PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Romero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jordan Abreu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Romero
vs
Abreu

158 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matthew Romero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jordan Abreu!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Chris Saunders and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Abreu with a poor takedown
and Romero counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Abreu misses with a takedown
and Romero makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Romero dives in and scores a takedown into Abreu's guard.
Romero looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Abreu keeping moving, preventing Romero from controlling successfully.
Romero has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Abreu had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Romero defends it easily.

Abreu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Abreu is looking for a triangle but Romero pushes his legs off easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Abreu looks winded!
Abreu keeping moving, preventing Romero from controlling successfully.
Romero is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Romero might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Abreu looking to control.
Romero engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Matthew Romero just wasn't active enough.

Abreu closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Romero pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abreu fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Matthew Romero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jordan Abreu.
Romero stalling in the clinch.
Romero lands a good knee to the midsection. Abreu won't want to take too many of those.

Romero pulls guard effortlessly.
Abreu stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Romero swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Romero wants to sweep here but Abreu controlling him for the moment.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Abreu being controlled here momentarily.
Romero keeping full guard, as Abreu tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero striking from his own guard.
Romero has his hands on Abreu's head, controlling the position.
Romero could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Abreu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Abreu postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Romero is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Abreu, into his guard.
Romero tries to stand but Abreu is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Romero gets to his feet. Abreu looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Abreu shoots and misses
and Romero counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Abreu shoots and misses

and Romero counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Romero is stalling in the full guard.

Abreu working for submissions but it's allowed Romero to get to half guard.

Romero is trying to work for a kimura but Abreu is defending well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Romero wants to stand up but Abreu has a hold of him and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Abreu shoots and misses
and Romero counters with a straight right hand.
Abreu misses with a takedown attempt
and Romero counters with a one-two to the body.

Romero closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Abreu to the mat! Abreu manages to get full guard.

Romero stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Romero drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Romero knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Abreu on the ground.
Abreu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Romero forces his way into half guard.
Still in half guard, Romero seems content to control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Abreu looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Romero is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Abreu looking for submissions off his back.
Romero seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Abreu looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Abreu wants to get back to full guard.
Romero controlling the action here.
Romero seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Abreu for as long as he can get away with.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Matthew Romero wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Abreu shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Romero counters with a three punch combo that has Abreu backing up. Abreu nods at Romero to acknowledge the strikes.
Matthew Romero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jordan Abreu.

Romero shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Abreu manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Matthew Romero overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Romero controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Romero stands up and waves to Abreu to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Romero darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Romero is stalling here. Abreu is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Romero seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Abreu has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Abreu looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Abreu wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Romero, who protects the arm well.

Abreu thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Abreu tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Romero struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Romero dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Romero throws a series of strikes that have Abreu backpedaling.
Abreu doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Romero counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Abreu with a lazy takedown attempt
and Romero counters with a nice low kick that buckles Abreu's knee momentarily.
Abreu misses with a takedown

so Romero counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Matthew Romero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jordan Abreu.
Romero is stalling in the full guard.

Abreu escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Romero gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Abreu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Romero decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Abreu enables Romero to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Abreu manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Abreu being controlled here, momentarily.
Abreu keeping moving, preventing Romero from controlling successfully.
Romero stands up over Abreu, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Romero trying to control but Abreu is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Abreu has his foot on Romero's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Romero works his way back into a safe position though.
Romero controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Romero gets to his feet. Abreu looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Abreu misses with a takedown
and Romero counters with an outside leg kick.
Romero closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Abreu gets tackled into the cage by Romero. Romero maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Abreu jumps guard and drags Romero to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Abreu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Abreu is on top in guard.
Romero seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Romero working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Abreu.

Abreu has gone for a leg lock! Romero slips out almost immediately though and dives into Abreu's guard.
Romero controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romero would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Abreu working for a triangle but Romero defends it easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Romero avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Abreu has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Romero is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Abreu.
Jordan Abreu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matthew Romero is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Abreu tries to buck Romero off but Romero is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Matthew Romero.
Well Romero 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matthew Romero!