PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Van Candy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vic Romano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Candy comes to the cage accompanied by To Catch a Predator. Romano has chosen Search and Destroy as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Candy
vs
Romano

178 cm
20
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
23
187 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Granite 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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Van Candy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vic Romano!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Romano shoots in and bounces Candy off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Romano postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Candy can't keep his opponent in guard - Romano advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Romano is thwarting Candy's attempts to control the position.
Candy landing strikes from the bottom.
Candy manages to get to full guard.
Candy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Candy is working hard here to advance position.
Romano lands a couple of elbows.
Romano trying to control but Candy is working from the bottom.

Candy had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Romano is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Candy Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Romano's back instead.
Candy scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Romano is looking for a way out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romano tries to escape but Candy has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Can Romano hold on?! Candy is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Romano trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

Romano fending off the submission attempt from Candy.
I really don't envy Romano right now.
Candy 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.
Romano is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Candy is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Romano knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Romano for a finish.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Romano wants to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Candy scores with strikes from the back.

Candy is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Romano can't escape the position.
Candy lands strikes to the head.
Romano tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Romano is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Candy can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Romano is looking to escape.
Candy prevents Romano from getting the reversal.
Romano tries to lock up and control but Candy gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Candy postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Romano looks a forlorn figure.
Romano taking shots to the head.
Romano is wriggling around trying to escape.

Romano defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Candy.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Romano can do anything to dispel that myth.
Candy landing strikes from the mount and Romano is in trouble!
Candy putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Candy putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Romano really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Romano looks gassed!
Romano is in a horrible position here. Candy smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Romano working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Candy punishing his opponent with strikes.
Candy pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
A nice elbow there by Candy.
Romano is looking to get to half guard.
Romano gets back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Candy is tying to control. Romano wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Candy slips a nice elbow through Romano's hands, connecting with Romano's forehead.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Romano tries to kick Candy off but Candy keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Candy passes the guard and advances to mount!
Candy lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Van Candy dominated that 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.

Romano moves out of range of the strikes.
Romano is looking to clinch.
Romano fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Candy shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Candy was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Candy wants to control the pace but Romano is squirming around nicely.
Candy sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Romano is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Romano is breathing heavily.
The referee warns Romano that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Candy wants to control the pace but Romano is squirming around nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Candy with a couple of short strikes.
Candy punishing his opponent with strikes.

Candy looking for a guillotine from mount but Romano is having none of it.
Candy wants to control the pace but Romano is squirming around nicely.
Romano working to try and regain half guard.
Candy landing strikes from the mount and Romano is in trouble!

Candy looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Candy dominating with strikes here.
Romano is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romano is desperately trying to improve his position but Candy has a good base and remains in mount.
Romano is bucking up trying to escape but Candy cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Romano is trying to escape the mount.
Candy lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Candy has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Romano's face.
Candy landing strikes from the mount and Romano is in trouble!
Candy is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Romano can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Romano is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Candy is giving the impression that he's looking to ground and pound but he switches suddenly into a beautiful far side armbar! Romano is forced to tap! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Van Candy!