PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Frank Romita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hriday Kakkar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Romita comes into the arena with Rollin' Like A Boss blaring out of the sound system. Kakkar has chosen The Call of Ktulu as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Hriday Kakkar was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Romita
vs
Kakkar

165 cm
21
150 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

170 cm
27
155 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

Steel Terror-Trition: Video Proven 160Q
Steel Terror-Trition: Video Proven 160Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Frank Romita!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hriday Kakkar!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Romita shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kakkar is trying to defend but Romita finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Romita not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Romita landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Romita not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Romita is trying to control the action in half guard but Kakkar is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Romita is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Romita's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Kakkar has one foot on Romita's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kakkar doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Romita counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kakkar with a poor takedown

and Romita counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Romita.
Kakkar is trying to keep Romita in close.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kakkar can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kakkar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Romita trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Romita trying to control the position from guard on top but Kakkar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Romita trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kakkar is trying to control the position but Romita postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Kakkar keeping full guard, as Romita tries to pass.
Romita wants to control from the top but Kakkar keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kakkar shoots and misses

and Romita decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kakkar's guard.
Frank Romita has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hriday Kakkar.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Romita working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kakkar keeping moving, preventing Romita from controlling successfully.
Romita in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Romita sitting in guard here, content to control.
Romita throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romita working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Romita missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Romita with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kakkar wants to stand but Romita is controlling the position.
Kakkar keeping moving, preventing Romita from controlling successfully.
Romita is stalling in the full guard.

Frank Romita has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Kakkar tries to score a power double leg takedown but Romita sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kakkar somewhat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Romita scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Romita sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Kakkar is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Romita in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Romita wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kakkar keeps working.
Kakkar really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Romita. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The strikes coming from Romita are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Romita dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kakkar shoots in for a double leg but Romita sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Kakkar is looking to clinch but Romita is avoiding it.

Romita fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kakkar sprawls well initially but Romita persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kakkar keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kakkar manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Kakkar working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Romita.
Kakkar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Romita postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Romita trying to control but Kakkar is working from the bottom.
Kakkar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romita is looking to work some ground and pound but Kakkar has wrist control.

Romita drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kakkar dives on top into guard.
Romita is controlling Kakkar's posture.
Kakkar must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Romita 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.
Kakkar tries to free his leg and advance position but Romita is retaining full guard.
Romita wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Frank Romita has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
No luck for Romita with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romita stuffs the takedown attempt from Kakkar. Kakkar gets slowly back to his feet.
Romita moves out of range of the leg kick from Kakkar.

Romita scores with a takedown into Kakkar's guard.
Romita throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kakkar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romita postures up in Kakkar's guard and throws a big left but Kakkar blocks it.
Romita wants to pass the guard but Kakkar is keeping the position.
Romita is working hard here to advance position.
Romita sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kakkar keeping moving, preventing Romita from controlling successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Frank Romita wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Romita fails with the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kakkar gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Romita to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Kakkar utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kakkar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kakkar being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Romita dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Kakkar tries to clinch but fails miserably

so Romita counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Frank Romita overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kakkar keeping moving, preventing Romita from controlling successfully.
Romita wants to pass the guard but Kakkar is keeping the position.
Romita won't allow Kakkar to get back to his feet.
Romita trying to control but Kakkar is working from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Frank Romita wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Nice body punch from Romita.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romita shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kakkar as he avoids it easily.

Romita closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Kakkar to the mat! Kakkar manages to get full guard.
Romita postures up.
Romita loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kakkar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kakkar utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Romita sitting in guard here, content to control.
Romita 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.
Romita stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kakkar swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Romita trying to control the position from guard on top but Kakkar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romita trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Romita wants to control from the top but Kakkar keeps moving.

Frank Romita has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Romita closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kakkar did well to prevent Romita getting side control.
Well, if Romita 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Romita passes to side control.
Kakkar is the more experienced fighter here and he's going to need to draw on some of that experience if he's going to pull this one out the bag.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romita in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Romita misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Romita is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kakkar can do to turn this around?
Romita is staying tight to Kakkar's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Romita working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Romita postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Romita throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kakkar dodges the ground and pound from Romita.
Romita postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Romita wants to control but Kakkar is keeping him busy.
Hriday Kakkar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kakkar sneaks back into half guard.
Romita sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kakkar defending well though.
Romita throwing shots but Kakkar is blocking nicely.
Romita wants to control but Kakkar is keeping him busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Romita throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Romita missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Frank Romita is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Romita thows a huge punch but Kakkar dodges it nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Romita showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Romita 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Frank Romita!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Frank Romita!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Frank Romita!

Frank Romita wins by unanimous decision!