PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vic Romano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicholas Espiritu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vic Romano has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Romano
vs
Espiritu

177 cm
22
183 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vic Romano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nicholas Espiritu!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Daniel Cesar and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Espiritu misses with the combination.
Espiritu misses with a series of wild punches.
Espiritu dodges the punch combination from Romano.
Espiritu looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Romano shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Espiritu as he jumps to the side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espiritu misses with a few strikes there.
Espiritu bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Romano's head.
Espiritu misses with a double jab

and Romano moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Romano.

Romano manages to break the clinch.
Nicholas Espiritu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Espiritu throws a series of punches but Romano avoids them all with ease.
A punch combination from Espiritu misses.
Espiritu misses the shot to the body.
Espiritu throws a left and a right that both miss

and Romano counters by clinching up.
Romano has Espiritu pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Espiritu manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Romano with a knee to the head.
Espiritu gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Romano.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vic Romano. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Romano is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Espiritu gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Espiritu wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Romano has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Romano fails to pull guard.
Romano tries to land knees in the clinch but Espiritu avoids the damage to the body.
Romano fails to pull guard.
Romano jumps guard but Espiritu stands there with Romano around his waist. Romano gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Espiritu can't break the clinch.
Romano holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Espiritu is trying to break free.
Romano tries to land knees in the clinch but Espiritu avoids the damage to the body.

Romano breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Espiritu misses with a double jab

and Romano counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Romano is breathing heavily.

Espiritu manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Espiritu stuffs the takedown.

Romano looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espiritu wants to stand and escape but Romano is having none of it.
Romano stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Espiritu swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Espiritu keeping moving, preventing Romano from controlling successfully.
Romano not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Romano is looking to work some ground and pound but Espiritu has wrist control.

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.
Romano won't allow Espiritu to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Romano tries to free his leg and advance position but Espiritu is retaining full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Romano fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Romano tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Espiritu swivels and escapes.
Romano tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Espiritu tries to bum rush Romano with a series of wild strikes but Romano uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Romano shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Romano misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Espiritu misses with a double jab

and Romano counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vic Romano dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Romano moves in looking to clinch but Espiritu pushes him off.
Espiritu will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Espiritu throws a combination that misses

and Romano counters with a shoot takedown. Espiritu fights it but they end up in guard.

Espiritu wriggles free and stands up.
Espiritu misses with a series of wild punches.
Espiritu misses with a double jab

and Romano moves into the clinch.
Espiritu is pressed up against the cage. Romano has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Espiritu down to the mat. Espiritu avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Romano dodges the punch combination from Espiritu.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Romano shoots in and drives through. Espiritu sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espiritu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Romano counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Espiritu!
Espiritu is trying to stand.
Romano raining down shots from the mount!
Romano with a couple of short strikes.
Espiritu is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Romano tries to control but Espiritu wriggling away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Espiritu can do anything to dispel that myth.
Romano can't control as he wanted to and Espiritu manages to get the fight back to his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espiritu is trying to stand.
Espiritu is not content to let Romano control the position.
Romano wants to pass the guard but Espiritu is defending well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Romano fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vic Romano. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romano misses with a takedown attempt - Espiritu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Espiritu will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Romano shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Espiritu as he avoids it easily.
Espiritu fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Espiritu swats away the attempt to clinch by Romano.
Romano shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Espiritu misses with a series of wild punches.
Espiritu scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Romano shoots in but Espiritu avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Espiritu misses with a wild combination.
Espiritu misses with a few strikes there.
Romano fails with a takedown attempt.
Espiritu looks to land a combination but Romano avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vic Romano dominated that second round.
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!

Romano closes the distance and clinches.
Espiritu is pressed up against the cage. Romano has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Espiritu down to the mat. Espiritu avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Espiritu looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A combination from Espiritu does no damage.
Romano avoids a punch combination nicely.
Espiritu throws a series of punches but Romano moves out of range.
Romano tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Romano looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Romano looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espiritu throws a series of punches but Romano moves out of range.
Espiritu takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Romano feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Romano stands and throws Espiritu's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Romano tries to advance to mount but Espiritu denies him.
Romano wants to lay and pray for a moment but Espiritu keeps working.
Romano working the ground and pound but Espiritu is defending the strikes.
Romano tries to move into full mount but can't pass Espiritu's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espiritu pushes Romano away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Romano gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Romano wants to stand but Espiritu has his arm trapped.

Romano tries for a kimura but Espiritu is defending well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Espiritu throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Romano looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Espiritu is fending him off so far but Romano persists. Nope, Espiritu circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vic Romano. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Romano closes the distance and clinches up with Espiritu, looking for a takedown. Romano pushes Espiritu against the cage but Espiritu circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espiritu swats away the attempt to clinch by Romano.
Romano lands with a shot to the body.

Romano darts in and clinches Espiritu up against the cage.
Espiritu prevents the takedown attempt.
Espiritu blocking some punches.
Romano landing knees to the head.
Romano lands a nice knee to the body.
Espiritu wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Romano prevents Espiritu from breaking the clinch.
Romano is stalling here.
Espiritu wants to get back to striking at distance but Romano won't allow it.
Espiritu wants to get back to striking at distance but Romano won't allow it.
Romano landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Romano lands a nice knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romano tries to pull guard but Espiritu holds him up against the cage and eventually Romano drops back down to his feet.
Espiritu tries to break the clinch but Romano is controlling the position.
Romano tries to stall but Espiritu uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Romano prevents Espiritu from breaking the clinch.
Espiritu wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Romano trying to land knees to the body.
Nicholas Espiritu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Espiritu can't break the clinch.
Espiritu has had enough of the clinch but Romano keeps him there for the moment.
Romano looking to stall.
Espiritu wants to get back to striking at distance but Romano won't allow it.
Romano's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Romano goes for a takedown in the clinch but Espiritu prevents it.
Romano landing knees to the head.
Espiritu takes a knee right on the jaw!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Romano takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Romano using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Espiritu working aggressively here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vic Romano showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Romano, 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vic Romano!