PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nicodemo Romero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Ashton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Romero might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Lords Of Salem . Ashton is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man. Nicodemo Romero has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Romero
vs
Ashton

177 cm
29
160 lbs
15 - 13 - 1

170 cm
38
170 lbs
23 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 15 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Nicodemo Romero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rick Ashton!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Romero tries to clinch up.
Romero throws a combination. Ashton tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Romero looks to land a combination but Ashton avoids it well.
A little jabbing left from Ashton on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Romero scores with a head kick.
Romero throws a combination. Ashton tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Romero fails with a takedown attempt.
Ashton changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Romero has Ashton up against the cage in a clinch.
Ashton is looking for a takedown.
Romero misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ashton is working for takedown but Romero is calmly controlling the position for now.
Romero misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Romero's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Romero clinches up against the cage.
Romero misses with a short punch on the inside.
Romero misses with a short punch on the inside.

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

Ashton closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Romero to the mat! Romero manages to get full guard.
Romero wants to sweep here but Ashton controlling him for the moment.
Romero is working hard here to advance position.

Romero looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ashton is working Romero over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ashton works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Romero gets back to full guard.
Ashton cracks Romero with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ashton got a little sloppy there for a moment and Romero has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ashton has managed to get both his arms back between Romero's legs - danger averted.

Romero had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ashton defends it easily.
Ashton stopping the sweep attempt from Romero.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ashton slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Romero is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ashton off and has taken his back!

Romero is looking for the choke from the back position but Ashton is controlling his hands well.
Romero avoiding Ashton 's attempts to control his hands.

Ashton showing good submission defense here.

Romero looking for the choke but no joy.
Ashton trying to control the hands but Romero breaks the grip.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Romero manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Romero looking for the RNC.
Romero is trying to stick to Ashton's back but Ashton is turning into Romero. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Romero's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Ashton.
Ashton slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ashton stopping the sweep attempt from Romero.

Romero escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ashton gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ashton controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Ashton told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

Romero throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Romero bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ashton's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ashton is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ashton working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Romero.
Romero preventing the sweep.
Romero throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Romero throws a big elbow that misses.
Romero throws an elbow that misses. Ashton uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Romero's guard. Nice move by Ashton!

Romero wants to sweep here but Ashton controlling him for the moment.
Ashton must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ashton trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.
Romero looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ashton is one step ahead there.
Ashton trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicodemo Romero dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ashton dodges the punch combination from Romero.
Ashton is looking for the big counter here.
Romero shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ashton as he avoids it easily.

Romero drives through and clinches with Ashton against the cage.
Romero misses with a hook from the clinch.
Romero gets through Ashton's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ashton blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Romero lands a nice knee to the body.
Romero swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Romero.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romero tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ashton avoids it.
Romero lands a nice knee to the body.

Romero escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ashton takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Ashton manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Romero on his heels. He'll look to pass Romero's guard now, I'm sure.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Romero has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Ashton is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Romero.
Ashton is looking to take a break and control but Romero is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Romero is looking to regain half guard here but Ashton keeps moving and retains side control.
Romero is not content to let Ashton control the position.
Romero tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ashton trying to control the position but Romero is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ashton lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Ashton is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Romero looks calm but he's in trouble here. Ashton gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Romero is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Ashton lets go of the hold and Romero can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Rick Ashton!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Rick Ashton made sure he mentioned Maximum Vitality, along with how happy he was to win his fight.