PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Skurwysynowski (ranked 67 p4p, 88 weight class) and Radu Dracul (ranked 13 p4p, 17 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Skurwysynowski
vs
Dracul

193 cm
30
205
22 - 8 - 1

190 cm
33
202
28 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Fast

Conviction
Conquer

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 22 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vladimir Skurwysynowski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Radu Dracul!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
We've got one fighter who appears to only be looking to counter and the other not looking particularly aggressive either, so we could be in for a dull fight.
Skurwysynowski darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Dracul keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Skurwysynowski.
Dracul drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Skurwysynowski defends it well.
Skurwysynowski misses with a lunging right hand

and Dracul counters with a takedown into side control.
Dracul wants to lay and pray for a moment but Skurwysynowski keeps working.

Dracul is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Skurwysynowski is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Dracul controls the position from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Check out the look on Dracul's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dracul is trying to ground and pound but Skurwysynowski uses the momentary lack of control by Dracul to regain half guard.
Skurwysynowski's coaches at Undisputed have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dracul missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Dracul not doing much here.
Dracul is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Dracul throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dracul seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Skurwysynowski does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Dracul tries to pass the half guard into mount. Skurwysynowski knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Dracul working his ground and pound in the gym.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dracul is trying to control. Skurwysynowski wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Dracul lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Dracul wants to take a breather but Skurwysynowski is having none of it.
Skurwysynowski is trying to get back to full guard.
Dracul throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
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. Dracul connects with a nice short shot to Skurwysynowski's temple.
Skurwysynowski knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Dracul on the ground.
Dracul throwing shots but Skurwysynowski is blocking nicely.

Dracul wants to work for an arm triangle but Skurwysynowski is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Dracul thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Skurwysynowski's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dracul content to control rather than advance.
Dracul is keen to just control but Skurwysynowski is a slippery customer.
Dracul has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Dracul trying to control but Skurwysynowski is having none of it.
Skurwysynowski holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Dracul tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dracul tries to control but Skurwysynowski wriggling away.
Skurwysynowski is bucking up trying to escape but Dracul cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Dracul wants to control the pace but Skurwysynowski is squirming around nicely.
Dracul lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Skurwysynowski on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Skurwysynowski tries to get out of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Skurwysynowski suckers Dracul into throwing a sloppy strike and uses the momentum to reverse the position beautifully! Skurwysynowski is now in Dracul's guard!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dracul can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Skurwysynowski controls the pace.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Radu Dracul dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Dracul takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Dracul staying out of range there.
Dracul changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Skurwysynowski connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dracul uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Skurwysynowski.
Vladimir Skurwysynowski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dracul walks into a straight right hand from Skurwysynowski.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dracul with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Skurwysynowski to score with a decent uppercut.
Skurwysynowski throws a body punch but Dracul moves out of range.
Dracul changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
A jab from Skurwysynowski misses.
Dracul with the counter takedown but Skurwysynowski avoids it easily.
Skurwysynowski misses the shot to the body.
Skurwysynowski throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Dracul on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dracul gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Skurwysynowski throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Dracul counters with a shoot takedown. Skurwysynowski fights it but they end up in guard.
Dracul working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Dracul stays in close to Skurwysynowski's body and controls the position.
Dracul is continuing to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The adventures of Dracul the control monster continue. Boring.

Dracul 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.

Dracul drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Dracul jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Skurwysynowski keeping moving, preventing Dracul from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Nice defenses there by Dracul.
Dracul with the counter takedown but Skurwysynowski avoids it easily.
A big right from Skurwysynowski misses.
Dracul feints the counter takedown.
Skurwysynowski uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Skurwysynowski jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A jab from Skurwysynowski misses.
Skurwysynowski throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Vladimir Skurwysynowski dominated that second round.
That's time! Skurwysynowski's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Skurwysynowski loads up on a big right hand but Dracul slips the punch.
Skurwysynowski just misses with a punch to the body.
Dracul defending well as Skurwysynowski loads up on a big left hand.
Dracul feints the counter takedown.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Dracul walks into a stiff left hand from Skurwysynowski.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Skurwysynowski missing with a left hand there. Dracul was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Dracul with the counter takedown but Skurwysynowski avoids it easily.
Skurwysynowski fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dracul manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Skurwysynowski misses.
Dracul with the counter takedown but Skurwysynowski avoids it easily.
Skurwysynowski comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Skurwysynowski throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Skurwysynowski throws a shot to the body.
Dracul avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Skurwysynowski scores with a jab to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dracul ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Skurwysynowski looks to throw the jab but Dracul is out of range.
Dracul feints the counter takedown.
Vladimir Skurwysynowski is winning the standup battle so far.
Skurwysynowski is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Dracul.
Dracul with the counter takedown but Skurwysynowski avoids it easily.
Skurwysynowski is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Dracul.
A slow jab from Skurwysynowski misses its intended target.
Dracul with the counter takedown but Skurwysynowski avoids it easily.
Skurwysynowski misses with an uppercut.
Dracul changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skurwysynowski looks to land a left hand but Dracul moved out of range nicely.
Dracul changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Skurwysynowski throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Dracul counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Dracul.
Dracul has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dracul trying to control but Skurwysynowski is working from the bottom.
Dracul throws a big right hand that misses.
Dracul passes Skurwysynowski's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Dracul is looking to take a break and control but Skurwysynowski is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dracul working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Dracul sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Skurwysynowski defending well though.
Dracul tries to pass the half guard into mount. Skurwysynowski knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Dracul is keen to just control but Skurwysynowski is a slippery customer.
Dracul throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Skurwysynowski is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Well, if Dracul is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Skurwysynowski won't allow Dracul to pass to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vladimir Skurwysynowski showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Skurwysynowski has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vladimir Skurwysynowski!
After winning the bout, Vladimir Skurwysynowski thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.