PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Roman Christos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Messinger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Christos comes to the cage accompanied by Hell's Ditch. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Christos
vs
Messinger

171 cm
26
145 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

170 cm
26
139 lbs
6 - 10 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Zentrope Fighting Universe
Zentrope Fighting Universe

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Roman Christos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Will Messinger!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Eliza Hachem and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Christos shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Messinger sprawls well. Messinger wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Christos gets slowly back to his feet.
Christos on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Messinger. Messinger obviously looking to wear him down.

Messinger bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Messinger decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Messinger tries for a takedown but Christos circles away easily

and Christos counters with a shoot takedown. Messinger fights it but they end up in guard.
Christos postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Christos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Christos drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Messinger dives on top into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Messinger tries to stand but Christos is controlling from the bottom.
Christos 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.

Christos is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Christos is breathing heavily.
Christos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Messinger must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Christos preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Messinger throws and elbow that misses. Christos uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Messinger's guard. Nice move by Christos!
Christos looking to pass the guard.
Messinger wants to get back to his feet but Christos passes into half guard.
Christos wants to advance to full mount but Messinger doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Messinger looking to hit a scissor sweep but Christos is one step ahead there.

Messinger has his foot on Christos's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Christos works his way back into a safe position though.

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.

Messinger manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Christos drives through and clinches with Messinger against the cage.
Messinger tries for a takedown. No joy.
Messinger tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Roman Christos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Will Messinger.
Christos lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Messinger backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Messinger.
Messinger landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Christos lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Christos tries to score a body lock takedown but Messinger shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Messinger turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Messinger manages to end up in side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Messinger throws a strike aimed at the side of Christos's head but Christos avoids it well.
Christos gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Christos manages to get to full guard.

Christos looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Messinger gets to his feet - Christos follows without any prompting.

Messinger instigates a clinch.
Christos wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Messinger tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Christos is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Christos lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Messinger backwards.

Messinger breaks the clinch.

Christos closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Messinger wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Messinger is looking for a sweep.
Christos creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Messinger taking a bit of punishment here - Christos scoring with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messinger is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Christos thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Messinger's head.

Christos is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Messinger doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Christos.
Messinger blocking the ground and pound attempt from Christos.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Christos is looking to pass Messinger's guard but actually Messinger recovers to full guard.
Christos stands up over Messinger, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Roman Christos will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Danga de danga de dang - Messinger scores with a four punch combination!

Messinger clinches.
Christos content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Christos tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Messinger just stands there and leans against the cage.

Messinger ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Messinger no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Messinger is looking for a triangle but Christos pushes his legs off easily.
Christos pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Messinger is keeping the position for now.

Christos drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Messinger dives on top into guard.
Messinger trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Christos looking for a guillotine here but Messinger defends easily.
Messinger would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messinger trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Messinger throwing strikes from guard but Christos blocks nicely.
Messinger stands up over Christos, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Messinger has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Christos is proving hard to escape from.

Messinger 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Messinger with a poor takedown

and Christos counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Christos is working for a kimura but Messinger is defending it quite comfortably.
Messinger is looking for a sweep. Christos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Christos passes the guard and advances to mount!
A nice elbow there by Christos.
Christos fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Christos goes for an armbar but Messinger turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Messinger.

Messinger thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Christos trying to control the position.
Christos is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Christos lands strikes from half guard.
Messinger looks like he's trying to stand up.

Christos is working for a kimura but Messinger is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Messinger makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Messinger.
Christos postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Christos postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Messinger is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Christos, into his guard.

Christos is looking for a triangle but Messinger pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Christos dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Messinger moves into the clinch successfully.
Messinger is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Messinger pushes off an throws an elbow but Christos leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Messinger tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Christos avoids it.
Messinger tries to land knees in the clinch but Christos avoids the damage to the body.

Christos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Messinger moves into the clinch.
Christos softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Christos fails to land.
Christos lands a body shot in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Messinger as Christos tries to tie him up.
Messinger tries to land knees in the clinch but Christos avoids the damage to the body.
Christos scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Christos lands a hook to the side of the head.

Christos's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Messinger drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Messinger throwing strikes but missing.

Christos looking for a guillotine here but Messinger defends easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Messinger got a little sloppy there for a moment and Christos has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Messinger has managed to get both his arms back between Christos's legs - danger averted.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Messinger accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Messinger in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Messinger stopping the sweep attempt from Christos.
Christos utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Christos is looking for a triangle but Messinger pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Christos keeping moving, preventing Messinger from controlling successfully.
Messinger postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Messinger closes the distance and clinches.
Christos avoiding damage as Messinger throws knees to the body.
Messinger lands a good knee to the midsection. Christos won't want to take too many of those.
Christos working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Christos blocks the elbow strike.
Christos lands with a right to the head.
Messinger tries to pull guard but Christos won't allow it.

Messinger escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Messinger scores a takedown into full mount!
Messinger throws some wild stikes that Christos manages to avoid easily.
Christos is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Christos is working hard here to advance position.
Christos wants to control but Messinger is having none of it.
Messinger controlling his opponent.
Christos can't escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Messinger.
Christos wants to control but Messinger is having none of it.

Christos defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Messinger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Christos sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Christos is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Messinger pulls his head out easily.

Christos is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Messinger pulls his head out easily.
Messinger missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Messinger is thwarting Christos's attempts to control the position.
Messinger wants to lay and pray for a moment but Christos keeps working.

And that's the end of the fight!
Will Messinger comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Christos 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 John Mangel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roman Christos!