kick

and Bourdain holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Nicu pushes Bourdain back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Anthony Bourdain will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nicu ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Bourdain moves out of range of the strikes.
Bourdain appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Nicu lands with a kick to the temple. Bourdain shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Bourdain misses with a kick to the body
and Nicu counters with a low kick, right behind Bourdain 's knee.
Nicu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bourdain.
Nicu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A countering left hand to the body from Bourdain misses.
Nicu fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Bourdain.
Bourdain throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nicu swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Nicu misses with a hook to the body
and Bourdain counters with a stiff right hand.
Nice uppercut lands for Bourdain. That snapped Nicu's head back.
Nicu moves away from the strike by Bourdain.
Nicu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bourdain doesn't manage to clinch there - Nicu circles away.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Nicu, right into the meat.
Anthony Bourdain seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Bourdain crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Nicu - the referee stops the clock and Bourdain gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Nicu. Bourdain manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nicu lands with a slapping head kick.
Nicu throws a push kick but Bourdain slaps the foot to one side.
Nicu walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Nicu moves out of range of the strikes.
Bourdain throws a leg kick but Nicu sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Nicu scores with a leg kick.
Bourdain takes a swing at Nicu's ribcage but misses.
Nicu fires out a quick counter leg kick but Bourdain just manages to avoid it.
Bourdain throws a sloppy head kick
and Nicu counters with an outside leg kick.
Iosue Nicu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bourdain on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Nicu throws a lazy right hand but Bourdain sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Bourdain takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Iosue Nicu is winning the standup battle so far.

Bourdain rushes Nicu and presses him up against the cage.
Bourdain tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Nicu just stands there and leans against the cage.
Nicu is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A short left from Bourdain.

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!
Nicu throws a head punch that misses.
Nicu throws a punch but it's blocked by Bourdain.
Nicu has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Nicu prevents a body shot from Bourdain.
Bourdain lands with a right to the head.
Bourdain misses with a hook to the ribs.

Bourdain escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nicu connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Bourdain momentarily.

That has opened up Anthony Bourdain's cut even more.
Bourdain takes a head kick and keeps coming.
A jab from Bourdain misses.
Nicu quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Bourdain misses with a leg kick
and Nicu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nicu lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Nicu with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nicu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bourdain.
Bourdain thows a leg kick but Nicu checks it
enabling Nicu to counter with a crisp jab.
Nice body kick there by Bourdain.
Bourdain tries to clinch up but Nicu circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bourdain throws a big shot that misses.
Bourdain tries a head kick but it misses.
Nicu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nicu looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Bourdain rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Nicu counters with a nice leg kick.
Nicu uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bourdain.
Bourdain throws a leg kick
and Nicu counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ohhhhh! A huge head kick from Nicu! Bourdain is out on his feet! Nicu rushes in and throws more strikes. The ref is looking closely - Bourdain is covering up but the punishment is just too much and the ref steps in to stop the fight! Bourdain is staring into space, just thankful that the beatdown has ended. Brutal finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Iosue Nicu!
During a confident post fight interview, Iosue Nicu thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.