PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Miguel Nocho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mircea Mihai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nocho
vs
Mihai

170 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Miguel Nocho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mircea Mihai!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Saam Ante and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mihai gets a takedown into half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Mihai is trying to control the action in half guard but Nocho is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mihai wants to pass to mount but Nocho is defending the position.

Mihai is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Mihai has eaten all the pies!
Nocho is trying to stand up here but Mihai is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nocho wants to control but Mihai is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Mihai is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Nocho has managed to free his arm - good work.
Nocho tries to get to full guard but Mihai has control of the leg.

Mihai is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Nocho looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mihai not doing much here.

Mihai is working for a submission of some sort.
Mihai wants to take a breather but Nocho is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mihai is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Nocho trying to control but Mihai postures up.

Mihai is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Nocho sees it coming and defends easily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mihai is trying to control the action in half guard but Nocho is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Nocho is defending against the submission attempts here by Mihai.
Nocho wants to improve his position but Mihai is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nocho pushes Mihai off looking to stand but Mihai dives back in and keeps control.
Nocho keeping control of the position.
Mihai is looking to take a break and control but Nocho is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Nocho controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mircea Mihai 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.

Nocho misses with a body shot.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nocho.
Nocho throws a right and a left that both miss.

Nocho shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Mihai manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Mihai keeping full guard, as Nocho tries to pass.
Nocho wants to stand and escape but instead Mihai has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Mihai trying to control the position from guard on top but Nocho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mihai controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mihai stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nocho swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mihai trying to control but Nocho is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Mircea Mihai hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Nocho fails with the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nocho misses with a hook

and Mihai counters with a single leg into guard. Nocho didn't expect that.

Mihai is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Nocho keeping moving, preventing Mihai from controlling successfully.
Mihai stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nocho swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nocho is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mihai stands and throws Nocho's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mihai controls the position from side control.

Mihai is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Nocho knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Nocho is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mihai is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Nocho knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Nocho knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mihai on the ground.

Mihai swings around for an armbar but Nocho sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Mihai's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Nocho stands up and waves to Mihai to follow him.
Mihai shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mircea Mihai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nocho lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Mihai misses with a two punch combination.

Mihai decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Nocho is looking to improve his position.
Mihai uses his free foot to push down on Nocho's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Nocho.
Mihai controlling from the full mount.

Mihai looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mihai controlling from mount.
Mihai can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nocho is looking to escape.
Nocho working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Mihai is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Nocho to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Nocho shrugs it off.
Mihai controlling his opponent.

Mihai has hold of Nocho's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Nocho manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Mihai avoids the attempt from Nocho to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mihai can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nocho is looking to escape.

Mihai swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Nocho is now in Mihai's guard. A big mistake from Mihai there, giving up the dominant position!
Nocho stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mihai swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nocho stops Mihai from standing up.

Nocho stands and steps away. Mihai gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Nocho misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mihai moves out of range as Nocho strikes.
Mihai throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Nocho's waist but Nocho gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mihai off to one side.
Mihai ducks under a wild hook from Nocho.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Mihai throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Nocho was covering up waiting for the punch and Mihai finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Mihai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mihai stopping the sweep attempt from Nocho.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mircea Mihai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Mihai winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 27:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mircea Mihai!