PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Luigi Romano (ranked 4836 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hansel Albert (ranked 2945 p4p, 344 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Romano
vs
Albert

185 cm
25
191 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
24
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Luigi Romano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hansel Albert!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Nard Betker and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Albert changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Romano looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Albert cracks Romano with a big elbow.
Romano is trying to get back to half guard.

Albert tries for a kimura but Romano is defending well.
Romano is trying to improve his position.
Romano trying to remain calm as Albert controls from the top position.

Albert looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
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!
Albert remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Albert trying to control the position but Romano is working away.
Albert working the head and body with strikes.
Romano pushes Albert away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Albert gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Romano on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Romano tries to get out of the position.
The referee asks Albert politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Albert prefers to stall for the moment though.

Albert stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Romano stuns Albert with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Romano takes the fight into the clinch.
Romano is trying to break free.
Romano stalling the fight.
Romano has Albert pressed against the cage, preventing Albert from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Romano looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Romano tries to circle away but Albert has him pinned against the cage.
Romano keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Albert's efforts to push away.
Albert tries to pull guard but Romano holds him up against the cage and eventually Albert drops back down to his feet.

Albert manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romano lands a two punch combo.
Romano closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Albert shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Romano misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Romano stalks Albert and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Albert's face. Albert staggers backwards, shaken.
Romano tries to work over Albert's front leg with a kick but Albert checks it.
Albert is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Romano moves into the clinch.
Romano is breathing heavily.
Albert is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Romano gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Albert pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Albert tries for a takedown but Romano sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Luigi Romano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hansel Albert.
Romano tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Albert manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Romano lands with a straight right. Albert didn't see that one coming.
Romano tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Albert tries to clinch but Romano is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Albert fails in his attempt to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Albert wants to stall.
Albert is trying to break free.
Albert is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Albert is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Romano to keep the fight standing.
Romano slowing the pace effectively.
Romano lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Romano working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Romano looking to stall.
Albert tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luigi Romano dominated that 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.

Romano closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Romano defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Albert.

Romano pushes Albert up against the cage in a clinch.
Albert has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Romano.
Albert blocks the elbow strike.
Romano lands a hook to the side of the head.
Romano is trying to break the clinch but Albert has him pressed against the cage.
Albert jumps guard but Romano turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Albert pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Romano gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Albert tries to score a power double leg takedown but Romano sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Albert somewhat.
Luigi Romano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hansel Albert.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Romano has taken the fight to the clinch.
Albert tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Romano just stands there and leans against the cage.
Albert is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Romano is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Albert can do to turn this around?
Albert keeps control of Romano as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Albert tries to pull guard but Romano won't allow it.
Albert prevents Romano from breaking the clinch.
Romano wants to break the clinch but can't.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Romano.
Romano lands with a left to the head.
Romano wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Romano is stalling here.
Romano is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romano tries to break free but Albert pushes him back against the cage.
Albert is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Romano is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Albert tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Albert is breathing heavily.
A frustrated look appears on Albert's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Albert can't break the clinch.
Romano is trying to break free.
Albert fails to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romano tries to break free but Albert pushes him back against the cage.
Albert goes for a takedown in the clinch but Romano prevents it.
Romano tries to break the clinch but Albert is controlling the position.
Romano is trying to push Albert away but Albert has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Albert wants to take the fight to the mat but Romano manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Albert is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Romano stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Romano is trying to push Albert away but Albert has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Albert is trying to break the clinch but Romano is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Romano tries to break free but Albert pushes him back against the cage.
Albert is trying to break the clinch but Romano has him pressed against the cage.
Romano lands a body shot.
Romano is trying to break free.
Romano lands a hook to the side of the head.
Romano avoiding damage.
Romano effectively controlling the action here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Albert misses with a hook from the clinch.
Albert is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Albert is trying to break the clinch but Romano has him pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Romano tries to close the distance and clinch up but Albert swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Luigi Romano is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Albert tries to close the distance and clinch but Romano swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Romano appears to be looking for a big counter.
Romano defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Albert.
Romano looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Romano swinging wildly here.

Romano darts in and clinches Albert up against the cage.
Romano dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Romano's face as he tries to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romano lands a body shot in the clinch.
Albert is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Albert goes for a takedown attempt but Romano pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Luigi Romano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hansel Albert.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Albert fails with the takedown.
Albert takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Albert throws a nice looking combination but Romano bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Romano lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Romano.

Romano forces Albert back against the cage and clinches.
Romano keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Albert's efforts to push away.
Albert jumps guard but Romano turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Albert looking to slow down the pace here.
Romano tries to break the clinch but Albert is controlling the position.
Romano wants to break the clinch but can't.
Romano wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romano holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Romano lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Albert prevents Romano from breaking the clinch.
Romano lands with a light punch inside.
Albert jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Romano walks away with a smile on his face. Albert gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Romano wants to clinch up but Albert keeps it at a distance.
Romano moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromAlbert.
Romano slips a jab and a cross from Albert.
Romano appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Albert shoots for a double leg takedown but Romano sprawls well. He's pushed Albert's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Romano fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Albert, pushing him back against the cage.
Romano dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Albert misses with a knee strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Romano.
Romano lands a body punch.
Albert's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Romano lands a left hand that snaps the head of Albert backwards.
Romano looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Albert tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Romano wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Albert has him pressed against the cage.
Albert keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Romano's efforts to push away.
Albert tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Romano just stands there and leans against the cage.
Romano looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Albert looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Albert looking for a takedown.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Romano lands a hook to the side of the head.
Romano works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Romano lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Albert backwards.
Romano lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Albert or not.
Romano softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Romano stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Albert wants to break free but Romano has control.
Hansel Albert has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Luigi Romano is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Albert has a couple of punches blocked by Romano.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luigi 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27

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