PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Asher Short (ranked 6721 p4p, 2690 weight class) and Curtis Rome (ranked 466 p4p, 265 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Short
vs
Rome

175 cm
21
145
1 - 2 - 0

170 cm
20
150
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

Redemption ink, Hilo
Conquer

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Asher Short!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Curtis Rome!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Damien Edna and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Short misses with a lunging right hand
and Rome counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Short misses with a body shot.
Rome throws a quick inside leg kick.
Nice takedown defense from Short. No joy for Rome on that attempt.
Rome throws a front kick aimed at Short's knee but Short avoids it well.
Short looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rome takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Rome throws a half hearted mid kick.
Short misses with a looping right.
Rome defending well as Short loads up on a big left hand.
Rome drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Short defends it well.
Rome darts in looking for a takedown but Short gets double underhooks and turns Rome into the cage.
Short looks to throw the jab but Rome is out of range.
Short slips under a jab from Rome.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A low kick lands for Rome.
Rome lands a body shot.
Short takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rome turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rome has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Rome throws a low kick but Short avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Short lands a lovely overhand right.
Rome misses with a hook.
Rome wants to slow Short down by chopping away at his legs.
Rome swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Rome decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Short tries to roll over but Rome keeps him under control.
Rome wants to pass the guard but Short is defending well.

Rome is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Short is just riding it out for now. Rome eventually gives up the hold.

Rome is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Short tries to roll over but Rome keeps him under control.
Rome wants to pass to mount but Short is defending the position.
Rome wants to take a breather but Short is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rome frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Rome moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Short has worked his arm free - good work by Short!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rome looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Rome swings around for an armbar but Short sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rome's guard.
Short wants to control from the top but Rome keeps moving.

Rome has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Short can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rome looking for a guillotine here but Short defends easily.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Short avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Rome looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Short has picked Rome up and slammed him! Rome can't keep hold of the triangle and Short manages to pass to side control!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rome can't do much from the bottom here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Curtis Rome dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Short moves into range and connects with a jab.
A leg kick checked by Rome.
Rome looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Short has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rome finds it's way round the side to connect with Short's head.
Rome shoots in but no luck this time.
A jab from Short misses.
Short 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.
Short connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rome wants to slow Short down by chopping away at his legs.
Rome fails with the takedown
and Short counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rome throws a leg kick but Short sees it coming and moves out of range.
Rome lands a lovely overhand right.
Short throws the left hand but Rome avoids the punch easily.
Short thuds a left hand into Rome's body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Short works the jab nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rome throws a body shot but no joy.
Asher Short is winning the standup battle so far.
Short takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Rome throws a solid leg kick but Short takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Rome.
Rome displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Short throws out the jab.
Rome now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Rome tries to land a leg kick but Short saw it coming and moves away.
Short throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rome takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Curtis Rome seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Short scores with a hook.
Rome avoids the body shot from Short.
Short swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rome throws a half hearted mid kick.
Short fires out a quick counter leg kick but Rome just manages to avoid it.
Short throws a lazy right hand but Rome sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rome pushes Short away with a front kick.
Rome connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Short's hands.
Rome slips a straight right by Short.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Short walks into a left hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rome connects with a solid leg kick.
Rome throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A shot to the body from Rome misses
and Short counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rome throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Short just misses with a punch to the body.
Rome fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Asher Short has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Curtis Rome.
Rome darts in trying to clinch
and Short counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Asher Short is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rome buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Short scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Rome misses with a right hand
and Short cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rome throws a hook but Short avoids it easily.
Short misses with an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rome takes a swing at Short's ribcage but misses.
An inside leg kick lands from Rome.
Short misses with a looping right.
Short fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rome has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Rome is looking to chop away at Short's legs.
Rome misses with the body kick
and Short counters with a good low kick that Rome was not able to check.
Rome throws an off balance right hand
and Short counters with a left to the body.

Rome gets a clinch.
Short tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Short working aggressively here.
Short fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rome drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Short gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rome wants a takedown but no success here.
Rome drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Short gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rome tries to score a body lock takedown but Short shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Short cracks Rome with a nice body shot.
Rome blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Rome.
Short presses Rome against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A nice left hand lands by Short.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rome lands with a left to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Short.
Short scores with a nice hook to the head.

Short breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rome throws a left and a right that both miss
and Short counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Short fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rome manages to avoid it.
Rome thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rome scores with a kick to the body.
Rome walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Short checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Short fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rome does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Rome missing with a left hand there. Short was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Asher Short dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Short waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rome.
Rome with a nice calf kick.
Rome throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Rome feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Shorts jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rome moves out of range as Short strikes.
Short swinging wildly here.

Rome shoots in and gets a takedown into Short's guard.
Rome pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Short is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rome advances position into side control!
Rome tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Short is not content to let Rome control the position.
Rome tries to move to full mount but Short actually manages to regain half guard.

Rome is trying to work for a kimura but Short is defending well.
Rome is looking to take a break and control but Short is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Short wants to control but Rome is keeping busy.
Rome trying to control from Short's half guard. Short has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Rome trying to control but Short is working from the bottom.
Short has his hands on Rome's head, controlling the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rome trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
An inside leg kick from Rome misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Short misses the target.
Short throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Short dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Short throws a hook but Rome blocks it.
Short scores with a jab. Rome acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Rome blocks a low kick nicely.
Short fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Rome is out of range.
Short throws an overhand right that lands on Rome's shoulder, as Rome tries to avoid the shot.
Rome throws a leg kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Short blocks a jab.
Short throws a body punch but Rome moves out of range.
Short lands a leg kick that knocks Rome off balance momentarily.
Short is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Rome shoots and misses
and Rome takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Short uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rome has time to react.
Rome lands a leg kick that knocks Short off balance momentarily.
Rome with a nice calf kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Short feints a jab promting Rome to slip. Short then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Rome slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Rome misses with a body shot
and Short counters with a straight right hand.
Rome will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Short loads up on a big right hand but Rome slips the punch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Short lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Rome shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Short lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Short cracks Rome with an open hand slap.

And that's the end of the fight!
Asher Short showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Short 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Asher Short!
In his post fight interview, Asher Short started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.