PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexandr Romanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dom Diego (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Romanov
vs
Diego

187 cm
37
212 lbs
34 - 14 - 0

194 cm
36
223 lbs
15 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

GREEN!160

Instinct
MayheM sportswear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 34 - 14 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexandr Romanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dom Diego!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Roger Salmon and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Romanov throws a leg kick

and Diego counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Romanov has one foot on Diego's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Diego bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Nice shot lands for Diego.
Romanov misses with a looping left.
Romanov throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Romanov lands a jab to the head.

It looks like Dom Diego has been cut.
Romanov shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Romanov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've been told by Romanov's head coaches at Russian Top Team Elite Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Diego blocks a head kick by Romanov.

Diego gets a takedown into half guard.
Diego wants to advance to full mount but Romanov doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Diego wants to control from the top but Romanov keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romanov keeping full guard, as Diego tries to pass.
Diego postures up in Romanov's guard and throws a big left but Romanov blocks it.
Diego has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Diego trying to control but Romanov is working from the bottom.
Diego pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Romanov is keeping the position for now.
Diego wants to control from the top but Romanov keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Diego is in close to Romanov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Diego won't allow Romanov to get back to his feet.
Diego is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Diego trying to control but Romanov is working from the bottom.
Diego is looking to pass into half guard but Romanov pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Romanov is in guard.

Romanov stopping the sweep attempt from Diego.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Diego is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Romanov avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Diego had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Romanov defends it easily.
Romanov won't allow Diego to sweep him here.

Diego working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Romanov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Romanov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Diego looking to hit a scissor sweep but Romanov is one step ahead there.

That's four 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.
Romanov tries to stand but Diego is controlling from the bottom.
Romanov won't allow Diego to sweep him here.
Romanov wanted to stand there but Diego had control of the position.

Diego is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Romanov defends well.
Diego is trying to control the position but Romanov postures up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Diego tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Romanov was well out of range. Poor timing from Diego.
Diego throws a jab when Romanov was well out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dom Diego will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Dom Diego's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Diego darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Romanov manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Romanov misses with a few strikes there.
Diego scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Alexandr Romanov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Diego showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Romanov.
Romanov displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A jab from Diego does it's job there.
Alexandr Romanov is winning the standup battle so far.
A big right from Romanov misses.
Romanov misses with a hook.
Diego takes a swing at Romanov's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab by Romanov.
Diego avoids the head kick by Romanov.
Romanov takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Romanov.
Romanov connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Diego's hands.
Diego digs a good body shot into Romanov's ribs.
Romanov swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Romanov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Romanov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Diego sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Diego drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Romanov defends it well.
Diego takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Diego displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Romanov throws out the jab.
Diego catches Romanov with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Romanov takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Diego dips to his left and cracks Romanov with an uppercut!
A jab from Diego finds it's way through Romanov's defenses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romanov slips a straight right by Diego.

Diego drives through and clinches with Romanov against the cage.
Diego is working for takedown but Romanov is calmly controlling the position for now.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Diego creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Diego lands an uppercut.
Romanov prevents a takedown attempt there.
Diego misses with a hook from the clinch.
Romanov gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Diego.
Alexandr Romanov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dom Diego.

Romanov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A shot to the liver by Diego. Beautiful body shot.
Romanov shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diego swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Diego gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Diego has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Romanov defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Diego.
Diego misses the jab.
Diego ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Romanov scores with a jab to the body.
Romanov throws a hook to the side of Diego's head but Diego sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Diego scores with the left hand. Romanov knows he should have avoided that one.
Diego moves out of range as Romanov throws a body kick.
Diego misses the body punch
and Romanov counters with an inside leg kick.
Romanov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Diego moves into range and connects with a jab.
Diego throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Diego has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Diego there as he acknowledges the shot.

That has opened up Dom Diego's cut even more.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Romanov throws a nice looking combination but Diego bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A jab from Romanov misses.
Romanov slips a straight right by Diego.
A jab from Diego misses.
A little feinted left hand from Romanov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Diego cracks a nice hook into Romanov's ribs.
Romanov throws a right hand that Diego ducks under and follows up with a left that Diego also avoids with ease.
Diego connects with a good right hand that stumbles Romanov. Romanov circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Diego is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Romanov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Diego scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diego misses with a two punch combination.

Diego feints and as Romanov raises his hands in defense, Diego changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Romanov trying to control the position here.
Diego looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dom Diego will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Dom Diego's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Diego looks to score with a jab to the body but Romanov is just out of range.
Romanov is looking for a counter combo.
Romanov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Diego.
Dom Diego seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A punch combination from Romanov misses.
Diego lunges at Romanov with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Romanov's hand.
Romanov gets cracked there but stands up to it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Diego. Romanov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Diego avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Romanov throws a head kick that misses.
Horrible takedown attempt by Diego or perhaps it was just good defense by Romanov, which made it look bad.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romanov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Romanov drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
A head kick misses from Romanov.
Diego shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Romanov defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diego throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Romanov on the side of the head.
Romanov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Romanov misses with a head kick.
Diego throws a right hand that misses
and Romanov counters with a stiff right hand.
Diego misses with an uppercut. Romanov saw that one coming.
Romanov throws a head kick that misses.
Romanov throws a big shot that misses.
Romanov throws a sloppy head kick and Diego moves out of range easily.
Diego misses with a double jab
and Diego takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romanov jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Romanov tries a head kick but it misses.
Diego has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Romanov misses with a looping right.
Romanov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Diego.
Diego jabs Romanov right on the nose. Romanov blinks but takes it well.
Diego tries for a takedown but Romanov circles away easily
and Romanov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Alexandr Romanov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dom Diego.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A swing and a miss from Romanov.
Diego lands with a straight right. Romanov didn't see that one coming.

Diego fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Romanov to the ground. Diego is now in Romanov's guard.

Romanov has his feet on Diego's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Diego dodges the punch combination from Romanov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romanov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Diego sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Donk. Diego catches Romanov right on the button with a cross.
Diego connects with a jab.
Diego throws a body shot but no joy.
Diego scores with a jab. Romanov acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Romanov throws a head kick that misses.
Romanov misses with a looping right.
Diego shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Romanov sprawls well. Romanov wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Diego gets slowly back to his feet.
Alexandr Romanov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Diego closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Diego lands in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romanov keeping moving, preventing Diego from controlling successfully.
Diego sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Romanov's guard.
Diego prevents Romanov from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diego trying to advance position but Romanov counters by regaining guard.
Diego trying to control but Romanov is working from the bottom.
Diego looking to sit in guard and control but Romanov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexandr Romanov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Diego has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 29:29
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29
Judge Josh West scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Dom Diego!
Post fight, an emotional Dom Diego said 'Came to knock this punk out. All he did was spam takedowns and subs big surprise.'.