PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tom Bean (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoel Romero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Bean
vs
Romero

190 cm
21
189 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

190 cm
23
195 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tom Bean!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Yoel Romero!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Dmitry Maklakov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bean pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Romero feints the counter takedown.
No luck for Romero with that takedown attempt.
Romero tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bean paws at him with a jab and circles away.
It looked like Bean was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Left hook, right uppercut from Bean.
Bean falls off balance throwing a combination

and Romero counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Romero.
Bean is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Romero dives into side control.
Bean is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Bobby B's Gem that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Romero throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Romero throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Romero misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Romero has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Romero is trying to ground and pound but Bean uses the momentary lack of control by Romero to regain half guard.
Romero not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romero is looking to take a break and control but Bean is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bean keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Romero thows a huge punch but Bean dodges it nicely.
Bean has hold of Romero's hands but Romero slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Bean on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bean tries to get out of the position.
Romero throwing shots but Bean is blocking nicely.
Romero looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Romero trying to control from half guard but Bean is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Romero not doing much here.
Bean is positioning himself well to prevent Romero advancing to mount.
Bean knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Romero on the ground.
Romero winds up and cracks Bean with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Bean is defending against the submission attempts here by Romero.
Romero prevents Bean from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bean trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Bean thows a leg kick but Romero checks it

and Romero counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Bean!
The ground and pound from Romero seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Romero misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Romero trying to control the action but Bean is working from the bottom.
Bean dodges the ground and pound from Romero.
Romero landing strikes.
Bean is not content to let Romero control the position.
Bean managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Romero.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romero lands a decent elbow from side control.
Romero scoring with punches from side control.
Romero in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Bean wants to get back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes there by Romero.
Bean is breathing heavily.
Bean is looking for a sweep.
Romero gets to mount! Bean was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Romero cracks Bean with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bean is bucking up trying to escape but Romero cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Romero can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bean is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoel Romero dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Romero dodges the punch combination from Bean.
Bean throws a combination that misses
and Romero counters with a one-two to the body.
Romero blocks a head kick by Bean.
Bean tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bean throws a lazy head kick

and Romero counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Romero throws a strike but Bean rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Romero has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Bean has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Bean wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Romero tries to pull guard but Bean won't allow it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Bean is fighting off a takedown attempt but Romero is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Bean to the mat. Bean regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Bean utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romero controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Romero throws an elbow that misses. Bean uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Romero's guard. Nice move by Bean!
Romero trying to control the position here.
Romero's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Bean wanted to stand there but Romero had control of the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Romero feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Romero accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Romero throwing strikes but missing.
Bean is trying to keep Romero in close.
Romero's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Romero postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Romero postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Romero working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Nice takedown defense from Bean. No joy for Romero on that attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Romero or perhaps it was just good defense by Bean, which made it look bad.
Tom Bean has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoel Romero.
Romero staying out of range there.
Nice sprawl there from Bean as Romero shoots in.
Bean is looking for a counter combo.
Bean swinging wildly here.
Bean throws the kick towards the body but Romero avoids it.
A clash of legs there as Romero blocks the low kick.
Tom Bean seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Romero drives through and clinches with Bean against the cage.
Romero goes for a takedown attempt but Bean pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bean throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Romero fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bean, pushing him back against the cage.
Romero tries for a takedown but Bean manages to get underhooks.
Bean stops a takedown attempt from Romero.
Bean unloads a knee to the mid-section. Romero lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Bean escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bean looks to land a combination but Romero avoids it well.
Bean misses with a wild combination.
Romero tries to counter with a clinch but Bean shakes him off and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoel Romero showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Nice takedown defense from Bean. No joy for Romero on that attempt.
Romero dodges the punch combination from Bean.

Romero looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Bean tries to kick Romero off in order to stand up. Romero Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Romero scores with a couple of short elbows.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bean manages to work his way to half guard, despite Romero's best efforts.
Bean is looking to control Romero's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Bean avoid being mounted?
Romero has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Romero keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Romero is trying to control the action in half guard but Bean is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bean wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ground and pound from Romero.
Romero is just content to waste time from the top position. Bean takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Romero in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Romero throws a strike but Bean rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Romero uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Bean swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Romero counters with a stiff right hand.
Romero takes a kick to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Romero gets a clinch.
Romero changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bean fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Romero catches Bean with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Bean tries a head kick but it misses.
Romero is looking for the big counter here.
Romero has a takedown stuffed.
Tom Bean has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yoel Romero.
Romero shoots for a takedown but Bean saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
It looked like Bean was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Bean misses with a combination

and Romero counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
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!
Romero stops Bean from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Romero wants to take a breather but Bean is having none of it.
Romero is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Romero frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Romero trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Romero working for a submission but Bean is keeping him at bay.
Romero is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Romero cracks Bean with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Bean is in a horrible position here. Romero smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Bean is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Romero loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Bean scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Romero land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Romero stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Yoel Romero!