PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cristian Romero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and AJ Styles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Styles has chosen Queen - The Show Must Go On as his entrance music. Cristian Romero has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Romero
vs
Styles

179 cm
18
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

179 cm
23
176 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite 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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cristian Romero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, AJ Styles!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Fedor Mirinova and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Romero shoots in and gets a takedown into Styles's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Styles scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Romero throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Romero enables Styles to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Romero manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Styles is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Romero is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Romero has escaped and now he's on top!
Styles is controlling Romero's posture.
Styles keeping moving, preventing Romero from controlling successfully.
Styles trying to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Styles looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Styles keeping moving, preventing Romero from controlling successfully.
Styles seems keen to control Romero's posture.

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

and Styles counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Romero's guard now.

Styles decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Romero shoots and misses

and Styles decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Romero's guard.

Styles 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.

Styles drops back looking for a leg! Romero is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Romero manages to kick Styles off! Styles jumps back into Romero's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Styles wants to pass the guard but Romero is keeping the position.

Romero is working an open guard so Styles takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Romero with a poor takedown

and Styles counters with a single leg into guard. Romero didn't expect that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cristian Romero. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Romero is breathing heavily.
Romero keeping full guard, as Styles tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero working a defensive guard here.

Styles gets to his feet - Romero follows without any prompting.

Styles closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Styles lands in his opponent's guard.
Styles wants to control from the top but Romero keeps moving.

Styles drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Styles jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Styles wants to control from the top but Romero keeps moving.
Romero is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Styles sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Styles trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. AJ Styles wasn't active enough on the ground.

Styles looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Styles looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Styles decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Romero, up you get!
Styles misses with a takedown

and Romero counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Styles is pulling down on Romero's head. It's preventing any offense from Romero, at least for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
AJ Styles has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Styles manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Romero manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Styles trying to control the position from guard on top but Romero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by AJ Styles.
Romero tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Styles counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Styles trying to control the position from guard on top but Romero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Styles is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Styles thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Romero is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Romero manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Styles looks out of his depth in this position - he's holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Styles sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Styles is positioning himself well to prevent Romero advancing to mount.
Styles keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Styles looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Romero seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Styles does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Styles keeping hold of Romero's head, controlling as best he can.

That's four 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.
Romero wants to take a breather but Styles is having none of it.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Romero stalling away here and it's allowed Styles to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Styles wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Styles is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Styles stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

AJ Styles showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Styles shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Styles works his way to his opponent's back.

Styles is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Romero is defending well though. Styles let's go of the attempt for now.

Romero is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Styles gets his way!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Styles is looking for a choke. Romero gets to his feet with his opponent on his back and slams him to the mat. Romero manages to squirm out of the attempted choke and turns into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Styles controls Romero momentarily but Romero frees himself.
Styles working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Romero.
Styles wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Let's hope that Styles has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Romero ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Styles moves away.

Styles gets a takedown into half guard.
Styles trying to control the action but Romero is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Styles is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Styles prevents Romero from improving his position.

Styles maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Romero could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Styles has cracked it and Romero is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Styles!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). AJ Styles!