PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nicodemo Romero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renzo Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Romero comes to the cage accompanied by Lords Of Salem . Nicodemo Romero could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Renzo Alves 's chin.

Romero
vs
Alves

177 cm
32
160 lbs
19 - 15 - 1

174 cm
36
156 lbs
32 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

My$tic Clothing ~ (`10%Laundry`)

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 19 - 15 - 1, fighting out of London, Nicodemo Romero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 18 - 0, fighting out of London, Renzo Alves !
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Steven Brown and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alves tries to clinch up but Romero circles away and keeps his distance.
Romero tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Alves manages to circle out of the way.

Alves shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Romero preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Romero holds on and takes a little breather.
Alves slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Romero has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Alves stands up over Romero, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Alves working his ground and pound in the gym.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves being controlled here momentarily.
Alves missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Alves trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Alves accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alves postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Romero is trying to keep Alves in close.
Romero utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Alves trying to control but Romero is working from the bottom.
Romero looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Romero keeping moving, preventing Alves from controlling successfully.
Alves throws a big right hand that misses.
Romero has his hands on Alves 's head, controlling the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Romero loads up on a big right hand but Alves slips the punch.
Alves walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Alves keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Romero scores with a punch to the head.
Romero scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Alves instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Romero fails to land.
Alves is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Romero pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Alves breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Romero misses with a looping right.
Alves takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Alves uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Romero has time to react.
Romero connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Alves momentarily.
Alves scores with a nice strike.

It looks like Nicodemo Romero has been cut.
Alves on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Nicodemo Romero is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alves lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Romero fails with an attempt to clinch.
Alves slips under a jab.
Romero lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Romero fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Alves manages to avoid it.
Alves takes one to the side of the head.
A punch lands to the side of Alves 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Romero clinches.
Alves lands with a short shot to the head.
Romero prevents a takedown attempt there.
Alves blocks a body shot from Romero.
Alves scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Romero gets underhooks to prevent Alves 's takedown attempt.
Nicodemo Romero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renzo Alves .
Romero keeps control of Alves as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Romero lands a hook that snaps the head of Alves backwards.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A hook to the body from Alves .
Romero prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Romero is defending well.
Romero swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Romero.

It looks like Renzo Alves has been cut.
Alves goes for a takedown attempt but Romero pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Alves goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Alves takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Alves tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Romero manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Alves wants to clinch but Romero slips to the side
and Romero counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A decent looking cross lands there for Romero.

Alves is rocked!
Alves avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Alves is still on wobbly legs! Can Romero finish him?

Alves forces Romero back against the cage and clinches.
Alves seems to have recovered his senses.
Our sources have told us that Romero has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Romero lands an elbow that stopped Alves in his tracks for a moment.
Romero tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Romero prevents a takedown attempt there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicodemo Romero dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action!

Alves has managed to clinch.
Romero fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Romero throws an elbow but it misses.

Alves lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Alves is thwarting Romero's attempts to control the position.
Romero slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Alves passes Romero's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Romero is positioning himself well to prevent Alves advancing to mount.
Romero is looking to control Alves 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Romero avoid being mounted?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves trying to mount his opponent but Romero defends it.
Alves is nestled in close to Romero, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves working the head and body with strikes.
Alves drops an elbow to the side of Romero's head.
Alves scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Alves is trying to control. Romero wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Romero is looking to improve his position.
Alves thows a huge punch but Romero dodges it nicely.

Romero looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Alves is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Alves trying to control from half guard but Romero is working away.
Alves thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Romero's head.
Alves throwing shots but Romero is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romero tries to roll over but Alves keeps him under control.
Alves seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Alves missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Alves lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Renzo Alves has got the better of the ground game so far.
Alves is looking to take a break and control but Romero is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Alves sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Romero defending well though.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Alves lands a nice short elbow.
Romero is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Alves scores with a couple of nice shots.
Romero wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Romero manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Romero trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero wants to sweep here but Alves controlling him for the moment.
Alves in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Alves is looking to advance position but Romero has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Romero avoids the attempt from Alves to control.
Alves is working to get back to half guard.
Alves tries to hold on but Romero postures up.
Alves is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romero wants to control the pace but Alves is squirming around nicely.
Alves is looking to get to half guard.
Romero controlling the pace for now.
Alves can't escape the position.
Romero sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Alves is in all sorts of trouble here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Romero trying to control but Alves is having none of it.
Romero prevents Alves from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renzo Alves showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

A left lands for Romero.
Alves tries a head kick but it misses.

Alves clinches with his opponent.
Nicodemo Romero has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Romero goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A nice right hand lands inside from Romero.

Alves breaks from the clinch.
Romero wants to clinch up but Alves keeps it at a distance.
Alves swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Alves tries to clinch but Romero moves out of range.
Nicodemo Romero is winning the standup battle so far.
A swing and a miss from Romero.
Alves throws the kick towards the body but Romero avoids it.
Alves lands a nice hook to Romero's body. Romero takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Romero misses with a body shot
and Alves counters with a nice uppercut.
Alves is trying hard to land a takedown here. Romero sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Alves throws an overhand right that lands on Romero's shoulder, as Romero tries to avoid the shot.
Alves doesn't manage to clinch there - Romero circles away.
Alves shoots in for a takedown but Romero shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Alves moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Oooh a lovely combination from Romero sends Alves down but not out. Romero dives into side control looking to finish.
Romero controlling the position from side mount.
Romero has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Alves !
Alves is trying to escape the mount.
Alves keeps trying to improve his position.
Alves wants to hold on but Romero pushes him away.
Romero controlling the position easily from mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Romero prevents Alves from getting the reversal.
Alves wants to control but Romero is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romero controlling the pace for now.
Alves is trying desperately to improve position.
Romero tries to control but Alves wriggling away.
Alves tries to reverse the position but Romero maintains control.
Alves manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Alves is looking to improve his position.
Romero wants to take a breather but Alves is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Alves is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Alves works his way to full guard. Good work.
Romero's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Alves keeping moving, preventing Romero from controlling successfully.
Romero seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Romero stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Alves swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
Romero's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Alves drops his hands momentarily and Romero takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A punch combination from Alves misses.
Romero comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Alves jabs Romero right on the nose. Romero blinks but takes it well.
Alves keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Alves throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters circle momentarily. Romero darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Romero connects with a nice looking jab.
Alves is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicodemo Romero showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Romero has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicodemo Romero!
Nicodemo Romero really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Fury Nutrition logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.