PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Toke Axelsen (ranked 1480 p4p, 1319 weight class) and Muenster Romano (ranked 201 p4p, 174 weight class). Axelsen kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Slipknot - The Virus of Life. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Axelsen
vs
Romano

181 cm
24
178
10 - 5 - 2

178 cm
24
174
10 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conviction
Fantasy Threads

Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Toke Axelsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Muenster Romano!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Ben Hemmingworth and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Romano lands a glancing blow to the side of Axelsen's head.
Axelsen scores with a nice strike.
Axelsen attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Axelsen throws a lazy right hand but Romano sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Romano takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Axelsen throws a poor cross that misses
and Romano counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Axelsen seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Axelsen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Romano was well out of range. Poor timing from Axelsen.
Romano throws a hook but Axelsen avoids it easily.
Axelsen ducks under a wild hook from Romano.
Axelsen works Romano's body with a nice hook.
Axelsen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Axelsen tried to score with a low kick but Romano checks it.
Axelsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Romano jabbing away but nothing is landing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Romano clinches.
Axelsen wants to get back to striking at distance but Romano won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Axelsen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Axelsen can't find room to land a body shot as Romano controls the action.
Axelsen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Romano has a couple of punches blocked by Axelsen.
Romano misses with the head strike.
Axelsen lands a right hand.
Romano tries to throw a body punch but Axelsen avoids it by throwing Romano back against the cage.

Axelsen breaks from the clinch.
Axelsen throws out a powerful jab.
Axelsen lands a body shot.
Sloppy strikes from Axelsen. Those never looked like landing.
Axelsen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Axelsen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Romano on the side of the head.
Romano misses with a right hand
and Axelsen counters with a leg kick.
Romano throws a body shot but no joy.
Axelsen throws a lazy body kick
and Romano counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Romano misses the body punch
and Axelsen counters with a nice uppercut.
Romano uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Axelsen.
Axelsen throws a big shot that misses.
Axelsen misses with a wild body shot.
Romano is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Axelsen with a body shot.
Axelsen scores with a hook.
Axelsen bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Romano's head backwards.
A big right from Romano misses.

Romano clinches up against the cage.
Romano misses with the head strike.
Axelsen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Romano backwards.

Axelsen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Romano lands a head shot.
Axelsen lands a really nice looking cross but Romano seems unphased.
Axelsen feints and then cracks Romano's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Romano down.
Axelsen misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romano takes a kick to the side of the head.
Axelsen moves into range and connects with a jab.
Axelsen digs a good hook to Romano's body.
Axelsen tries a head kick but it misses.
Romano tries to clinch but Axelsen is having none of it.
Axelsen throws a body punch but Romano moves out of range.
Toke Axelsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A slow jab from Romano misses its intended target.
Axelsen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Romano takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Axelsen keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Romano.
Romano slips a jab from Axelsen.
Axelsen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Axelsen lands a right hook to the body.
Romano checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Axelsen pushes Romano away with a front kick.
Axelsen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Romano sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Romano let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

Romano closes the distance and clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Axelsen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice uppercut lands for Romano. That snapped Axelsen's head back.
Axelsen misses the jab.
Axelsen lands a slapping body shot.
Axelsen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Romano.
Romano slips under a jab.
Romano swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Romano throws a jab when Axelsen was well out of range.
Axelsen misses with a hook.
Axelsen throws a right hand that misses
enabling Romano to counter with a crisp jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Axelsen throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Romano counter with a right hand.
Axelsen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Toke Axelsen dominated that round.
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.

Axelsen lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Romano throws a hook but Axelsen avoids it easily.
Romano might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Axelsen misses the body punch
and Romano counters with a nice uppercut.
Romano misses with a hook. Axelsen ducked under it nicely.
Axelsen tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Axelsen moves out of range of the strikes.
Axelsen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A big left from Axelsen misses.
Romano avoids the body shot from Axelsen.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Romano! But no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Romano slips under a jab from Axelsen.
Romano changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A shot to the body from Axelsen misses
and Romano counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Axelsen jabs at Romano's body.
Romano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Axelsen was well out of range. Poor timing from Romano.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romano misses the jab.
Axelsen misses with a body shot
and Romano connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Axelsen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Romano.
Axelsen throws a right hand that misses
and Romano makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Romano bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Romano jabs Axelsen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Romano tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Axelsen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Axelsen swings for the body but Romano moves out of range.
Axelsen throws out a leg kick but Romano moves out of range and Axelsen only half commits.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Romano! But no joy.
Sloppy strikes from Axelsen. Those never looked like landing.
Romano looks to score with a jab to the body but Axelsen is just out of range.
Axelsen throws a right hand that Romano ducks under and follows up with a left that Romano also avoids with ease.
Axelsen ducks under a wild hook from Romano.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Axelsen is looking to score with low kicks.
Romano moves out of range of the strikes.
Axelsen slips under a jab.
Romano jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Axelsen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Axelsen lands a nice looking body shot.
Romano is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Axelsen.
A low kick from Axelsen is predictable there
and Romano counters with a stiff right hand.
Romano throws a body punch but Axelsen moves out of range.
Romano checks a leg kick.
Romano ducks under a wild hook from Axelsen.
Romano 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.
Romano tries to clinch but Axelsen is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romano swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A little feinted left hand from Axelsen on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Romano uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Axelsen.
Romano slips a straight right by Axelsen.
Romano uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Axelsen.
Axelsen darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Romano uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Axelsen.
Axelsen tries to work over Romano's front leg with a kick but Romano checks it.
Axelsen feints and then cracks Romano's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Romano down.
Axelsen gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Romano counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Romano takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Romano misses with an uppercut
and Axelsen counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Romano thinking.
A nice combination there by Axelsen.
Romano checks the leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A left lands for Axelsen.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Romano slips under a jab from Axelsen.
A jab from Romano misses.
Axelsen lands with a shot to the body.
Axelsen misses the shot to the body.
Romano appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Romano takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Axelsen swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Romano counters with a nice uppercut.
Axelsen scores with a jab.
Axelsen looks to throw the jab but Romano is out of range.
Axelsen takes a swing at Romano's ribcage but misses.
Axelsen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Romano can do to turn this around?
Romano gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Romano closes the distance and clinches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Toke Axelsen dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Axelsen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Romano scores with a jab. Axelsen acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Axelsen digs a good hook to Romano's body.
Axelsen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Romano was well out of range. Poor timing from Axelsen.
Romano swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Axelsen takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Axelsen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Axelsen misses with a right hand
and Romano counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Axelsen ducks under a wild hook from Romano.
Romano throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Axelsen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Axelsen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Romano. That did some damage!
Romano checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Romano tries to clinch up but Axelsen circles away and keeps his distance.
A bone on bone clash there as Romano blocks the leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romano takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Jab by Romano.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Axelsen. Romano shrugs it off though.
Romano takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Toke Axelsen is winning the standup battle so far.
Romano lands a nice looking body shot.
Axelsen misses with a low kick as Romano jumps back.
Axelsen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Axelsen scores with a hook.
Axelsen scores with a punch to the head.
Romano checks a leg kick.
Romano connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Axelsen's hands.
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!
Axelsen misses with a body kick.
Axelsen misses the jab.
Muenster Romano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Romano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Axelsen manages to avoid it.
Axelsen scores with a crisp jab that stopped Romano in his tracks.
Axelsen throws a body punch but Romano moves out of range.
Axelsen misses with a leg kick
and Romano counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Romano walks into a jab.
Axelsen takes one on the button.
Romano displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Axelsen throws out the jab.
Romano scores with a nice right hand.
Axelsen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A jab from Romano misses.
Romano has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
The fighters circling - Axelsen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Axelsen avoids the body shot from Romano.
Romano tries to clinch there but Axelsen circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Axelsen misses.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Romano! But no joy.
Romano misses with a looping left.
Axelsen misses with a jab to the body
and Romano makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Axelsen with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Romano takes one to the side of the head.
A lazy left from Romano finds it's target.

Romano moves into range and clinches up with Axelsen.
Romano misses with some punches.
Axelsen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Axelsen misses with the head strike.
Romano throws a punch but it's blocked by Axelsen.
Romano lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Axelsen can't find room to land a body shot as Romano controls the action.

Axelsen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Axelsen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Romano checks it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Axelsen misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Axelsen takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Romano slips under a jab from Axelsen.
Axelsen lands the left hand.
Axelsen swats away the attempt to clinch by Romano.
Romano avoids the head kick by Axelsen.
Axelsen misses the body punch
enabling Romano to counter with a crisp jab.
Axelsen defending well as Romano loads up on a big left hand.
Axelsen misses with a body shot.
Romano let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Axelsen throws an off balance right hand
enabling Romano to counter with a crisp jab.
Romano throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Muenster Romano.
I think Axelsen 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Toke Axelsen!
During a confident post fight interview, Toke Axelsen thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.