PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hakuin Ekaku Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aquiles Romero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ekaku Jr comes to the cage accompanied by Jiu Jitsu. Romero has chosen Scotland The Brave as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ekaku Jr
vs
Romero

175 cm
25
165 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

174 cm
26
161 lbs
9 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

KnockOut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hakuin Ekaku Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Aquiles Romero!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, George Francis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ekaku Jr throws a head kick but Romero moves out of range.
Ekaku Jr misses with a takedown
and Romero counters with a stiff right hand.
The crowd cheers as Ekaku Jr lands an impressive looking overhand right. Romero doesn't seem phased though.
Ekaku Jr tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A big right from Ekaku Jr misses.
Romero blocks the body kick.
Romero appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
A low kick from Ekaku Jr misses
and Romero counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Ekaku Jr looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Romero throws a hook but Ekaku Jr avoids it easily.
Romero is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ekaku Jr.
That kick from Ekaku Jr tenderised Romero's leg. Romero is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ekaku Jr misses with a wild body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Romero lands a nice looking kick to the body. Ekaku Jr takes a step back to recover.
Ekaku Jr feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Romero's calf.
Romero misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ekaku Jr takes the fight into the clinch.
Ekaku Jr digs a right hand into Romero's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Romero's gas tank.
Romero trying to stall but Ekaku Jr improves his position.
Ekaku Jr lands a hook that snaps the head of Romero backwards.
Ekaku Jr is working Romero over against the cage.

Ekaku Jr breaks from the clinch.
Ekaku Jr fails to land with a series of punches.
A punch combination from Ekaku Jr misses.
Romero throws a fast counter high kick but Ekaku Jr manages to duck under it in time.
Ekaku Jr misses with a body kick.
Romero is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Romero steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ekaku Jr.
Romero blocks a leg kick.
Romero appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Ekaku Jr keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Romero tries a head kick but it misses.
Ekaku Jr throws a front kick aimed at Romero's knee but Romero avoids it well.
Romero ducks right into an uppercut from Ekaku Jr.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romero takes a swing at Ekaku Jr's ribcage but misses.
Ekaku Jr throws a leg kick but Romero checks it.
A combination from Ekaku Jr does no damage.
Romero lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Ekaku Jr throws a leg kick that is checked
and Romero cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ekaku Jr pivots, looking for a leg kick but Romero is out of range and Ekaku Jr settles back down.
Romero stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Ekaku Jr.
Romero ducks under a wild hook from Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr misses with a lunging right hand
and Romero counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ekaku Jr throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Romero connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Romero uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Romero.
Romero checks a leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ekaku Jr. Romero does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ekaku Jr tries to work over Romero's front leg with a kick but Romero checks it.
Ekaku Jr looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero works Ekaku Jr's body with a nice hook.
Romero avoids a punch combination nicely.
Aquiles Romero is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Romero looks to score with a jab to the body but Ekaku Jr is just out of range.
Romero lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Ekaku Jr goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Romero feints a jab promting Ekaku Jr to slip. Romero then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Ekaku Jr slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Ekaku Jr checks a leg kick.
Romero has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Ekaku Jr.
A telegraphed right hand from Romero misses the target.
Ekaku Jr swings away with a leg kick that misses.

Ekaku Jr has closed the distance and engaged Romero in a clinch.
Ekaku Jr can't get the takedown.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Romero pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ekaku Jr is looking to slow Romero down with leg kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ekaku Jr.
Romero swinging wildly here.
Ekaku Jr tries to counter with a takedown but Romero is quick to defend against it.
Ekaku Jr showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Romero.
Ekaku Jr connects with a body shot that sends Romero's belly button to the back.

Romero tries to keep at a distance but Ekaku Jr has taken the fight into the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ekaku Jr lands a left hand.
Ekaku Jr tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hakuin Ekaku Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ekaku Jr.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ekaku Jr slows down the pace here.
Ekaku Jr throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Romeros head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hakuin Ekaku Jr dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ekaku Jr darts in and clinches Romero up against the cage.

Ekaku Jr successfully pulls guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Ekaku Jr 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.
Romero controlling from the top position.
Ekaku Jr utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ekaku Jr looking to hit a scissor sweep but Romero is one step ahead there.
Romero trying to control but Ekaku Jr is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ekaku Jr controlling the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Ekaku Jr lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Romero manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Romero has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Ekaku Jr seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Romero can turn it around.
Romero tries to pull guard but Ekaku Jr won't allow it.
Ekaku Jr can't find room to land a body shot as Romero controls the action.

Ekaku Jr pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ekaku Jr lands a leg kick that knocks Romero off balance momentarily.
Romero throws a lazy right hand but Ekaku Jr sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Aquiles Romero is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ekaku Jr is looking to slow Romero down with leg kicks.
Ekaku Jr tries to clinch but Romero moves out of range.
Romero appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Romero looks to land a combination but Ekaku Jr avoids it well.
As Romero backs away, Ekaku Jr returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Romero misses with an attempted mid kick.
Romero lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr wants to clinch up but Romero keeps it at a distance.
Ekaku Jr lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ekaku Jr fails with the takedown.
Ekaku Jr works the jab nicely.
Ekaku Jr fails with an attempt to clinch.
Romero throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ekaku Jr takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Romero.
Romero misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ekaku Jr misses with an attempted mid kick.
Ekaku Jr lands with an uppercut that bounces Romero off the cage and back into range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr throws a series of punches but Romero moves out of range.
Romero lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Romero throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Ekaku Jr counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Ekaku Jr is working Romero over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ekaku Jr trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.
Ekaku Jr engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Romero keeping moving, preventing Ekaku Jr from controlling successfully.
Ekaku Jr postures up.
Ekaku Jr slips nicely into half guard.
Ekaku Jr wants to lay and pray for a moment but Romero keeps working.
Ekaku Jr scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr wants to take a breather but Romero is having none of it.
Ekaku Jr is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Romero can do to turn this around?
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ekaku Jr connects with a nice short shot to Romero's temple.
Ground and pound from Ekaku Jr.
Romero has hold of Ekaku Jr's hands but Ekaku Jr slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ekaku Jr in particular looking to stall.
Ekaku Jr wants to lay and pray for a moment but Romero keeps working.
Ekaku Jr is thwarting Romero's attempts to control the position.
Ekaku Jr is trying to control the action in half guard but Romero is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ekaku Jr lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hakuin Ekaku Jr dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ekaku Jr moves into the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ekaku Jr.
Romero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ekaku Jr swings wildly with an uppercut but Romero uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ekaku Jr jumps guard but Romero stands there with Ekaku Jr around his waist. Ekaku Jr gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Romero is trying to break the clinch but Ekaku Jr has him pressed against the cage.
Romero tries a body shot but Ekaku Jr blocks it.
Ekaku Jr lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Romero or not.
Ekaku Jr tries for a takedown. No joy.
Romero blocks a body shot from Ekaku Jr.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ekaku Jr lands a body punch in the clinch.
Good body shot from Romero.
Ekaku Jr lands a left hand.
Ekaku Jr lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Romero manages to break the clinch.
A punch combination from Romero misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Ekaku Jr closes the distance and clinches.
Ekaku Jr misses with a hook to the ribs.
Romero is trying to push Ekaku Jr away but Ekaku Jr has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Ekaku Jr wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hakuin Ekaku Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ekaku Jr gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Ekaku Jr pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Romero is keeping the position for now.
Ekaku Jr 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.
Ekaku Jr is working Romero over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Romero wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Romero 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.
Romero striking off his back but it's not causing Ekaku Jr any problems.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ekaku Jr postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Romero is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ekaku Jr is aware though and is defending well.
Ekaku Jr slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ekaku Jr working the head with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ekaku Jr in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Ekaku Jr lands some shots froms side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ekaku Jr looks up at the clock and then as Romero takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Ekaku Jr smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Romero is trying to get back to half guard.
Romero gets back to half guard.
Ekaku Jr is looking to take a break and control but Romero is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ekaku Jr works his way into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Romero?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Romero is looking to improve his position but Ekaku Jr isn't that keen on the idea.
Romero tries to lock up and control but Ekaku Jr gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ekaku Jr cracks Romero with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Ekaku Jr raining down hammerfists from mount.
Ekaku Jr breaks from Romero's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Ekaku Jr trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ekaku Jr looking to control and managing it successfully.
Romero squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Aquiles Romero has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Romero is rocked!
Ekaku Jr unloads with some vicious shots from mount and Romero wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Ekaku Jr celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hakuin Ekaku Jr!
Hakuin Ekaku Jr looked relieved post fight as he said the following; 'Thank you to my inspiration, my father, THE GREATEST EVER Hakuin "Zen" Ekaku.'.
Aquiles Romero spoke after the fight, saying 'still wants nick diaz fight'.