PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Anzhor Azhiev (ranked 10369 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dante Gael Roman (ranked 2870 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Azhiev
vs
Gael Roman

177 cm
43
144 lbs
23 - 82 - 0

183 cm
43
130 lbs
34 - 32 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 82 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Anzhor Azhiev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 32 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dante Gael Roman!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Azhiev drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Azhiev 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 manages to get back to half guard.

Azhiev is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Azhiev seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Roman has recovered full guard.
Roman lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roman engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Azhiev is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Roman defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roman sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Roman forces his way into half guard.
Roman prevents Azhiev from improving his position.
Roman is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Azhiev wants to improve his position but Roman is controlling well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Roman in particular looking to stall.
Roman passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azhiev is trying desperately to improve position.
Roman postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Azhiev looks a forlorn figure.
Roman controlling the position easily from mount.
Roman breaks from Azhiev's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Roman is working for a guillotine from mount but Azhiev frees his head quite easily.
Roman raining down shots from the mount!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Roman sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Azhiev keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roman takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Roman prevents Azhiev from getting the reversal.
Roman content just to control the position here.
Roman is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Roman is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Azhiev to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Azhiev shrugs it off.
Azhiev sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Ground and pound from Roman.
Azhiev is looking to improve his position.
Roman looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Roman is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Azhiev!
Roman scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Roman tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

Roman looking for a guillotine from mount but Azhiev is having none of it.
Roman is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Roman takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Roman is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Azhiev can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Roman in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Roman looking for a guillotine from mount but Azhiev is having none of it.
Azhiev slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Roman is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Azhiev has managed to free his arm - good work.
Azhiev taking some punishment here, with Roman in his half guard.
Roman looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Azhiev looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Roman perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Azhiev gets back to full guard.

Azhiev looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Roman passes into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Gael Roman dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Azhiev shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Roman's guard.
Roman has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Azhiev postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Roman is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Azhiev, into his guard.

Roman postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Roman content to stall in guard here.

Azhiev working for a triangle but Roman defends it easily.
Roman must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Azhiev can't keep his opponent in guard - Roman advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Roman is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Roman is working for a kimura but Azhiev is defending it quite comfortably.
Dante Gael Roman has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roman controlling the action here.
Let's hope that Roman has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Azhiev on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Roman looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Azhiev with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Azhiev has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Roman escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Roman!

Roman thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Azhiev tries to bench press Roman off him but Roman keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Roman lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Azhiev down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roman staying calm.
Roman working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Azhiev tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Roman wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Azhiev gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Roman content just to control the position here.
Azhiev is working to get back to half guard.

Roman looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Azhiev sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roman is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Roman looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Azhiev with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Roman is looking to advance position but Azhiev won't allow it.
Roman controlling the action here.
Ground and pound from Roman.
Well, if Roman is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Azhiev is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Roman pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Azhiev looking for submissions off his back.
Roman takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Roman with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Azhiev looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Azhiev taking some punishment here, with Roman in his half guard.

Roman is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Azhiev defends it well.
Roman takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Azhiev looking for submissions off his back.
Roman takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Gael Roman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Azhiev takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Azhiev gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Azhiev walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Azhiev is rocked!
Roman lands with a jab that stuns his opponent. Azhiev is looking to close the distance but Roman sees it coming and throws a beautiful knee! Azhiev crumbles to the mat and that's all she wrote! Let's hope Azhiev is OK because that was naaaaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Knee). Dante Gael Roman!
Dante Gael Roman thanked the fans post fight for their support.
Anzhor Azhiev was interviewed post fight and said 'I still want that title shot. Im the most experienced fighter here and everyday wants to see me smash the champ so lets do it whenever he starts ducking me.'.