PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Greco Roman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sydney Gartner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Roman
vs
Gartner

176 cm
21
182 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
184 lbs
4 - 1 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Greco Roman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Sydney Gartner!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shirou Masuda and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gartner looks to land a left hand but Roman moved out of range nicely.
Nice defenses there by Gartner.
Gartner just misses with a punch to the body.

Roman tries to sprawl but Gartner drives through with a takedown into half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Gartner throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Roman is looking for a sweep. Gartner is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Roman controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Roman gets back to full guard.
Roman looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Roman wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gartner is looking to work some ground and pound but Roman has wrist control.
Gartner won't allow Roman to sweep him here.
Roman wants to stand and escape but Gartner is having none of it.
Gartner advances to half guard.
Gartner looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Gartner throwing shots but Roman is blocking nicely.
Gartner trying to control the action but Roman is working from the bottom.
Roman is positioning himself well to prevent Gartner advancing to mount.

Roman looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Roman is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gartner's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gartner's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Roman manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Gartner is trying to break free.
Roman cracks Gartner with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Gartner from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
You can see the frustration on Gartner's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Roman scores with punches to the body.
Roman missing with punches from the back.
Gartner is taking damage to the body and head.
Roman looking to hold on to the position here but Gartner rolls and ends up regaining guard.
Gartner looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Roman working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Roman throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gartner works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roman postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gartner is on top in guard.
Gartner prevents Roman from getting back to his feet.
Roman seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Gartner trying to control but Roman is working from the bottom.
Roman trying to control the position here.
Gartner must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Roman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gartner gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Roman managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gartner trying to control the position from guard on top but Roman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gartner shoots in looking for a takedown but Roman manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gartner's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Gartner stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gartner wants it to stay on the feet.
Roman uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gartner.

Gartner throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Roman tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Gartner is in Roman's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Roman keeping moving, preventing Gartner from controlling successfully.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Gartner lands a couple of elbows.
Gartner loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gartner throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Roman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Roman is looking to stand up but Gartner isn't so interested in that idea.

Roman working for a triangle but Gartner defends it easily.
Gartner makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gartner postures up in Roman's guard and throws a big left but Roman blocks it.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Gartner wants to control from the top but Roman keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Roman is on top in guard.
Roman wants to pass the guard but Gartner is keeping the position.
Gartner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Roman is one step ahead there.
Roman throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gartner works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Roman works over Gartner with some ground and pound from guard.
Roman throws a big elbow that misses.
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!
Roman preventing the sweep.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Roman wants to control from the top but Gartner keeps moving.
Roman is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gartner is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Roman tries to free his leg and advance position but Gartner is retaining full guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Gartner is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Roman with a nice head shot there.
Roman content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Roman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gartner 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.
Roman trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Gartner is controlling Roman's posture.
Gartner wants to sweep here but Roman controlling him for the moment.
Roman wants to pass the guard but Gartner is keeping the position.
Roman trying to control but Gartner is working from the bottom.
Gartner looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Roman cracks Gartner with a solid left hand.
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!
Roman wants to pass the guard but Gartner is keeping the position.
Roman working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gartner's head.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Gartner bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Roman's guard.
Gartner loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Roman is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Roman has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Roman working a defensive guard here.
Roman keeping moving, preventing Gartner from controlling successfully.

Roman is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Roman is pulling down on Gartner's head to control his posture.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gartner trying to control but Roman is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Greco Roman 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. This is the final round!

Roman moves out of range as Gartner strikes.
Roman needs to keep his hands up - Gartner had a free shot at his head there.
Gartner throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Roman sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Roman fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gartner avoids it really well and circles away.
Roman swings for the body but Gartner moves out of range.
Roman swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gartner misses with a right hand
and Roman counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roman scores with a shot to the body.
Gartner throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Roman stuffs the takedown attempt from Gartner. Gartner gets slowly back to his feet.
Gartner looks to land a left hand but Roman moved out of range nicely.
A shot to the body from Gartner misses
and Roman counters with a stiff right hand.
Roman stuffs the takedown.
Gartner swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Roman counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Nice strikes from Roman there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Roman working over Gartner with some ground and pound. Gartner looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Roman stalling away here and it's allowed Gartner to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Gartner is trying to keep Roman in close.
Roman missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Gartner can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gartner has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Roman has passed into side control.
Gartner is looking for a sweep.
Roman lands some shots froms side control.
Roman lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Gartner is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Roman in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gartner takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Gartner is trying to improve his position.
Gartner really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Roman. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Roman is working Gartner over with some ground and pound from side control.
Gartner is not content to let Roman control the position.
Gartner is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Roman laying and praying for a moment but Gartner takes advantage and regains half guard.
Roman throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Gartner to regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gartner preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Roman with a flurry of punches that miss.
Roman pushes down on Gartner's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Roman looks to land a strike but Gartner avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Gartner avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gartner keeping moving, preventing Roman from controlling successfully.
Gartner avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Roman wants to pass the guard but Gartner is keeping the position.
Roman is stalling in the full guard.
Roman is pushing down on Gartner's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gartner is fighting to maintain full guard but Roman has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Roman missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gartner is trying to control but can't.
Gartner regains full guard. Nicely done.
Roman throwing strikes from guard but Gartner blocks nicely.
Gartner wants to sweep but no luck.
Greco Roman overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gartner working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Roman.
Roman looking to sit in guard and control but Gartner gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gartner looking to pass the guard.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Roman utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Roman looking to control.
Roman wants to stand and escape but Gartner is having none of it.
Gartner with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Gartner trying to control the position from guard on top but Roman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gartner loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Roman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gartner.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Gartner is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Gartner is looking to work some ground and pound but Roman has wrist control.
Roman is trying to control the position but Gartner postures up.
Gartner throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Roman is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Gartner trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gartner in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gartner trying to control but Roman is working from the bottom.
Roman is looking to stand up but Gartner isn't so interested in that idea.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Gartner shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Roman keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Roman trying to control from the bottom.
Gartner throwing shots but Roman is blocking nicely.
Roman is holding on to half guard well.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Gartner trying to control from Roman's half guard. Roman has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Gartner lands a couple of elbows.
Roman keeping full guard, as Gartner tries to pass.
Roman wants to sweep but no luck.
Roman wants to stand but Gartner is controlling the position.
Roman bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gartner's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Roman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sydney Gartner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Gartner looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
Greco Roman showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Roman 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Greco Roman!
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Greco Roman!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Greco Roman!

Greco Roman wins by unanimous decision!
In his post fight interview, Greco Roman started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.