PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Federico Manta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicodemo Romero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Manta might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Ultima Corsa by Mondo Marcio. Romero has chosen Lords Of Salem as his entrance music. Federico Manta had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Manta
vs
Romero

177 cm
24
168 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

177 cm
26
160 lbs
13 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conquer

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Federico Manta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Nicodemo Romero!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Yves DeLean and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Romero misses with a hook.
Manta misses the shot to the body.
A head kick misses from Romero.
A combination from Romero does no damage.
Romero throws a head kick but Manta moves out of range.
Romero defending well as Manta loads up on a big left hand.
Romero with a lazy takedown attempt
and Romero takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

It looks like Nicodemo Romero has been cut.
Manta misses with a hook.
Romero swinging wildly here.
Manta misses with a body shot.
Sloppy strikes from Romero. Those never looked like landing.
Romero tries to score with a low kick but Manta moves his leg out of the way.
Manta connects with a nice looking jab.
Romero tries to clinch there but Manta circles away.
Manta connects with a leg kick. Romero looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Romero throws a head kick but Manta moves out of range.
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!
Manta lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A left lands for Manta.
That kick from Manta tenderised Romero's leg. Romero is trying to keep his angry face on.
Romero walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Romero looks to land a body kick but Manta moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Romero, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Manta looks to land a left hand but Romero moved out of range nicely.
Nicodemo Romero seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Good standup being displayed there by Manta as he connects with a hook.
Manta avoids the head kick by Romero.
Manta tries to move into range but Romero moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Romero fails to land with a series of punches.
Manta fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Romero has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Romero lands a two punch combo.
Federico Manta is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Romero needs to keep his hands up - Manta had a free shot at his head there.
Manta misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Romero.
Manta scores with a leg kick.
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!
Romero throws a sloppy head kick
and Manta counters with a nice low kick that buckles Romero's knee momentarily.
Manta throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Romero.
Both fighters circling a little - Manta finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Manta misses with a hook. Romero ducked under it nicely.
Romero throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Romero swats away the attempt to clinch by Manta.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Manta.
Manta misses the jab.
Romero misses with a jab, cross combination.
Manta tried to counter with a leg kick but Romero avoided it.
Manta tries to clinch up.

Romero drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Romero is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Manta's shoulder. That is not cool.
Romero trying to control the action but Manta is working from the bottom.
Manta is letting Romero control him for a moment.
Manta struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manta is not content to let Romero control the position.
Manta is looking to reverse the position.
Manta dodges the ground and pound from Romero.

Romero goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Manta rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Romero's guard! Nice work there by Manta!
Romero trying to control the position here.
Manta controlling from the top position.
Romero wants to sweep but no luck.
Our spies down at at Montreal Fighter's Gym (4.5* Sparring) inform us that Romero has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manta wants to control from the top but Romero keeps moving.
Romero wants to sweep but no luck.
Manta sitting in guard here, content to control.
Manta trying to control the position from guard on top but Romero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Romero controls Manta momentarily but Manta frees himself.

Romero is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Federico Manta will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nicodemo Romero's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Manta works the jab nicely.
Manta lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A clash of legs there as Romero blocks the low kick.
Manta misses with a low kick.
Romero moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Manta throws a body shot but no joy.
A head kick misses from Romero.
Manta throws a front kick aimed at Romero's knee but Romero avoids it well.
Manta cracks a nice hook into Romero's ribs.
Romero uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Manta.
Manta uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Romero has time to react.
Romero misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Romero has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Manta.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Romero explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Romero throws a lazy head kick
letting Manta counter with a right hand.
Manta scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Romero keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Manta.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circle momentarily. Romero darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Manta is looking to slow Romero down with leg kicks.
Manta ducks right into an uppercut from Romero.
Romero misses with a head kick.
Manta slips a jab and a cross from Romero.
Romero blocks a head kick by Manta.
Romero tries a head kick but it misses.
Federico Manta is winning the standup battle so far.
Manta showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Romero.
Manta throws a jab when Romero was well out of range.
Romero tries to clinch up but Manta circles away and keeps his distance.
Manta connects with a body shot that sends Romero's belly button to the back.
Manta throws a combination. Romero tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Manta chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Romero tries a head kick but it misses.
Romero on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Manta throws out a leg kick but Romero moves out of range and Manta only half commits.
Romero throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Romero throws a head kick that misses
and Manta counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nicodemo Romero is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romero has a takedown stuffed.
Manta jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Romero wants to clinch up but Manta keeps it at a distance.
Manta jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Manta lands a jab.
Romero keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Manta.
Romero on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Romero's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Romero throws a sloppy head kick and Manta moves out of range easily.
Romero is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice cross by Romero.
Some wild striking there from Romero.
Manta avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Manta swings for the body but Romero moves out of range.
As Manta backs off Romero throws a huge counter combo but Manta manages to avoid it all.
Manta throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Romero throws a nice looking combination but Manta bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Manta fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Romero manages to avoid it.
Manta lands a nice looking body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manta throws a body shot but no joy.
Manta scores with a nice strike.
Manta lands a nice shot to the body.
Romero misses with the combination.
Romero is breathing heavily.
Romero lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Romero takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That has opened up Nicodemo Romero's cut even more.
Manta throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Manta misses the shot to the body.
Romero gets cracked there but stands up to it.
No joy there for Romero, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Crunch! Manta slams his shin into Romero's torso.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Manta throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Romero clinches.
Manta misses with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Manta.
Manta with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Romero is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romero has a couple of punches blocked by Manta.
Romero is still on wobbly legs! Can Manta finish him?
Manta tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A hook to the body from Manta.
Romero seems to have recovered his senses.
Romero tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Romero is trying to drag Manta to the mat but Manta just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Federico Manta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nicodemo Romero.
Manta lands with a light punch inside.
Manta lands a shot to the body.
Nice body punch from Manta - that landed with a thud.
Manta lands a left hand that snaps the head of Romero backwards.
Manta lands a nice uppercut.
Manta lands an elbow just above Romero 's eye.
Manta digs a right hand into Romero's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Romero's gas tank.
Manta lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Romero tries to throw a body punch but Manta avoids it by throwing Romero back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Manta throws a head punch that misses.
A shot in the inside from Manta.

The cut above Nicodemo Romero's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Manta unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Romero! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Manta is unloading with more strikes now! Romero drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Federico Manta!
Federico Manta seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.