PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcel Romanow (ranked 3080 p4p, 2588 weight class) and Gabriel Havran (ranked 356 p4p, 313 weight class). Gabriel Havran will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Romanow
vs
Havran

175 cm
24
247
3 - 5 - 0

194 cm
23
255
7 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Marcel Romanow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gabriel Havran!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Aafke Stam and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Romanow waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Havran.
Romanow just misses with a punch to the body.
Romanow throws the left hand but Havran avoids the punch easily.
Romanow throws a hook but Havran avoids it easily.
Havran misses with the combination.
Romanow feinted with a counter takedown.
Romanow throws a big shot that misses.
Havran throws the left hand but Romanow avoids the punch easily.
Havran takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

It looks like Gabriel Havran has been cut.
Romanow throws a looping overhand right but Havran ducks down to avoid it.
Havran is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Havran throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Romanow attempts a counter takedown but Havran avoids it well and moves away.
Romanow throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Havran swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romanow takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Havran ducks under a wild hook from Romanow.
Havran swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Romanow throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Havran misses with a two punch combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Havran tests Romanow's chin there with a solid looking shot.

It looks like Marcel Romanow has been cut.
Havran looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Havran misses the shot to the body.
Havran looks to throw the jab but Romanow is out of range.
Havran moves to clinch but Romanow breaks away

and Romanow decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Havran's guard.
Romanow won't allow Havran to get back to his feet.
Havran utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Romanow stops Havran from standing up.
Havran keeping moving, preventing Romanow from controlling successfully.
Romanow in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Romanow loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Havran wants to stand up but Romanow is controlling him.
Romanow trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romanow throws a lazy right hand but Havran sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fighters circling - Romanow throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Romanow misses with a hook. Havran ducked under it nicely.
A jab from Havran misses.
Havran looks to land a combination but Romanow avoids it well.
Romanow is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Havran's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Havran throws a looping overhand right but Romanow ducks down to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Havran. Romanow does a little dance to reset his feet.
Havran misses with a left hand

and Romanow counters with a takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Havran is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Romanow is looking to take a break and control but Havran is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Romanow tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romanow taking a breather here.
Havran avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Romanow.

Romanow swings around for an armbar but Havran sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Romanow's guard.

Havran got a little sloppy there for a moment and Romanow has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Havran has managed to get both his arms back between Romanow's legs - danger averted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Romanow throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Havran wanted to stand there but Romanow had control of the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Romanow has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Havran can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Romanow might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Romanow throws his legs up looking for a submission but Havran uses it to pass to side control.
Havran wants to stand but Romanow has his arm trapped.
Romanow is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Havran wants to stand up but Romanow has a hold of him and won't allow it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gabriel Havran will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Havran swinging wildly here.
Havran fails to land with a series of punches.
Havran waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Romanow.
Romanow takes a jab right on the kisser.
Romanow just misses with a punch to the body.
Havran throws a jab but it's blocked by Romanow.
Romanow looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Romanow swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Romanow has a takedown stuffed.
Havran missing with a left hand there. Romanow was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Havran throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Havran slips a straight right by Romanow.

Romanow fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Havran to the ground. Romanow is now in Havran's guard.
Havran is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Romanow is controlling him.
Romanow sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romanow working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Havran's head.
Romanow controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Romanow is in close to Havran's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Romanow pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Havran is keeping the position for now.
Romanow trying to control the position from guard on top but Havran is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Romanow stays in close to Havran's body and controls the position.

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.
Romanow postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Romanow is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Romanow drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Havran dives on top into guard.

Romanow is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Havran has his hands clasped together but Romanow extends and breaks Havran's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Romanow.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Marcel Romanow!
An out of breath Marcel Romanow thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.