PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Neculai Costel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Spanky Edgar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Costel might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Ain't No Sunshine. Edgar has chosen Kick In The Door as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Costel
vs
Edgar

165 cm
27
140 lbs
19 - 6 - 0

167 cm
30
157 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
Humanoid Nutrition (160Q for 160$)

Hellbent

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 19 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Neculai Costel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Spanky Edgar!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown attempt by Edgar or perhaps it was just good defense by Costel, which made it look bad.
Edgar misses with a left hand

and Costel counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Edgar!
Costel is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Edgar will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Costel trying to control the position but Edgar is working away.
Edgar struggling a bit here.
Costel is looking to take a break and control but Edgar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Edgar parries the strikes from Costel easily there. Costel is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Edgar to escape.
Sloppy strikes there by Costel.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costel wants to control but Edgar is keeping him busy.
Edgar really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Costel. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Edgar is trying to escape the position but Costel is controlling the position.
Costel has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Costel sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Edgar is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Costel in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Edgar managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Costel.
Edgar takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
You can see the frustration on Edgar's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
An elbow from Costel crashes against the mat.
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.
Costel misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Costel wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Edgar, who protects the arm well.
Costel looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Edgar is avoiding damage well.
Edgar parries the strikes from Costel easily there. Costel is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Edgar to escape.

Costel is trying to get an arm triangle but Edgar is defending well.
Costel working the head with strikes.
Costel misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Costel working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Costel wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Costel working the ground and pound from side control.
A lull in the action here.
Edgar can't do much from the bottom here.
Edgar defending against the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Costel lands a decent elbow from side control.
Edgar sneaks back into half guard.
Costel wants to control but Edgar is keeping him busy.
Costel is taking a breather. Edgar says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Edgar can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edgar is looking to improve his position.
Costel lands with a punch from half guard.
Edgar avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Costel.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Costel connects with a nice short shot to Edgar's temple.
Edgar is staying active underneath Costel, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Costel throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Edgar avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Costel.
Costel trying to control from half guard but Edgar is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neculai Costel dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Edgar throws a shot from downtown. Costel moves away and avoids it.

Edgar closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Costel did well to prevent Edgar getting side control.
Costel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Edgar is working away from the top position though.
Costel is pressing down on Edgar's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Costel wants to sweep here but Edgar controlling him for the moment.
Costel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Edgar can do to turn this around?

Costel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Edgar can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Costel not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Costel is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Edgar is aware though and is defending well.

Costel is looking for a triangle but Edgar pushes his legs off easily.
Edgar throws an elbow that misses. Costel uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Edgar's guard. Nice move by Costel!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costel is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Costel drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Costel seems to have locked his on tight now - Edgar screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Costel, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Neculai Costel!
A victorious Neculai Costel thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.