PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Roman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tatsuya Suzuki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roman's entrance music is Momma said knock you out. A fine choice. Johnny Roman had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 171.7lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. This should be a great matchup!

Roman
vs
Suzuki

185 cm
27
182 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

180 cm
24
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Johnny Roman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tatsuya Suzuki!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roman throws a combination that misses

and Suzuki counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Roman throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Suzuki wants to control from the top but Roman keeps moving.
Suzuki throwing strikes from guard but Roman blocks nicely.

Roman is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Suzuki seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Suzuki chips away with some ground and pound.

Roman is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Suzuki really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Roman. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Suzuki throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Roman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Suzuki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Suzuki's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Suzuki throwing strikes but missing.

Suzuki avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Suzuki slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Suzuki with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Suzuki trying to control the position from guard on top but Roman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Suzuki is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Suzuki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Roman working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Suzuki doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Suzuki manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Suzuki throws a big right hand that misses.
Suzuki trying to control the position from guard on top but Roman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Suzuki is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

Suzuki shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Roman manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Roman preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Roman is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Suzuki defends well.
Roman is breathing heavily.

Roman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Suzuki gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suzuki trying to control the position from guard on top but Roman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Suzuki controlling from the top position.
Suzuki lands a couple of elbows.

Roman looking for a guillotine here but Suzuki defends easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roman being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Roman looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Suzuki trying to control but Roman is working from the bottom.
Suzuki landing some decent shots from guard.
Suzuki stays in close to Roman's body and controls the position.
Suzuki's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tatsuya Suzuki wasn't active enough on the ground.
Roman jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Suzuki feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tatsuya Suzuki dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Suzuki changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Roman looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Roman taking punishment in the form of punches.
Suzuki wants to control but Roman is keeping him busy.

Suzuki tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Suzuki has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Suzuki remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Roman is looking to regain half guard here but Suzuki keeps moving and retains side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Suzuki throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suzuki remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Suzuki tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Roman tries to bench press Suzuki off him but Suzuki keeps the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Roman is working hard here to advance position.
Suzuki tries to advance to mount but Roman denies him.
Tatsuya Suzuki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Suzuki landing a few strikes.
Suzuki remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's two 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.
Roman prevents Suzuki from moving into mount.
Suzuki advances to full mount.
Suzuki punishing his opponent with strikes.
Suzuki punishing his opponent with strikes.
Suzuki putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Suzuki lands a big shot there that rocks Roman but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Roman can't escape the position.
Suzuki content just to control the position here.
Roman is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Suzuki breaks from Roman's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Suzuki landing strikes from the mount.
Roman is looking to improve his position but Suzuki isn't that keen on the idea.
Suzuki putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Suzuki working the ground and pound effectively.
Suzuki controlling from the full mount.
Suzuki trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Roman sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Suzuki wants to pass the guard but Roman is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Suzuki 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.
Suzuki wants to pass to mount but Roman is defending the position.
Suzuki lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Roman tries to roll over but Suzuki keeps him under control.
Suzuki sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Suzuki seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Roman does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tatsuya Suzuki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Suzuki drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Roman is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Suzuki defends well.
Suzuki trying to control but Roman is working from the bottom.

Roman looking for a guillotine here but Suzuki defends easily.
Suzuki postures up in Roman's guard and throws a big left but Roman blocks it.
Suzuki controlling from the top position.
Let's hope that Suzuki 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Suzuki feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Suzuki trying to control the position from guard on top but Roman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Suzuki got a little sloppy there for a moment and Roman has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Suzuki has managed to get both his arms back between Roman's legs - danger averted.
Suzuki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Suzuki's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Johnny Roman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Suzuki shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Roman's guard.
Suzuki sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Suzuki is working Roman over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Suzuki cracks Roman with a solid left hand.

Roman has his foot on Suzuki's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Suzuki works his way back into a safe position though.
Suzuki slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tatsuya Suzuki wasn't active enough on the ground.
Roman lands a jab-cross combination.

Suzuki closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Roman did well to prevent Suzuki getting side control.
Roman is not content to let Suzuki control the position.

Roman actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Suzuki trying to mount his opponent but Roman defends it.
Suzuki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Roman is working on a guillotine. He's managed to get to full guard and he's really squeezing tight! Suzuki is tapping! Great win for Roman!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Johnny Roman!