PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Edmund Maloney (ranked 22848 p4p, 3081 weight class) and Yoel Romero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maloney comes to the cage accompanied by The Sacred War by Alexandrov Red Army Choir. Edmund Maloney has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Maloney
vs
Romero

225 cm
32
270
5 - 13 - 0

193 cm
26
265
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 13 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Edmund Maloney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yoel Romero!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksandr Martynov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maloney misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Maloney feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Romeros jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Maloney throws a nice looking combination but Romero bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Romero blocks a jab.
Maloney will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Romero fails with a takedown attempt.

Maloney drives through and clinches with Romero against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Maloney escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A left and a right from Maloney both land. Nice combination.
Romero's coach down at Iron Man (Fitness & Sparring) was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Romero's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Maloney lands a lovely overhand right.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maloney fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Romero on the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Romero drives through with a takedown into Maloney's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Romero drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Romero jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Romero drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Romero jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Romero won't allow Maloney to get back to his feet.

Romero thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Maloney wriggles free and stands up.
Romero shoots in looking for a takedown. Maloney tries to sprawl out of it but Romero keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Maloney manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A big right from Maloney misses.
Maloney really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Maloney misses with a wild combination.
Romero looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romero gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Maloney fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Romero, pushing him back against the cage.

Maloney breaks the clinch.
Maloney is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Maloney.
Nice takedown defense from Maloney. No joy for Romero on that attempt.
Edmund Maloney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoel Romero.

Maloney looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Romero!
Romero looks winded!
Maloney scores with punches from side control.
Romero taking a bit of punishment here - Maloney scoring with strikes.
Romero takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maloney scores with punches from side control.
Romero tries to bench press Maloney off him but Maloney keeps the position.
Maloney knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Romero on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maloney working the ground and pound.
Maloney is putting a hurting on Romero here, landing some big shots from side control.
Romero manages to get back to half guard.
Romero slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Romero had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Maloney defends it easily.

Romero looking for a guillotine here but Maloney defends easily.
Maloney is looking to stand up but Romero won't let him.
Maloney loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Maloney tries to stand but Romero is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Romero is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Maloney rolls with it to try and escape but Romero cranks on the arm and Maloney is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:28 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Yoel Romero!
In defeat, Edmund Maloney stepped up to the mic, saying 'My opponent is a cheater!'.