PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Roman Bell (ranked 4290 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tain Bo Cuailnge (ranked 23424 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Bell
vs
Bo Cuailnge

170 cm
24
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
20
150 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Roman Bell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Tain Bo Cuailnge!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Glass and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bell shoots in and drives through. Cuailnge sprawls well.
Roman Bell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Bell!
Cuailnge throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bell's waist but Bell gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cuailnge off to one side.

Bell has taken the fight to the clinch.

Bell drags the fight down to the ground.
Bell wants to stand up but Cuailnge is controlling him.
Cuailnge throwing strikes from guard but Bell blocks nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bell keeping moving, preventing Cuailnge from controlling successfully.
Cuailnge is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Cuailnge has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuailnge content to stall in guard here.
Cuailnge wants to pass the guard but Bell is keeping the position.
Cuailnge throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bell works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cuailnge has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bell is proving hard to escape from.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Cuailnge tries for a takedown but Bell sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cuailnge closes the distance and clinches up with Bell, looking for a takedown. Cuailnge pushes Bell against the cage but Bell circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Roman Bell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tain Bo Cuailnge.
Cuailnge misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bell.

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.

Bell is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cuailnge's half guard.
Bell content to control rather than advance.
Bell trying to mount his opponent but Cuailnge defends it.
Cuailnge is holding on to half guard well.
Cuailnge tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cuailnge is trying to get back to full guard.
Cuailnge has his hands clasped together around Bell's back. He's all about the action.
Cuailnge moves into full guard.
Cuailnge throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Bell sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cuailnge tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bell swivels and escapes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cuailnge.

Bell has taken the fight to the clinch.

Bell pulls Cuailnge into guard.
Cuailnge wants to pass the guard but Bell is keeping the position.
Cuailnge is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cuailnge throwing strikes from guard but Bell blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Bell dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bell manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Cuailnge on his heels. He'll look to pass Cuailnge's guard now, I'm sure.

Cuailnge is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Cuailnge goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bell prevents it.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Bell takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Bell is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cuailnge can do to turn this around?
Cuailnge is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bell pulls him back up using the underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A bit of stalling here from Bell.
Bell looking for a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cuailnge is trying to pull guard but Bell turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Roman Bell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tain Bo Cuailnge.

Bell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bell gets a clinch.

Cuailnge ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Cuailnge no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Cuailnge looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Bell has picked Cuailnge up and slammed him! Cuailnge can't keep hold of the triangle and Bell manages to pass to side control!
Bell blocks the strikes from Cuailnge.
Cuailnge struggling a bit here.
Cuailnge tries to bench press Bell off him but Bell keeps the position.
Cuailnge struggling a bit here.
Roman Bell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bell is looking to take a break and control but Cuailnge is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cuailnge tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Bell easily slips into full mount!
Cuailnge takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Bell avoids the attempt from Cuailnge to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Bell can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cuailnge is looking to escape.
Cuailnge is bucking up trying to escape but Bell cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Bell tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bell seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Cuailnge for as long as he can get away with.
Cuailnge wants to control but Bell is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cuailnge might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Bell haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Cuailnge tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Bell has hold of Cuailnge's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Cuailnge manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Bell dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Cuailnge looks for a takedown but Bell sprawls well.
Bell appears to be looking for a big counter.
Cuailnge tries to close the distance and clinch but Bell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Cuailnge pushes Bell up against the cage in a clinch.
Cuailnge goes for a takedown attempt but Bell pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bell shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bell tries to clinch

and Cuailnge counters with a single leg into guard. Bell didn't expect that.

Bell manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cuailnge misses with a knee strike.
Cuailnge is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bell to keep the fight standing.
Roman Bell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tain Bo Cuailnge.
Cuailnge has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bell after a bit of a struggle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cuailnge jumps guard but Bell turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Bell lands a nice knee to the body.

Bell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cuailnge has his takedown stuffed

and Bell holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Bell avoids a wild elbow strike from Cuailnge.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Bell obliges.

Bell lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Bell working the head and body with strikes.
Cuailnge tries to roll over but Bell keeps him under control.

Bell is looking for a kimura but Cuailnge is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bell to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bell stands up and beckons Cuailnge to join him on the feet.
Bell lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cuailnge's sensitive parts.

Bell closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bell has Cuailnge pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Cuailnge manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Cuailnge just leaning against Bell, taking a breather.
Cuailnge jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bell walks away with a smile on his face. Cuailnge gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Bell lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bell bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cuailnge is looking for a sweep.
Cuailnge manages to get back to half guard.
Cuailnge is refusing to be controlled, as Bell sits in half guard.
Cuailnge is trying to get back to full guard.
Bell is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Bell seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell is just content to waste time from the top position. Cuailnge takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Bell controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Cuailnge looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Cuailnge has his hands on Bell's head, controlling the position.
Tain Bo Cuailnge has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Roman Bell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cuailnge thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roman Bell showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Bell has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roman Bell!
Roman Bell seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.