PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Imperio Romano (ranked 525 p4p, 63 weight class) and Zang Zhai (ranked 535 p4p, 64 weight class). Zhai comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Sampans kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Romano
vs
Zhai

173 cm
38
148 lbs
21 - 11 - 0

169 cm
38
146 lbs
33 - 21 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Imperio Romano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 21 - 0, fighting out of London, Zang Zhai!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Romano ducks right into an uppercut from Zhai.
Zhai is looking to chop away at Romano's legs.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Zhai checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Romano lands a right hook to the body.
Zhai blocks a low kick nicely.
Romano looks to land a combination but Zhai avoids it well.
Romano rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Zhai counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Zhai takes a jab right on the kisser.
Zhai connects with a jab.
Romano connects with a solid leg kick.
Zhai walks into a left hand.
Zhai tries a low kick but Romano avoids it.
Zhai throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zhai. Romano does a little dance to reset his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zhai 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.
Romano lands a nice leg kick that just misses Zhai's sensitive parts.
Zhai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Romano.
Zhai misses with a low kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Romano.
Zhai scores with a jab to the body.
Zhai is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhai just misses with a punch to the body.
Zhai swings and misses with a hook to the body.
It looked like Romano wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Zhai fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A jab from Romano does it's job there.
Romano throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Zhai fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Romano on the side of the head.
Romano throws a head kick but Zhai moves out of range.
Zhai throws a body punch but Romano moves out of range.
Zhai wants to land a leg kick but Romano is out of range.
Zhai throws a big shot that misses.
Zhai misses with a looping left.
A looping hook to the body misses from Romano. Zhai does a little dance to reset his feet.
A cross from Romano lands.
Romano connects with a good right hand that stumbles Zhai. Zhai circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Zhai blocks a low kick nicely.
Romano attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
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!
Zhai takes one to the chin there.
Romano takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Romano avoids the body shot from Zhai.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhai connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Zhai tries to land a body kick
and Romano counters with a nice body shot.
Romano bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Zhai's head.
Romano digs a good hook to Zhai's body.
Zhai takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Romano misses with a low kick.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Romano - that will leave a mark!
Zhai tries to score with a low kick but Romano moves his leg out of the way.
Romano misses with a body shot.
Romano turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Romano throws a head kick that misses.
Zhai is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Romano rather than just go for the knockout.
Zhai connects with a good right hand that stumbles Romano. Romano circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Romano attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Zhai misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Romano counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Zhai lands with a cross.
Romano throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Zhai has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Romano finds it's way round the side to connect with Zhai's head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Zhai.
Romano misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhai throws a hook but Romano blocks it.
Romano misses with a low kick.
Romano throws a push kick but Zhai slaps the foot to one side.
Romano on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Zhai. Zhai obviously looking to wear him down.
Romano uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zhai.
Zhai thuds his right hand into Romano's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Jab by Zhai.
Romano uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zhai.
Romano is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Romano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zhai was well out of range. Poor timing from Romano.
Romano looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
An inside leg kick lands from Zhai.
Zhai misses with a wild body shot.
Zhai throws a looping overhand right but Romano ducks down to avoid it.
Romano went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
A slapping leg kick lands for Romano.
Zhai throws a big shot that misses.
Zhai ducks under a wild hook from Romano.
Zhai turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhai's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Romano connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Zhai scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zhai misses with a straight right.
Romano blocks a jab.
Romano lands a nice hook to Zhai's body. Zhai takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Romano attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Zhai swings for the body but Romano moves out of range.
Romano slips a jab and a cross from Zhai.
Romano throws a hook but Zhai avoids it easily.
Zhai throws a lazy right hand but Romano sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Zhai scores with a jab. Romano acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Jab, jab by Romano - just one landing.
Romano with a hook.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Romano, right into the meat.
Romano's corner calls for a 1-2. Romano obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Romano misses with a head kick.
Zhai takes a swing at Romano's ribcage but misses.
Romano connects with a solid leg kick.
Romano takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Romano scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Imperio Romano will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Romano, as that shot connected.
Zhai checks the leg kick.
Zhai looks to land a right hand but Romano moved out of range.
Romano jabs Zhai right on the nose. Zhai blinks but takes it well.
Imperio Romano is winning the standup battle so far.
A big right from Zhai misses.
Romano feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Zhais jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Romano bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Romano looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
A thudding body kick lands there by Romano!
Romano throws a low kick but Zhai moves out of range easily.
Zhai now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Zhai falls off balance throwing a combination
and Romano makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Romano lands a lovely overhand right.
Romano jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Zhai doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Zhai misses with a looping right.
And Romano counters with a quick kick to the body but Zhai blocks it.
Romano throws a hook to the side of Zhai's head but Zhai sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Zhai misses with a low kick as Romano jumps back.
Zhai throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Romano stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Romano throws a nice outside leg kick.
Romano scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romano with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Zhai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Romano moves away.
Zhai scoring well with a low kick there.
Romano jabs Zhai right on the nose. Zhai blinks but takes it well.
Zhai checks a low kick from Romano.
Zhai just misses with a punch to the body.
Romano is looking to counter punch.
Zhai has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Romano takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Zhai connects with a single shot there.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Zhai might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Romano has got the better of the exchanges.
Zhai missing with a left hand there. Romano was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Romano turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Zhai takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Zhai pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Zhai moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Romano scores with a hook to the body. Zhai takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Zhai misses with an uppercut. Romano saw that one coming.
Romano moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Zhai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Romano moves away.
A lazy body kick from Zhai
enabling Romano to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Zhai was well out of range. Poor timing from Romano.
Romano fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Romano misses with a leg kick.
Zhai pivots, looking for a leg kick but Romano is out of range and Zhai settles back down.
A little feinted left hand from Romano on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Romano moves into range and connects with a jab.
Zhai keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Romano.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Romano. Zhai shrugs it off though.
Zhai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zhai on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Zhai checks a leg kick.
Romano slips a jab from Zhai.
Zhai misses with a low kick.
Romano keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Zhai.
Zhai stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Romano.
The crowd cheers as Zhai lands an impressive looking overhand right. Romano doesn't seem phased though.
A jab from Romano misses.
Zhai 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.
Romano ducks under a wild hook from Zhai.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romano dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Zhai. That did some damage!
Romano lands a lovely overhand right.
Romano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zhai manages to avoid it.
Romano lands a nice looking body kick.
Romano lunges at Zhai with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Zhai's hand.
A clash of legs there as Zhai blocks the low kick.
Zhai connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Romano swings for the body but Zhai moves out of range.
Romano looks to land a left hand but Zhai moved out of range nicely.
Zhai ducks under a wild hook from Romano.
Zhai misses with a body shot.
Romano blocks a head kick by Zhai.
Romano throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Romano misses the jab.
Zhai looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Zhai lands with an overhand left.
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!
Zhai lands with a good body shot.
Romano misses the shot to the body.
Zhai only half commits to the counter leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhai lands with a kick to the temple. Romano shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Imperio Romano has been cut.
Romano avoids the body shot from Zhai.
Zhai looks to score with a jab to the body but Romano is just out of range.
Romano avoids the head kick by Zhai.
Nice defenses there by Romano.
Zhai moves out of range as Romano strikes.
Romano swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Zhai blocks a leg kick.
Zhai looks to score with a jab to the body but Romano is just out of range.
Romano throws a body kick that misses.
Zhai fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Romano manages to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Romano. Zhai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Romano scores with a shot to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A looping hook to the body misses from Romano. Zhai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Romano misses with a straight right.
Zhai lands a jab to the nose.
Romano fakes the leg kick and cracks Zhai in the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Imperio Romano dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Imperio Romano's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Zhai just misses with a punch to the body.
Romano throws a body shot but no joy.
Romano connects with a solid leg kick.
A slow jab from Zhai misses its intended target.
Romano lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Romano misses with a hook. Zhai ducked under it nicely.
Zhai throws out a loose jab but Romano uses good head movement to avoid it.
Romano misses with a wild body shot.
A shot to the liver by Zhai. Beautiful body shot.
Romano takes a swing at Zhai's ribcage but misses.
A swing and a miss from Zhai.
Nice body punch from Zhai.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romano throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A big right from Zhai misses.
Romano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zhai manages to avoid it.
Romano displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Zhai throws out the jab.
Zhai swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Romano moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhai swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A jab from Romano misses.
Zhai with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Zhai has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Romano.
Zhai scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Zhai fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Romano looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
A jab from Romano misses.
Zhai misses with a leg kick
and Romano counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Romano checks a leg kick nicely.
Zhai throws out a leg kick but Romano moves out of range and Zhai only half commits.
Zhai gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Zhai lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Romano connects with the punch.
Romano checks the leg kick nicely there.
Zhai throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Romano on the side of the head.
A big right from Zhai misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Romano scores with a punch to the head.
Romano uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Zhai.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhai takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Romano scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Romano wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Romano swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Zhai.
Good work by Romano as he checks the leg kick.
Romano has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Zhai finds it's way round the side to connect with Romano's head.
Romano avoids the body shot from Zhai.
Romano moves away from the strike by Zhai.
Romano swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Zhai misses with a hook.
A big right from Romano misses.
Romano cracks Zhai with a right hand to the side of the head.
Romano lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Zhai at a distance.
Zhai has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Zhai there as he acknowledges the shot.

Zhai closes the distance and clinches.
Romano lands with a right to the head.
Romano lands a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romano's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Romano lands a shot to the body.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Romano.
Zhai's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zhai.
Zhai misses with a punch on the inside.
Romano can't find room to land a body shot as Zhai controls the action.
Romano blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Zhai misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Zhai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zhai has a couple of punches blocked by Romano.
Zang Zhai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Romano lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Romano lands a right hand.
Romano prevents a body shot from Zhai.
Zhai throws a punch but it's blocked by Romano.
Zhai misses with a punch to the body.
Romano lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Zhai.
Zhai tries to throw a body punch but Romano avoids it by throwing Zhai back against the cage.
Zhai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Romano's elbow.
Zhai misses with a punch on the inside.

Romano breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Zhai manages to avoid it.
Romano connects with a leg kick. Zhai looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zhai throws out a loose jab but Romano uses good head movement to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Romano. Zhai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Romano swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Romano comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A good leg kick by Romano.
A jab lands there for Romano.
Romano throws a quick inside leg kick.
Romano lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Romano digs a good body shot into Zhai's ribs.
Zhai fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Romano is out of range.
Zhai throws a body punch but Romano moves out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Romano throws a wild body kick that Zhai sees coming a mile off.
Romano lands a jab to Zhai's midsection.
Good standup being displayed there by Romano as he connects with a hook.
Zhai doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Imperio Romano showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Romano has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Imperio Romano!
Imperio Romano decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.