PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gaudencio Roman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edu Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Roman
vs
Alvarez

150 cm
32
130 lbs
14 - 14 - 1

175 cm
25
163 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 14 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gaudencio Roman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Edu Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Alyssa Summers and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roman misses with a combination

and Alvarez counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Roman!
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.
Alvarez working away.
Alvarez is looking to take a break and control but Roman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Roman struggling a bit here.
Roman parries the strikes from Alvarez easily there. Alvarez is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Roman to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarez working the ground and pound.
Alvarez trying to control the position but Roman is working away.
Alvarez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Alvarez landing a few strikes.
Alvarez trying to control the action but Roman is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roman seems a little lost for a moment, as Alvarez dominates the positioning.
Roman is trying to improve his position.

Alvarez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Roman is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Roman is looking to regain half guard here but Alvarez keeps moving and retains side control.
Alvarez working away.
Roman tries to bench press Alvarez off him but Alvarez keeps the position.
Roman is not content to let Alvarez control the position.
Alvarez working the ground and pound but Roman is defending the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Roman is not content to let Alvarez control the position.
Alvarez looks up at the clock and then as Roman takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Alvarez smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Roman might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Alvarez working the head with strikes.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Alvarez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Roman keeps working.
Alvarez is putting a hurting on Roman here, landing some big shots from side control.
You can see the frustration on Roman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Alvarez trying to control the action but Roman is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roman tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Roman tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Roman parries the strikes from Alvarez easily there. Alvarez is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Roman to escape.
Roman is looking to reverse the position.
Alvarez lands a decent elbow from side control.
Alvarez working away.
Roman is looking for a sweep.
Alvarez trying to control the position but Roman is working away.
Roman tries to bench press Alvarez off him but Alvarez keeps the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Roman is not content to let Alvarez control the position.
You can see the frustration on Roman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Roman on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Roman takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Alvarez scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Roman to see if he's OK.
Roman is not content to let Alvarez control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Roman is looking to regain half guard here but Alvarez keeps moving and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edu Alvarez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Roman throws a series of punches but Alvarez avoids them all with ease.
Alvarez is a very stocky fighter. Infact he's such a weird shape that he's almost like some sort of comedy character - it's hard to believe he's real.
Alvarez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Roman tries to avoid it but Alvarez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Roman to the ground. Roman escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Roman looks to land a right hand but Alvarez moved out of range.
Roman walks into a stiff left hand from Alvarez.
Roman misses with a low kick.
Alvarez uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Roman.
Roman looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Alvarez is fending him off so far but Roman persists. Nope, Alvarez circles away and we're back to standing.
Roman throws a jab but it's blocked by Alvarez.
Roman misses with a leg kick

so Alvarez counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Roman is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Roman keeping moving, preventing Alvarez from controlling successfully.
Roman is trying to keep Alvarez in close.
Roman seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Roman looking for a guillotine here but Alvarez defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez wants to control from the top but Roman keeps moving.
Alvarez is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Roman wants to sweep here but Alvarez controlling him for the moment.
Alvarez is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Alvarez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Roman preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Alvarez sitting in guard here, content to control.
Alvarez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Roman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Alvarez chips away with some ground and pound.

Roman is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Alvarez defends well.
Roman bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alvarez's guard.

Roman has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Alvarez wants to sweep here but Roman controlling him for the moment.
Roman being controlled here momentarily.
Roman throwing strikes but missing.

Roman got a little sloppy there for a moment and Alvarez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Roman has managed to get both his arms back between Alvarez's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roman engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Roman trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Alvarez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Alvarez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Alvarez has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at School of Hard Knocks (Elite Training for $225). Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Alvarez is trying to control the position but Roman postures up.
Alvarez being controlled here, momentarily.
Edu Alvarez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Alvarez keeping moving, preventing Roman from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Roman throwing strikes but missing.
Roman trying to control the position from guard on top but Alvarez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Roman.
Alvarez on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Roman swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Roman manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Alvarez on his heels. He'll look to pass Alvarez's guard now, I'm sure.
Roman trying to control but Alvarez is working from the bottom.
Alvarez 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.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Alvarez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Roman doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Roman manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaudencio Roman dominated that second 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nice defenses there by Alvarez.
A shot to the liver by Roman. Beautiful body shot.
Roman lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Roman misses with a body shot.
Alvarez takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Alvarez gets a double leg takedown into Roman's guard.
Roman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Roman bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Alvarez's guard.

Roman trying to control but Alvarez is working from the bottom.
Alvarez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Roman is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Alvarez has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roman is stalling in the full guard.
Roman trying to control but Alvarez is working from the bottom.
Roman slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Roman avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Roman's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Alvarez wants to sweep but no luck.
Roman slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Roman in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Alvarez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Roman.

Alvarez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Roman looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
You can see the frustration on Roman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Roman is looking to regain half guard here but Alvarez keeps moving and retains side control.
Roman sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Roman does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Alvarez working the head and body with strikes.
Roman is looking to improve his position.
Alvarez looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Roman trying to control here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Alvarez lands a nice short elbow.

Alvarez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Roman has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Roman!
Roman really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Roman is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Roman wants to hold on but Alvarez pushes him away.

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 Gaudencio Roman.
I think Roman has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Roberts scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gaudencio Roman!
An out of breath Gaudencio Roman thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
The defeated Edu Alvarez had this to say: 'wow, just wow...'.