PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joel Rommero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Iggy Manley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Manley has chosen Born in the USA as his entrance music. The key to victory for Joel Rommero has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Rommero
vs
Manley

177 cm
24
186 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Joel Rommero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Iggy Manley!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Sandra Marshall and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rommero tries to close the distance and clinch but Manley swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Manley feints the counter takedown.
Rommero listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Manley tries to clinch but Rommero is having none of it.

Rommero throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Manley tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Rommero is in Manley's guard.
Manley utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Manley looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rommero is fighting to break Manley's control of his arms but Manley is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rommero stops Manley from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rommero drops back looking for a leg! Manley is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Manley manages to kick Rommero off! Rommero jumps back into Manley's guard.
Manley has Rommero pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rommero preventing the sweep.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Manley throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A punch combination from Rommero misses.

Manley gets the takedown into side control.
Manley wants to stand but Rommero has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.
Rommero has momentary wrist control but Manley slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manley is looking to stand up but Rommero won't let him.
Manley with a flurry of punches that miss.
Manley is stalling in the full guard.
Rommero looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Manley drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rommero manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Manley has Rommero in his guard.

Manley is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rommero avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Manley has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rommero can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Manley is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Manley holds on and takes a little breather.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Manley can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Manley has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rommero can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Manley throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Manley managing to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Manley displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rommero.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rommero tries to clinch up but Manley circles away and keeps his distance.

Manley closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Manley happy to just control the position for now.

Manley tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Rommero tries to escape but Manley is in control.
Joel Rommero overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manley tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Manley is trying to get an arm triangle but Rommero is defending well.
Manley is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Manley tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Rommero moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rommero scores with a one two! Manley had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rommero fails to land the takedown.
Manley tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
A clash of legs there as Rommero blocks the low kick.

Manley scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Manley tries to stand but Rommero is controlling his head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rommero seems a little lost for a moment, as Manley dominates the positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Manley is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rommero knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Manley tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

Manley stands up.

That's four 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.
Rommero scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Rommero throws a series of punches but Manley avoids them all with ease.
Manley appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Manley tries to close the distance and clinch but Rommero swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Manley throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rommero's waist but Rommero gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Manley off to one side.
Rommero throws a body shot but no joy.
A little jabbing left from Manley on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

Manley shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rommero manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Manley tries to free his leg and advance position but Rommero is retaining full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Manley content to stall in guard here.
Manley must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Joel Rommero will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rommero keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Manley shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Manley was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rommero is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Manley is controlling him well.

Manley goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Rommero rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Manley's guard! Nice work there by Rommero!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Manley trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manley trying to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rommero's guard.

Manley wants to stand but Rommero has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Manley sitting in guard here, content to control.
Manley passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rommero is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Manley is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manley slows the pace down.
Manley passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Rommero!
Manley content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manley's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Manley jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Rommero is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Rommero and Manley has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

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

Manley decides to stand back up. Manley steps back and let's Rommero get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
No luck for Rommero with that takedown attempt.
Manley doesn't manage to clinch there - Rommero circles away.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rommero enables Manley to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rommero manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Manley wants to stand but Rommero is controlling his posture from full guard.
Manley is stalling in the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Iggy Manley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rommero 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joel Rommero!