PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Arden Conner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ionut Luca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ionut Luca acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Conner
vs
Luca

210 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

170 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Arden Conner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ionut Luca!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Vladimir Khabensky and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Conner closes the distance and clinches up with Luca, looking for a takedown. Conner pushes Luca against the cage but Luca circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Conner misses with a takedown attempt - Luca sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Luca drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Luca gets to his feet - Conner follows without any prompting.

Luca decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Luca throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Luca is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Luca prevents Conner from improving his position.
Conner avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Luca.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luca thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Conner's head.
Luca is trying to control. Conner wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Luca not doing much here.

Luca decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Luca fails in his attempt to clinch.
Luca delivers a nice body kick.

Luca closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Conner's guard.
Conner working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Conner looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Luca passes into side control.
Conner is breathing heavily.

Luca goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Conner rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Luca's guard! Nice work there by Conner!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Conner postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Luca has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Conner can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Luca throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conner has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Luca is proving hard to escape from.
Luca wants to stand up but Conner is controlling him.

Conner avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Luca is looking to stand up but Conner isn't so interested in that idea.
Conner knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Luca on the ground.
Luca trying to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conner throwing strikes but missing.
Conner scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Conner works over Luca with some ground and pound from guard.

Conner gets to his feet. Luca looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Luca drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Conner really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Luca passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Conner pushes Luca off looking to stand but Luca dives back in and keeps control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Luca drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Conner trying to remain calm as Luca controls from the top position.
Luca working away.
The referee asks Luca politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Luca prefers to stall for the moment though.
Conner struggling a bit here.

Luca is trying to get an arm triangle but Conner is defending well.
Conner being controlled for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conner regains half guard there - taking advantage of Luca's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Luca sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Conner defending well though.
The fighters are battling for position here. Conner manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Conner manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Luca tries to clinch but Conner moves out of range.
Luca throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

Conner gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Conner looking for a sweep. Not yet Conner, not yet.
Luca looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Luca trying to control the position from guard on top but Conner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luca scoring with punches to the head and body.
Luca postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Conner is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luca trying to control but Conner is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ionut Luca was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Luca dives in and scores a takedown into Conner's guard.
Luca preventing the sweep.
Luca trying to control but Conner is working from the bottom.
Luca looking to pass the guard.
Conner will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Conner keeping moving, preventing Luca from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ionut Luca showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Luca tries to clinch up but Conner circles away and keeps his distance.
Conner shoots in for a takedown but Luca shows good takedown defense.
Conner shoots in for a takedown but Luca shows good takedown defense.

Luca decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Luca is stalling here. Conner is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Luca seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Conner has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Conner cracks Luca with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Luca is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Conner asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Conner tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Conner has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conner avoids the strikes from the bottom by Luca.
Conner working away.
Luca is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Conner off and has taken his back!

Luca working for the rear naked choke here. He's got one arm under but Conner is defending well. A couple of punches soften him up though and Luca has tightened the hold! This one could be all over! It is! Conner taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Ionut Luca!