PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rich Romero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rob Smalling (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Romero
vs
Smalling

185 cm
18
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

172 cm
19
140 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Rich Romero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Rob Smalling!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Colin Fotheringham and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Romero is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Smalling fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Romero takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Romero throws a sloppy head kick and Smalling moves out of range easily.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Romero misses with a head kick.
Smalling throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Romero.
Romero throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Smalling counters with a two punch combo.
Romero tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Smalling fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A combination from Smalling does no damage.
Smalling avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Smalling blocks a head kick by Romero.
Smalling swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sloppy strikes from Smalling. Those never looked like landing.
Smalling lands a body shot.
Romero tries to clinch but Smalling is having none of it.
Romero throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smalling misses with a double jab.
Smalling misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Smalling fails to land with a series of punches.
A shot to the liver by Smalling. Beautiful body shot.
Smalling takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Smalling lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

It looks like Rich Romero has been cut.
Romero is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smalling misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smalling connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Smalling comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Smalling. Those never looked like landing.
Romero misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smalling lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Romero throws a sloppy head kick and Smalling moves out of range easily.
Rich Romero seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smalling connects with a looping right hand.
Smalling lands a body shot.
Smalling shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Romero eats them both and turns towards Smalling to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Smalling closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Romero throws a sloppy head kick and Smalling moves out of range easily.
Smalling connects with a right hand. Romero shakes it off.
Smalling pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Romero back to the cage. Smalling follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

Romero is rocked!
Smalling comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smalling throws a shot to the body.
Smalling scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Oh Romero is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Smalling is working the combinations to good effect here.
Smalling lands a jab-cross combination.
Smalling punishes Romero's body with a nice straight punch.
Romero ducks right into an uppercut from Smalling.
Romero on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smalling bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Romero's head.
Smalling misses with a jab, cross combination.
Smalling lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Romero backs up against the cage.
Romero throws a head kick but Smalling moves out of range.
Romero has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Smalling avoids the head kick by Romero.
Smalling fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Romero looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Smalling lunges at Romero with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Romero's hand.
Romero seems to have got his legs back now.
Romero throws a sloppy head kick and Smalling moves out of range easily.
Smalling swinging wildly here.
Good exchange - Smalling coming out on top.
Smalling avoids the head kick by Romero.
Romero tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A punch combination from Smalling misses.
Romero connects with a high kick.
Left hook, right uppercut from Smalling.
Smalling throws a series of punches but Romero avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero throws the left hand but Smalling avoids the punch easily.
Smalling scores with a three punch combo!
Romero tries a head kick but it misses.
Smalling lands with a right hand.
Smalling lands a jab to the nose.
Romero tries to clinch up.
Romero throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nice uppercut lands for Smalling. That snapped Romero's head back.
Romero closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Romero moves forwards but Smalling connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Romero cracks the inside of Smalling's front leg.
Smalling uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
A combination from Romero does no damage.
Smalling lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Romero throws a head kick but Smalling moves out of range.
Romero tries a head kick but it misses.
Romero throws a head kick that misses.
Smalling throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Romero dodges the punch combination from Smalling.
Smalling dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Romero goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Some wild striking there from Smalling.
Smalling moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Romero throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Smalling throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Romero stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Smalling throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Romero.
Smalling swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Romero tries to clinch but Smalling moves out of range.
Romero pulls out of a head kick attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smalling moves out of range as Romero strikes.
Smalling scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Smalling misses with a series of wild punches.
Romero tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Smalling manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Smalling dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rich Romero's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Romero throws a sloppy head kick and Smalling moves out of range easily.
Smalling tries to bum rush Romero with a series of wild strikes but Romero uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Romero tries a head kick but it misses.
Smalling jabs at Romero's body.
A right-left combo lands from Smalling.
Romero swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Smalling cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Romero tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Smalling thuds a left hand into Romero's body.
Smalling rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Romero moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Smalling misses with the combination.
Smalling misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Romero slips a jab and a cross from Smalling.
Romero takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Smalling throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Romero throws a head kick that misses.
Smalling lands the left hand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smalling avoids the head kick by Romero.
A slapping leg kick lands for Romero.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smalling scores with a shot to the body.
Smalling lands a body shot.
Romero looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Romero plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
A head kick misses from Romero.
Smalling thuds a left hand into Romero's body.
Smalling works over Romero's head and body with a nice combination.
Romero on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Romero wants to clinch up but Smalling keeps it at a distance.
Romero lands a high kick!
Nice body punch from Smalling.
Romero throws a head kick that misses.
Smalling swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Romero throws a head kick that misses.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Smalling!
Smalling takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Smalling lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Romero throws a head kick but Smalling moves out of range.
Smalling throws a right and a left that Romero avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romero throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Romero tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Smalling fails to land with a series of punches.
Romero throws a sloppy head kick and Smalling moves out of range easily.
Romero looks for the body kick but Smalling saw that one coming.
No joy there for Smalling, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Romero gets a clinch.
Smalling working hard to break the clinch.
Smalling tries to circle away but Romero has him pinned against the cage.
Romero connects with a nasty looking knee right to Smalling's face.
Romero tries to land knees in the clinch but Smalling avoids the damage to the body.
Romero misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Smalling.
Romero trying to land knees to the body.
Smalling tries to break free but Romero pushes him back against the cage.
Romero prevents Smalling from breaking the clinch.
Romero tries to land knees in the clinch but Smalling avoids the damage to the body.
Smalling tries to circle away but Romero has him pinned against the cage.
Romero landing knees to the head.
Smalling is trying to force a seperation but Romero has the dominant position.
Smalling is trying to push Romero away but Romero has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Smalling avoiding damage as Romero throws knees to the body.
Smalling wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Romero has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Romero obliges.
Smalling wants to break the clinch but can't.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Romero.
Smalling is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Smalling managing to block the knees to the body from Romero.
Smalling managing to block the knees to the body from Romero.
Romero tries to land knees in the clinch but Smalling avoids the damage to the body.
Romero trying to land knees to the body.
Romero prevents Smalling from breaking the clinch.
Romero tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Romero trying to land knees to the body.
Smalling wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Romero has him pressed against the cage.
Smalling is trying to break the clinch but Romero is controlling him.
Smalling is trying to break the clinch but Romero has him pressed against the cage.
Romero lands a knee to the body.
Smalling tries to circle away but Romero has him pinned against the cage.
Smalling wants to break free but Romero has control.
Romero using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Romero with a knee to the head.
Romero keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Smalling's efforts to push away.
Romero unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Romero with a knee to the head.
Smalling wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Smalling is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Smalling avoiding damage as Romero throws knees to the body.
Smalling wants to break the clinch but can't.
Smalling tries to circle away but Romero has him pinned against the cage.
Romero misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Smalling.
Smalling takes a knee right on the jaw!
Smalling wants to break the clinch but can't.
Romero missing with knees to the body.
Smalling can't break the clinch.
Romero crunches a lovely knee into Smalling's ribcage.
Smalling looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Smalling is trying to break the clinch but Romero has him pressed against the cage.
Romero scores with a knee to the head.
Smalling is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Smalling managing to block the knees to the body from Romero.
Smalling is trying to push Romero away but Romero has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Romero lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Romero has Smalling pressed against the cage, preventing Smalling from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Smalling managing to block the knees to the body from Romero.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smalling is trying to push Romero away but Romero has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Smalling wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Romero has him pressed against the cage.
Romero has Smalling pressed against the cage, preventing Smalling from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Smalling wants to get back to striking at distance but Romero won't allow it.
Knees to the body from Romero.
Romero lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Smalling wants to get back to striking at distance but Romero won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Smalling showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rich Romero's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Romero pivots, looking for a leg kick but Smalling is out of range and Romero settles back down.
Nice straight punches there by Smalling. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Smalling.
Romero fails in his attempt to clinch.
Smalling will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Romero tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Smalling scores with a three punch combo!
Smalling throws a series of punches but Romero moves out of range.
Romero takes a jab right on the kisser.
Smalling avoids the head kick by Romero.
Some wild striking there from Smalling.
Smalling scores with a body shot.
Romero misses with a head kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smalling bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
A nice combination there by Smalling.
A head kick misses from Romero.
Romero lands a high kick!
Smalling scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smalling misses with a double jab.
Smalling misses with a series of wild punches.
Romero throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Smalling lands a really nice looking cross but Romero seems unphased.
Smalling throws a series of punches but Romero moves out of range.
Romero throws a head kick that misses.
Rich Romero is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smalling works Romero's body with a nice hook.
Smalling misses with a double jab.
Romero pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Smalling misses with a wild combination.
Smalling lands with a hook. Romero tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Romero throws a sloppy head kick and Smalling moves out of range easily.
Romero pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Some wild striking there from Smalling.
Smalling just misses with a punch to the body.
Rob Smalling is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Smalling will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Romero showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Smalling.
Smalling swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Smalling throws a looping overhand right but Romero ducks down to avoid it.
A head kick misses from Romero.
Romero throws a sloppy head kick and Smalling moves out of range easily.
Rob Smalling seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Romero throws a head kick but Smalling moves out of range.
Smalling throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Romero throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Smalling scores with a sloppy right hand. Romero should have avoided that one.
Smalling pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Romero back to the cage. Smalling follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Smalling throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Romero stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Smalling looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Smalling shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Romero eats them both and turns towards Smalling to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Romero tries a head kick but it misses.
Romero misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smalling punishes Romero's body with a nice straight punch.
Romero throws a head kick that misses.
Smalling scores with a three punch combo!
Romero showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Smalling.
Smalling blocks a head kick by Romero.
Smalling lands with a shot to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Romero looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The crowd cheers as Smalling lands an impressive looking overhand right. Romero doesn't seem phased though.
Romero tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Romero takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Smalling closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Smalling moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Romero misses with a head kick.
Smalling connects with a crisp jab.
Smalling lands a jab to Romero's midsection.
Romero is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Smalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Romero lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Smalling smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Smalling throws a one two combo.
Smalling blocks a head kick by Romero.
Smalling throws a shot to the body.
Romero falls off balance throwing a combination
and Smalling counters with a nice uppercut.
Smalling takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Smalling misses with a two punch combination.
Rich Romero has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smalling misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Romero misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Romero with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Smalling to score with a decent uppercut.
Romero on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Romero throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Romero throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smalling lands a jab-cross combination.
Smalling with a jab.
Smalling lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

And that's the end of the fight!
Rob Smalling comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Smalling winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rob Smalling!