PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jose De Romi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Caloy Labayen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

De Romi
vs
Labayen

175 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

195 cm
19
175 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 Los Angeles, Jose De Romi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Caloy Labayen!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Labayen missing with a left hand there. De Romi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
De Romi lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Labayen throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Labayen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
De Romi swinging wildly here.
Labayen moves out of range as De Romi throws a body kick.
De Romi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Labayen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from De Romi.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Labayen.
De Romi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
De Romi throws a series of punches but Labayen moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Romi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
De Romi throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Labayen counters with a right hand to the body.
De Romi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
De Romi misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Labayen counters with a left to the body.
De Romi is breathing heavily.

Labayen closes the distance and clinches.
De Romi is looking to control Labayen's arms but Labayen gets an underhook and turns him. Now De Romi has his back to the cage.
De Romi wants to break the clinch but can't.

Labayen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics De Romi uses from the top position.

Labayen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. De Romi is aware though and is defending well.

Labayen pushes De Romi off and scrambles back to his feet.

Labayen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
De Romi tries to buck Labayen off but Labayen is having none of it.
De Romi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Labayen on the ground.

Labayen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Labayen is looking to take a break and control but De Romi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
De Romi is trying to buck Labayen off.
De Romi is looking to reverse the position.

Labayen is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, De Romi has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Labayen decides to stand up, so the ref orders De Romi to his feet.
Labayen wants to clinch up but De Romi keeps it at a distance.
De Romi connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Labayen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Labayen throws a left and a right that both miss
and De Romi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Labayen circles away from the clinch attempt.
De Romi misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Labayen.
Labayen dives in and grabs De Romi's left leg, looking for a takedown. De Romi pushes down on Labayen's head and hops out.
Jose De Romi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Caloy Labayen.
Labayen fails with an attempt to clinch.
No joy there for Labayen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Labayen fails with an attempt to clinch.
De Romi shoots in looking for a takedown. Labayen tries to sprawl out of it but De Romi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Labayen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
De Romi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Labayen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but De Romi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caloy Labayen dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A slapping leg kick lands for De Romi.
Labayen tries to clinch but De Romi moves out of range.
De Romi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Some wild striking there from Labayen.
Labayen misses with a takedown
and De Romi counters with a thumping low kick.

De Romi clinches up with Labayen and pushes him back against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Labayen - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
De Romi tries to pull guard but Labayen won't allow it.
Labayen is breathing heavily.

Labayen lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Labayen prevents De Romi from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Labayen is trying to control the action in half guard but De Romi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Labayen stops De Romi from getting back to his feet.
De Romi is trying to control but can't.
Labayen trying to control from half guard but De Romi is working away.
Labayen scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Labayen wants to work for an arm triangle but De Romi is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
De Romi is trying to stand back up but Labayen is controlling him

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A big right from Labayen misses.
Labayen slaps away a takedown attempt from De Romi, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose De Romi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Labayen has his takedown stuffed
and De Romi counters with a low kick, right behind Labayen 's knee.

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.
De Romi tries to clinch up

and Labayen counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Labayen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite De Romi's efforts to push away.
De Romi is looking to break free of the clinch but Labayen has double underhooks.
A frustrated look appears on De Romi's face as he tries to break the clinch.
De Romi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
De Romi looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
De Romi can't break the clinch.
De Romi is trying to maintain a safe position but Labayen gets an underhook and turns De Romi into the cage.
De Romi is trying to force a seperation but Labayen has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Labayen.

Labayen pulls guard.
De Romi wants to control from the top but Labayen keeps moving.
De Romi wants to get up but he can't break Labayen's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Labayen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Labayen working a defensive guard here.
De Romi has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Labayen has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes De Romi off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Labayen tries to clinch
and De Romi counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
De Romi throws a sloppy head kick and Labayen moves out of range easily.
Labayen fails with a takedown attempt.
Labayen shoots in but De Romi avoids the takedown attempt easily.
De Romi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caloy Labayen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! De Romi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Labayen moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Labayen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but De Romi avoids it really well and circles away.
Labayen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has De Romi pinned against the cage. De Romi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
De Romi misses with a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Labayen connects with a high kick.
Labayen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Labayen shoots in looking for a takedown. De Romi tries to sprawl out of it but Labayen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. De Romi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jose De Romi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Caloy Labayen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from De Romi misses the target.
De Romi stuffs the takedown attempt from Labayen. Labayen gets slowly back to his feet.
Labayen avoids a punch combination nicely.
De Romi throws a right and a left that Labayen avoids nicely.
De Romi misses with a combination
and Labayen counters with a good low kick that De Romi was not able to check.

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.
De Romi avoids the body shot from Labayen.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Labayen.
No luck with that takedown attempt from De Romi.
De Romi tries to clinch up.
De Romi moves in looking to clinch but Labayen pushes him off.
De Romi pivots, looking for a leg kick but Labayen is out of range and De Romi settles back down.
Labayen misses with a combination
and De Romi counters with a series of strikes. Labayen will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labayen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but De Romi avoids it really well and circles away.
De Romi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Labayen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jose De Romi is winning the standup battle so far.
De Romi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
De Romi moves in looking to clinch but Labayen pushes him off.

Labayen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. De Romi looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
De Romi is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Labayen's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
De Romi is looking for a sweep. Labayen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De Romi controlling the position well.

Labayen decides to return to a standing position.
Jose De Romi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Caloy Labayen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Labayen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
De Romi throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Labayen's head.
Jose De Romi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
De Romi is looking to chop away at Labayen's legs.
Labayen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as De Romi sprawls well. De Romi wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Labayen gets slowly back to his feet.
Caloy Labayen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
De Romi fakes the leg kick and cracks Labayen in the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Caloy Labayen.
I've got Labayen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Caloy Labayen!