Ivan Tena tastes defeat for the first time thanks to Roberto Romero
August 20, 2022
Miami, FL– Mexico’s Roberto Romero (5-2-1) gave Ivan Tena (4-1) his first professional loss in the main event of CG 2022 August 19: Romero vs Tena.
Romero defeated Tena by way of split decision.
In the first round, Tena, ranked number five in the featherweight division, landed great combinations, but Romero’s strategy from the start was to work his foes body attacking with heavy shots to rib and liver area. However, Tena refused to go down.
In the second chapter of the fight, Romero, ranked number seven in the featherweight division, again continued to with heavy shots to the body reminiscent to Mike Tyson with his head movement and footwork. However, the Arizonian landed a knee that nearly took Romero down but he survived.
The fast pace of both fighters continued all the way through the third round, where once again Romero continue to work the body. Tena did manage to get some takedowns in the fight, but it wasn’t enough to convince the judges.
In the co-main event, Chile’s Valentina Escobar (2-0) was too much for the debut of Yazmin Najera (1-1) winning by unanimous decision.
Escobar was aggressive right from the start; however, Najera just wouldn’t exchange in the pocket and will back off. In fact, in the second round, Escobar’s corner made it clear that her opponent wasn’t willing to fight and to keep forcing her to throw.
There was a ray of hope in the second round, when Najera was successful with a takedown, but to no benefit.
In the end, Escobar left la jaula with her hand raised.
In a featherweight bout, Landry Ward returned to the win column defeating Carlos “El Lobo” Rivera (14-7). Rivera was deducted two points for placing his toes in la jaula. Ward had two opportunities to finish the fight once in the first round by way of submission and in the second round by way of ground in pound but both chances came with a few seconds left to finish each round.
Rivera called for the fight to go to the ground, but Ward was just not feeding in to that style of fighting.
CG 2022 August 19: Romero vs Tena
Roberto Romero defeated Ivan Tena by way of split decision.
Valentina Escobar defeated Yazmin Najera by way of unanimous decision.
Landry Ward defeated Carlos Rivera by way of unanimous decision.
Jarret Betancourt defeated Rodrigo Garcia by way of unanimous decision.
Andrea Meneses defeated Katie Perez by way of unanimous decision.