PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Curtis Rome (ranked 3467 p4p, 3518 weight class) and Asher Barnes (ranked 392 p4p, 394 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Rome
vs
Barnes

170 cm
26
155
8 - 12 - 3

178 cm
25
160
4 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 8 - 12 - 3, fighting out of Amsterdam, Curtis Rome!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Asher Barnes!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Marco Blurström and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barnes throws a leg kick but Rome moved away.
Barnes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rome swings for the body but Barnes moves out of range.
It seemed like Barnes was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Barnes scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Curtis Rome seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Rome.
A chopping leg kick lands by Rome.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Barnes is defended easily by Rome.
We've been hearing reports that Rome has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Rome works the jab nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rome ducks under a wild hook from Barnes.
Rome was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Rome takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Nice jab there from Rome.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rome darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Barnes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rome.
Barnes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rome throws out the jab.
A countering left hand to the body from Barnes misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rome lunges at Barnes with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Barnes's hand.
Barnes throws a lazy right hand but Rome sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rome went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Barnes lands with a nice body punch.
Rome lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
A telegraphed right hand from Rome misses the target.
Barnes throws a lazy right hand but Rome sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Barnes misses with an uppercut.
A little feinted left hand from Rome on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Rome takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
An inside leg kick from Barnes misses.
Barnes tests Rome's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Barnes avoids the body shot from Rome.
Barnes looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rome. Barnes does a little dance to reset his feet.
A head kick misses from Rome.
Barnes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rome just misses with a punch to the body.
Rome connects with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Barnes tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rome was well out of range. Poor timing from Barnes.
Rome slips under a jab from Barnes.
Barnes has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Barnes with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Rome to score with a decent uppercut.
Rome misses with a left hand
and Barnes counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rome thinking.
Rome lands with a cross.
Rome throws a jab when Barnes was well out of range.
Barnes tries to clinch but Rome moves out of range.
Rome keeps the fight on the outside.
Rome throws a hook but Barnes blocks it.
Rome swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Some bone on bone action there as Rome checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Rome ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Barnes takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Rome looks to land a right hand but Barnes moved out of range.
Rome steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Barnes.
Rome throws out a loose jab but Barnes uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes slips under a jab.
Rome throws a hook but Barnes avoids it easily.
Barnes throws a hook to the side of Rome's head but Rome sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rome swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Rome is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Rome throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rome throws the left hand but Barnes avoids the punch easily.
Barnes looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Barnes looks to score with a jab to the body but Rome is just out of range.
Barnes looks to land a left hand but Rome moved out of range nicely.
The crowd cheers as Rome lands an impressive looking overhand right. Barnes doesn't seem phased though.
Rome waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Barnes.
Rome tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barnes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rome bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Barnes slips under a jab.
Curtis Rome is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rome clobbers Barnes with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Rome throws a hook to the side of Barnes's head but Barnes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Barnes misses with a telegraphed body shot
letting Rome counter with a right hand.
Rome uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rome throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Barnes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rome looks to land a left hand but Barnes moved out of range nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rome misses with a straight right.
Rome jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Rome throws out a loose jab but Barnes uses good head movement to avoid it.
It seemed like Barnes was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Rome blocks a jab.
Rome circles away from the clinch attempt.
Barnes moves forwards but Rome connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Rome throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Barnes counters with a good low kick that Rome was not able to check.
Barnes misses the shot to the body.
Barnes throws a body shot but no joy.
Rome cracks a nice hook into Barnes's ribs.
Rome misses with a straight left.
Barnes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rome manages to avoid it.
Barnes moves into range and connects with a jab.
Barnes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rome throws a head kick that half lands.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rome misses with an uppercut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rome. Barnes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Barnes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rome smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rome throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A countering left hand to the body from Barnes misses.
Barnes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rome manages to avoid it.
Rome stuns Barnes with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Barnes blocks a head kick by Rome.
A nice side step and Barnes releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
The fight stays on the outside here - Barnes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Barnes might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Rome has got the better of the exchanges.
Rome keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rome throws the left hand but Barnes avoids the punch easily.
Rome scores with a nice strike.
Rome staying out of range there.
Rome looks to land a right hand but Barnes moved out of range.

Rome rushes Barnes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Rome escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rome misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Barnes swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rome throws a shot from downtown. Barnes moves away and avoids it.
A little jabbing left from Barnes on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rome throws an off balance right hand
and Barnes counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rome misses the jab.
Rome misses with a looping left.
Barnes slips a jab from Rome.
Barnes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rome manages to avoid it.
Barnes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rome.
Barnes throws the left hand but Rome avoids the punch easily.
A punch combination from Barnes misses.
Rome throws a looping overhand right but Barnes ducks down to avoid it.
Rome blocks a head kick by Barnes.
Rome is looking to counter punch.
Barnes uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rome.
Rome misses with a hook.
Barnes misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rome doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rome.
Rome lands a glancing blow to the side of Barnes's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rome takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Barnes lands a nice shot that snaps Rome's head back.
The fighters circling - Rome throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Barnes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Barnes walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rome checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Barnes uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rome.
Rome connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Barnes's hands.
Rome throws a sloppy head kick and Barnes moves out of range easily.
Barnes now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Barnes has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
A big left from Rome misses.
Barnes throws out a counter right but Rome avoids it with no problem.
Barnes throws a hook but Rome blocks it.
Barnes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rome.

Rome fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Barnes, pushing him back against the cage.
Rome has a couple of punches blocked by Barnes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rome smiles and moves away.
Barnes scores with a nice right hand.
Rome moves out of range of the strikes.
Rome appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Barnes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rome.
Rome looks to throw the jab but Barnes is out of range.
Barnes uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rome.
Rome misses the jab.
A swing and a miss from Rome.
Barnes throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Rome counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rome misses with a hook. Barnes ducked under it nicely.
The fighters circling - Rome throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rome jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Barnes checks a low kick from Rome.
A countering left hand to the body from Barnes misses.
Barnes defending well as Rome loads up on a big left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rome ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barnes moves away.
Rome throws a big shot that misses.
Barnes throws a body kick that misses.
A little feinted left hand from Rome on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A leg kick checked by Rome.
Rome throws the left hand but Barnes avoids the punch easily.
Barnes looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Barnes swings for the body but Rome moves out of range.
Rome is looking to counter with head kicks.
Barnes takes a swing at Rome's ribcage but misses.
Rome changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Barnes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A nice side step and Barnes releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

Barnes gets tackled into the cage by Rome. Rome maintains the clinch.
Rome misses with some punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rome has a couple of punches blocked by Barnes.
Rome throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Barness head.
Barnes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rome pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rome is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barnes can do to turn this around?
Rome scores with a jab to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Curtis Rome dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

The fighters circle momentarily. Rome darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Rome throws a lazy right hand but Barnes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rome scoring well with a low kick there.
Barnes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rome.
Rome is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Barnes.
Rome throws a shot from downtown. Barnes moves away and avoids it.
Barnes misses with an uppercut. Rome saw that one coming.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Rome.
Barnes slips a jab from Rome.
Barnes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Barnes misses the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rome misses with a looping left.
Barnes throws a body punch but Rome moves out of range.
Barnes on the wrong end of a nice jab.
A shot to the liver by Barnes. Beautiful body shot.
Rome pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rome misses with a hook
and Barnes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Barnes fails in his attempt to clinch.
It looked like Rome wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Rome takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Barnes throws a big shot that misses.
Rome misses the jab.
Barnes swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
An inside leg kick from Barnes misses.
Rome thuds his right hand into Barnes's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Rome throws a looping overhand right but Barnes ducks down to avoid it.
A left lands for Rome.
Barnes slips under a jab from Rome.
The fighters circling - Barnes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rome ducks under a wild hook from Barnes.
A big left from Rome misses.
Barnes slips under a jab from Rome.
Barnes slips a straight right by Rome.
Barnes throws out a counter right but Rome avoids it with no problem.
Rome throws an off balance right hand
enabling Barnes to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rome misses with a straight right.
It seemed like Barnes was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A telegraphed right hand from Rome misses the target.
Rome backing away here, and Barnes unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Barnes tries to clinch up but Rome circles away and keeps his distance.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rome misses with a straight right.
Rome misses the jab.
Barnes throws an overhand right that lands on Rome's shoulder, as Rome tries to avoid the shot.
Barnes just misses with a punch to the body.
Rome lands a head kick. Barnes smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Rome misses with a looping left.
Barnes swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Barnes swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rome misses with a looping left.
A telegraphed right hand from Rome misses the target.
Barnes throws a body punch but Rome moves out of range.
Rome blocks a jab.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Rome.
Despite the aggression on Barnes's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Rome misses its intended target.
Rome displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Barnes throws out the jab.
An attempted straight right counter from Rome misses the target.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Rome.
Curtis Rome is winning the standup battle so far.
Barnes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rome moves away.
A big left from Rome misses.
Barnes unleashes a big counter combination but Rome bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Rome tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barnes was well out of range. Poor timing from Rome.
Barnes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rome.
Rome lands an overhand right.
Decent striking displayed by Rome there.
Asher Barnes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rome tries a head kick but it misses.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Barnes! But no joy.
Rome staying out of range there.
Curtis Rome is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Barnes lands with a right hand.
Barnes dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Barnes shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Rome.
Barnes throws a solid leg kick but Rome takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Barnes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rome cracks Barnes with a right hand to the side of the head.
Rome misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Barnes.
Barnes misses with a body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rome throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rome ducks under a wild hook from Barnes.
A big left from Rome misses.
Rome paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Rome closes the distance and clinches.
A short left from Rome.

Rome manages to break the clinch.
Good shot there by Barnes.
Rome pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Barnes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rome.
Rome throws a big shot that misses.
Barnes looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Barnes looks to land a left hand but Rome moved out of range nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Curtis Rome showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rome 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Curtis Rome!
During a confident post fight interview, Curtis Rome thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.