PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Andre Hardy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bishop Rome (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hardy kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Ambitionz Az A Ridah. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hardy
vs
Rome

178 cm
25
195 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

190 cm
23
190 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Andre Hardy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bishop Rome!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Damien Edna and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rome catches Hardy with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rome misses with a looping left.
Hardy ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rome moves away.
Hardy takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Rome uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hardy.
Rome misses with an uppercut. Hardy saw that one coming.
Rome throws out a powerful jab.
Rome lands a nice shot to the body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Hardy.
Good standup being displayed there by Rome as he connects with a hook.
Rome tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hardy was well out of range. Poor timing from Rome.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardy connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rome ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rome ducks under a wild hook from Hardy.
Hardy takes a swing at Rome's ribcage but misses.
Rome misses with a wild body shot.
Rome takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Rome takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Bishop Rome seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hardy misses with a looping right.
Rome throws a series of punches but Hardy avoids them all with ease.
Rome slips a jab from Hardy.
Hardy moves away from the strike by Rome.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Rome thows a body shot but no joy.
Hardy throws a low kick but Rome moves out of range easily.
Hardy takes a jab right on the kisser.
Rome bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rome swings for the body but Hardy moves out of range.
Rome lands a head shot.
Rome bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Hardy's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rome takes a swing at Hardy's ribcage but misses.
Rome scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Hardy doesn't seem bothered though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rome misses with a looping right.
Rome moves out of range of the strikes.
Rome scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Hardy misses with a straight left.
Rome pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rome keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Rome has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Hardy slips a jab from Rome.
Rome swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rome misses with a straight left.
Rome uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardy fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rome manages to avoid it.
Hardy misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rome throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Rome is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Rome tries to move into range but Hardy moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rome waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hardy.
Rome throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Hardy counters with a series of strikes. Rome will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hardy will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A nice combination there by Hardy.
Hardy takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rome swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bishop Rome dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hardy is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Hardy looks to land a right hand but Rome moved out of range.
Hardy showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rome.
Hardy lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rome circles away quickly and effectively.
Rome thows a body shot but no joy.
Rome takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Rome just misses with a punch to the body.
Rome checks a leg kick nicely.
Rome ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rome swings for the body but Hardy moves out of range.
Rome looks to score with a jab to the body but Hardy is just out of range.
Rome scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Hardy doesn't seem bothered though.
Rome missing with a left hand there. Hardy was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hardy has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Rome thows a body shot but no joy.
A jab from Rome finds it's way through Hardy's defenses.
Hardy misses with a leg kick
and Rome counters with a left to the body.
Hardy avoids the body shot from Rome.
Hardy misses with a double jab
and Rome connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Rome misses.
Hardy needs to keep his hands up - Rome had a free shot at his head there.
Rome avoids the body shot from Hardy.
Rome ducks under a wild hook from Hardy.
Hardy takes one on the chin but seems OK.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hardy lands with a nice body punch.
Hardy throws a leg kick but Rome sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Rome is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Hardy misses with an uppercut. Rome saw that one coming.
Hardy pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rome throws out a loose jab but Hardy uses good head movement to avoid it.
The fighters circling - Rome throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rome looks to score with a jab to the body but Hardy is just out of range.
Rome misses with a lunging right hand
and Hardy counters with a nice body shot.
Rome lands a nice shot to the body.
Hardy throws a right hand that Rome ducks under and follows up with a left that Rome also avoids with ease.
Rome connects with the punch.
Hardy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rome looks to land a right hand but Hardy moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rome misses with a wild combination.
Rome ducks under a wild hook from Hardy.
Rome lands a head shot.
Hardy avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hardy moves away from the strike by Rome.
Hardy throws a poor cross that misses
and Rome counters with a one-two to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hardy throws a lazy right hand but Rome sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rome moves out of range as Hardy strikes.
Rome scores with a sloppy right hand. Hardy should have avoided that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bishop Rome showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hardy slips under a jab.
Rome cracks Hardy with a right hand to the side of the head.
Hardy misses with the combination.
Hardy looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Hardy misses the shot to the body.
Rome throws a lazy uppercut
and Hardy counters with a nice uppercut.
Hardy lands a nice shot to the body.
Rome misses the shot to the body.
Hardy uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rome.
Hardy swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rome thows a body shot but no joy.
Rome walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Hardy lands a jab to Rome's midsection.
Rome throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rome lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Andre Hardy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hardy slips under a jab.
Rome throws a looping overhand right but Hardy ducks down to avoid it.
Rome misses with an uppercut. Hardy saw that one coming.
Rome throws an overhand right that lands on Hardy's shoulder, as Hardy tries to avoid the shot.
Rome on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Andre Hardy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bishop Rome is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardy throws a jab but it's blocked by Rome.
Bishop Rome seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hardy throws the left hand but Rome avoids the punch easily.
Rome ducks under a wild hook from Hardy.
Hardy dodges the punch combination from Rome.
A punch combination from Hardy misses.
Hardy takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Rome lands with a shot to the body.
Rome misses with an uppercut
and Hardy counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hardy slips a jab and a cross from Rome.
Hardy thows a body shot but no joy.
Hardy throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rome sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hardy uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rome.
Rome works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Rome jabs at Hardy's body.
Hardy swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rome uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Rome lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rome misses the body punch
and Hardy counters with a nice uppercut.
Hardy on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Hardy swinging wildly here.
Hardy takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A punch lands to the side of Hardy 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Sloppy strikes from Rome. Those never looked like landing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hardy tries to bum rush Rome with a series of wild strikes but Rome uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rome lands a jab to Hardy's midsection.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bishop Rome comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rome has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bishop Rome!