PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Charles Tucker (ranked 409 p4p, 537 weight class) and Constantin Niculescu (ranked 64 p4p, 80 weight class). Tucker comes into the arena with Faith of The Heart blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tucker
vs
Niculescu

187 cm
25
220
15 - 2 - 0

183 cm
25
205
12 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)
Voodoo Nutrition

Urban Fighter
Shadow-Battle Clothing

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 15 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Charles Tucker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Constantin Niculescu!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Daniel Bishop and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A cross from Niculescu lands.
Niculescu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've been told by Tucker's head coaches at The House Of Pain that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Tucker walks into a stiff left hand from Niculescu.
Niculescu throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Niculescu jabs Tucker right on the nose. Tucker blinks but takes it well.
Tucker fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Niculescu manages to avoid it.
Tucker throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Niculescu counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tucker!
Niculescu trying to control the position but Tucker is working away.
Tucker is looking for a sweep.
Tucker dodges the ground and pound from Niculescu.
Niculescu tries to score with some ground and pound. Tucker controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker is not content to let Niculescu control the position.
Niculescu throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Niculescu throws an elbow but Tucker slips to the side and avoids it well.
Niculescu content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Niculescu working the strikes but Tucker uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

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.
Niculescu not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Niculescu stalling.
Niculescu has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Niculescu is trying to control. Tucker wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Niculescu throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Niculescu thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Tucker is doing well to control the position and prevent Niculescu from advancing to side control.
Niculescu throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tucker is controlling Niculescu's trapped leg to prevent Niculescu from advancing to side control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tucker pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A slow jab from Tucker misses its intended target.
Tucker scores with a nice strike.
Tucker moves out of range of the strikes.
Niculescu avoids the body shot from Tucker.
Niculescu swings for the body but Tucker moves out of range.
A combination from Tucker does no damage.
The crowd cheers as Tucker lands an impressive looking overhand right. Niculescu doesn't seem phased though.
Niculescu throws a shot to the body.
Niculescu lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Tucker looks to land a left hand but Niculescu moved out of range nicely.
Charles Tucker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tucker doesn't manage to clinch there - Niculescu circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tucker. Niculescu does a little dance to reset his feet.
A big right from Tucker misses.
Niculescu throws the left hand but Tucker avoids the punch easily.
Tucker is looking to counter punch.
Niculescu throws a looping overhand right but Tucker ducks down to avoid it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Niculescu.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Niculescu lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Tucker is looking for a sweep.
Tucker parries the strikes from Niculescu easily there. Niculescu is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Tucker to escape.
Tucker managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Niculescu.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Constantin Niculescu dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Niculescu misses with a hook.
Niculescu swings widly with a right hand
and Tucker cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Niculescu blocks a jab.
Niculescu ducks under a wild hook from Tucker.
Niculescu is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Niculescu misses with a right hand
enabling Tucker to counter with a crisp jab.
Tucker misses with a wild body shot.
Niculescu changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Niculescu swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Tucker.
Niculescu throws an off balance right hand
and Tucker counters with a straight right hand.
Charles Tucker is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Niculescu thuds his right hand into Tucker's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Niculescu throws a poor cross that misses
and Tucker counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tucker walks into a stiff left hand from Niculescu.
Tucker misses with a looping right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slow jab from Niculescu misses its intended target.
Tucker throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tucker moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Tucker throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tucker scores with a jab to the body.
Niculescu misses with a straight left.
Tucker smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Tucker looks to throw the jab but Niculescu is out of range.
Tucker uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Niculescu.
Niculescu throws a jab but it's blocked by Tucker.
Tucker gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu misses with a hook. Tucker ducked under it nicely.
Niculescu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tucker manages to avoid it.
Tucker moves away from the strike by Niculescu.
Tucker takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Tucker throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
And Niculescu tries to counter it with a takedown but Tucker pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Niculescu scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Tucker doesn't seem bothered though.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Niculescu cracks Tucker with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
No joy there for Tucker, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nice defenses there by Tucker.
Tucker uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Niculescu has time to react.
Tucker throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Niculescu tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tucker is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Niculescu.
Niculescu lands a jab to the nose.

Niculescu shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Niculescu is looking to stall here but Tucker recovers full guard.
Tucker working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Niculescu.
Tucker avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tucker works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Niculescu trying to control the position from guard on top but Tucker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Niculescu with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tucker keeping moving, preventing Niculescu from controlling successfully.
Tucker avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tucker wants to sweep here but Niculescu controlling him for the moment.
Niculescu throwing strikes from guard but Tucker blocks nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Constantin Niculescu will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Niculescu misses with a body shot.
Niculescu might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
A looping hook to the body misses from Niculescu. Tucker does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tucker throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Niculescu scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tucker throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Niculescu.
Niculescu throws a jab but it's blocked by Tucker.
Tucker tries to clinch up.
Niculescu throws a hook but Tucker avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Niculescu lands a body shot.
Jab, jab by Niculescu - just one landing.
Niculescu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Tucker misses with a two punch combination.
Niculescu is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A punch combination from Tucker misses.
Tucker throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Tucker jabs at Niculescu's body.

Niculescu shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Niculescu was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Tucker explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tucker. Niculescu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nice body punch from Niculescu.
Nice takedown defense from Tucker. No joy for Niculescu on that attempt.
Charles Tucker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Niculescu.
A telegraphed right hand from Tucker misses the target.
A jab from Niculescu misses.
Tucker wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Niculescu tests Tucker's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Niculescu fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tucker looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Niculescu shoots and misses

and Tucker counters by moving into the clinch.
Tucker struggles to land a body shot inside as Niculescu controls his hands.
Tucker tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Niculescu can't get the takedown.
Charles Tucker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Constantin Niculescu.
Tucker lands a hook that snaps the head of Niculescu backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tucker tries to work over Niculescu's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Niculescu can't get the takedown.
Niculescu blocks an uppercut.
Niculescu has Tucker pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Tucker manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Niculescu blocks an uppercut.
Tucker tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tucker lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Tucker lands a left hand.
Niculescu tries to score a body lock takedown but Tucker shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Niculescu has hold of one of Tucker's legs. Tucker is fighting the takedown attempt but Niculescu gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Constantin Niculescu is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Niculescu wants to control from the top but Tucker keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Niculescu stays in close to Tucker's body and controls the position.
Tucker keeping moving, preventing Niculescu from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Charles Tucker showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Niculescu has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Constantin Niculescu!
Constantin Niculescu was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.