PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roman Gromov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Klaus Hander (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gromov comes into the arena with 28 months later - in the house, in a heartbeat (techno remix) blaring out of the sound system. On his way into the cage it seems that Roman Gromov has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Roman Gromov seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Gromov
vs
Hander

186 cm
18
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
22
275 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Roman Gromov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Klaus Hander!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Dmitry Maklakov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gromov misses with a double jab.
A punch combination from Hander misses.
Hander fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gromov fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hander on the side of the head.
Hander tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gromov could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gromov stuffs the takedown.
Gromov thows a body kick. Hander tries to catch it but that hurt him.

Gromov rushes Hander and presses him up against the cage.
Hander is trying to stall.
Gromov holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Gromov lands a shoulder strike.

Gromov has hold of one of Hander's legs. Hander is fighting the takedown attempt but Gromov gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Gromov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hander is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hander wants to hit a switch here but Gromov passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Hander there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gromov trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hander is in a horrible position here. Gromov smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Gromov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Hander working to try and regain half guard.
Gromov content just to control the position here.
Gromov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hander on the ground.

That's two 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.
Hander wants to control but Gromov is having none of it.
Gromov content just to control the position here.
Hander is working to get back to half guard.
Hander is squirming around, avoiding Gromov's attempts to control the action.
Hander can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gromov wants to control the action but instead Hander gets a body lock and reverses into Gromov's guard! Nice work!

Gromov is looking for a triangle but Hander pushes his legs off easily.
Hander throwing strikes but missing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Gromov clinches up with Hander and pushes him back against the cage.
Hander fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Roman Gromov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Klaus Hander.
Gromov taking a breather.
Hander can't break the clinch.

Gromov decides to pull guard.
Gromov keeping full guard, as Hander tries to pass.
Hander looks gassed!
Hander won't allow Gromov to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hander throws a big right hand that misses.
Hander wants to stand but Gromov has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hander working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gromov wants to sweep but no luck.
Hander won't allow Gromov to get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gromov lands a nice looking body shot.
Gromov moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Hander closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Gromov tries to land a knee to the head but Hander blocks with his arms.

Gromov breaks from the clinch.
Hander tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gromov swivels and escapes.
Hander is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hander avoids the head kick by Gromov.

Gromov gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gromov tries a knee to the head but Hander blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Gromov dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hander wants to land a leg kick but Gromov is out of range.
Gromov chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Gromov throws a head kick that misses.

Gromov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hander, pushing him back against the cage.

Gromov turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Gromov decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Gromov closes the distance and clinches.
Gromov avoiding damage.

Gromov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Gromov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Gromov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gromov has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hander is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gromov trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gromov takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Roman Gromov just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Gromov moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gromov lands a knee to the body.
Hander wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gromov misses with a knee strike.

Gromov wants the takedown. Hander is fighting it off but Gromov persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Hander's guard against the cage.
Hander is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gromov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hander looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gromov is one step ahead there.
Gromov not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Gromov here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hander is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Gromov stands up from Hander's guard - Gromov perhaps looking for a knockout.
Hander stuffs the takedown.

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

Hander is looking for a triangle but Gromov pushes his legs off easily.
Hander manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gromov manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hander gets to his feet - Gromov follows without any prompting.
Hander fails with the takedown.
Gromov throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Gromov closes the distance and clinches.

Gromov turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Gromov manages to end up in side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gromov in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Hander tries to buck Gromov off but Gromov is having none of it.
Hander wants to control but Gromov postures up.

Gromov decides to stand back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gromov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Hander can't escape the position.
Gromov controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Gromov dominated that second 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. And we move into the final round!

Gromov throws a series of punches but Hander avoids them all with ease.
Gromov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Gromov closes the distance and clinches.
Gromov lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hander backwards.
Gromov lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Gromov breaks the clinch.
Hander with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gromov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Gromov tries to stand but can't do so whilst Hander controls his leg.
Gromov is trying to control the action in half guard but Hander is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Gromov keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Gromov escapes and gets back to his feet.
Hander shoots and misses

and Gromov counters by moving into the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Gromov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Gromov moves into range and clinches up with Hander.

Gromov is trying to trip Hander. He has hold of a leg but Hander is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Gromov persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hander looking for a sweep. Not yet Hander, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gromov content to stall in guard here.

Hander has his foot on Gromov's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gromov works his way back into a safe position though.
Hander is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hander controls Gromov momentarily but Gromov frees himself.

Gromov decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hander with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gromov counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Roman Gromov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Klaus Hander.
Gromov wants to control from the top but Hander keeps moving.
Gromov has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gromov controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Hander escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gromov gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gromov is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Hander is looking for a triangle but Gromov pushes his legs off easily.
Hander being controlled here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gromov trying to control the position from guard on top but Hander is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hander is on top in guard.
Hander trying to control the position from guard on top but Gromov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hander wants to stand but Gromov has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hander stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gromov swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
Hander won't allow Gromov to get back to his feet.
Hander loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hander postures up in Gromov's guard and throws a big left but Gromov blocks it.
Roman Gromov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hander wants to pass the guard but Gromov is keeping the position.
Gromov is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hander is controlling him.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Hander misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hander shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gromov moves into the clinch.
Klaus Hander has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hander misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hander struggles to land a body shot inside as Gromov controls his hands.
Gromov gets underhooks to prevent Hander's takedown attempt.
Gromov unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hander lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roman Gromov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gromov has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

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