PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Amos Romero (ranked 8886 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ajax Briggs (ranked 4780 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Ajax Briggs was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Romero
vs
Briggs

220 cm
18
278 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

190 cm
25
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Amos Romero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ajax Briggs!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Briggs wants to clinch.
As Briggs tries to get set, Romero tries to push him back and clinch up but Briggs manages to avoid the attempt.

Romero darts in and clinches Briggs up against the cage.
Briggs wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Romero has him pressed against the cage.
Briggs creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Romero's defenses.

It looks like Amos Romero has been cut.
Romero tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Briggs smiles and moves away.
Briggs tries to bum rush Romero with a series of wild strikes but Romero uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romero keeps the fight on the outside.
Briggs throws a leg kick which misses Romero's front leg but catches the back leg as Romero tries to avoid it.
Briggs throws a combination. Romero tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Briggs scores with a head kick.
Briggs tries to clinch up but Romero circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Briggs moves into the clinch.
Briggs looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Romero keeps control of Briggs as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Romero tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Briggs smiles and moves away.
Romero circles away from the clinch attempt.
Romero went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Romero circles away from the clinch attempt.
Briggs tries a head kick but it misses.
Romero went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Romero circles away from the clinch attempt.
Briggs tries to close the distance and clinch up but Romero swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Briggs throws a wild body kick that Romero sees coming a mile off.
Sloppy strikes from Briggs. Those never looked like landing.
Romero 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.

Romero closes the distance and pushes Briggs back into the cage.

Romero pulls guard effortlessly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Briggs trying to control the position from guard on top but Romero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Romero manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Briggs looks winded!
Briggs swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Romero moves into range and clinches up with Briggs.
Romero wants to get back to striking at distance but Briggs won't allow it.
Briggs wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Romero gets control of Briggs's arms and successfully pulls guard. Romero will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Romero trying to control the position here.

Briggs has gone for a leg lock! Romero slips out almost immediately though and dives into Briggs's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Briggs's head.
Romero postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Briggs really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Romero. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Romero works over Briggs with some ground and pound from guard.
Briggs is trying to keep Romero in close.
Romero postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Romero is in close to Briggs's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Romero is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Briggs has momentary wrist control but Romero slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romero lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Romero lands a couple of digs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Romero distracts Briggs with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Romero works over Briggs with some ground and pound from guard.
Romero lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Romero 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.
Romero scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Briggs looking for a sweep. Not yet Briggs, not yet.
Romero lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Romero landing some decent shots from guard.

Romero drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Romero jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Briggs has momentary wrist control but Romero slips an elbow through the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Amos Romero dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Amos Romero's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Briggs throws a nice looking combination but Romero bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Briggs tries to clinch up but Romero circles away and keeps his distance.
Romero avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Briggs tries to close the distance and clinch up but Romero swats him away and circles back towards the center.
As Briggs tries to get set, Romero tries to push him back and clinch up but Briggs manages to avoid the attempt.
Briggs wants to clinch but Romero slips to the side
and Romero counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Briggs feints and then cracks Romero's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Romero down.
Romero has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Some wild striking there from Briggs.
Briggs wants to clinch.
Ajax Briggs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Romero.

Briggs closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Romero is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Briggs can do to turn this around?
Briggs is breathing heavily.
Briggs lands with a left to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briggs is trying to push Romero away but Romero has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Romero on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Briggs gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Romero.
Still in the clinch, Briggs scores with a nice short uppercut.
Romero tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Romero pulls guard successfully.
Amos Romero overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Romero is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Briggs presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Romero has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Briggs avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Amos Romero. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Romero decides to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Romero scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Romero drives through and clinches with Briggs against the cage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Briggs can't break the clinch.
Briggs misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Briggs has had enough of the clinch but Romero keeps him there for the moment.
Briggs can't break the clinch.
Romero jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Briggs walks away with a smile on his face. Romero gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Briggs displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Briggs tries to clinch but Romero is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs doesn't manage to clinch there - Romero circles away.
Romero circles away from the clinch attempt.
Briggs is looking to clinch.
Briggs throws a right and a left that Romero avoids nicely.
Romero drops down looking for a counter takedown but Briggs sprawls and moves away.
Briggs wants to clinch.
Romero throws a quick counter kick to the body but Briggs avoids it.
Briggs moves in looking to clinch but Romero pushes him off.
Briggs throws a head kick that misses
and Romero counters with a left and a right that stings Briggs.
Romero takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Briggs tries to keep at a distance but Romero has taken the fight into the clinch.

Briggs breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briggs throws a right and a left that both miss.
Romero appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Amos Romero is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick misses from Briggs.
Briggs fails with an attempt to clinch.
Briggs moves in looking to clinch but Romero pushes him off.
Briggs misses with a two punch combination.
Romero appears to be looking for a big counter.
Briggs misses with a series of wild punches.
Briggs fails in his attempt to clinch.
Briggs throws a combination that misses
and Romero counters with a series of strikes. Briggs will be more careful next time no doubt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Romero fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Briggs, pushing him back against the cage.
Romero avoiding damage.
Romero throws a head punch that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Amos Romero dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Amos Romero's cut.
That's time! Romero's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Briggs tries to clinch
and Romero counters with a three punch combo that has Briggs backing up. Briggs nods at Romero to acknowledge the strikes.
Briggs throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Briggs moves in looking to clinch but Romero pushes him off.
Briggs tries to clinch but Romero moves out of range.
Briggs throws a right and a left that Romero avoids nicely.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Romero checks a leg kick.
Briggs rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Romero moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Romero went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Romero tries to land a front kick but Briggs steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A head kick misses from Briggs.
As Briggs looks to move away, Romero throws a big counter combo but Briggs just gets out of the way.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Briggs wants to clinch up but Romero keeps it at a distance.
Briggs takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Romero keeps the fight on the outside.

Romero has closed the distance and engaged Briggs in a clinch.
Briggs tries a body shot but Romero blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romero is trying to break free.
A nice right hand lands inside from Romero.
Briggs comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Romero jumps into guard, dragging Briggs to the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Romero is on top in guard.

Romero is working Briggs over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Romero drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Romero jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Romero's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Romero scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romero lands a couple of elbows.
Romero advances position into side control!
Romero working the ground and pound.
Romero is putting a hurting on Briggs here, landing some big shots from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Romero lands a decent elbow from side control.
Romero scores with a couple of short elbows.
Briggs throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Briggs is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Romero is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Briggs is wriggling around trying to escape.
Romero putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero landing strikes from the mount.
Romero landing shots from mount.
Romero landing strikes from the mount and Briggs is in trouble!
Romero with shots to the head and body - Briggs looks very uncomfortable down there.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Romero cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Romero looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Romero unloading with bombs!
A nice elbow there by Romero.
Romero landing strikes from the mount and Briggs is in trouble!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Romero connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Romero fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romero scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Briggs?
Romero putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Romero lands with some strikes.
Romero punishing his opponent with strikes.
Romero landing shots from mount.
Romero lands a big elbow.
Romero dominating with strikes here.
Briggs taking shots to the head.
Romero raining down shots from the mount!
Romero with good strikes from the mount here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Amos Romero showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Romero, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Amos Romero!