PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mark Merel (ranked 576 p4p, 675 weight class) and Big Guns (ranked 77 p4p, 88 weight class). Big Guns has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Merel
vs
Guns

191 cm
34
190
14 - 5 - 1

180 cm
41
192
34 - 29 - 2

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Urban Fighter

Altitude Clothing

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 14 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Merel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 29 - 2, fighting out of London, Big Guns!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Richard Clark and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merel scores with a jab.
Merel missing with a left hand there. Guns was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Merel lands with a cross.
Merel with a poor takedown
and Guns counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Guns slips under a jab.
Guns tries a quick counter leg kick but Merel is wise to it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Merel is defended easily by Guns.
Merel jabs at Guns's body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Guns cracks a nice hook into Merel's ribs.
Merel lands with an overhand left.
Merel throws a body punch but Guns moves out of range.
Merel's corner calls for a 1-2. Merel obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guns takes one to the side of the head.
Guns fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Merel looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Merel defending well as Guns loads up on a big left hand.
Merel throwing a counter right hand but Guns manages to avoid it.
Guns throws the kick towards the body but Merel avoids it.
Merel blocks a head kick by Guns.
Merel feinted with a counter takedown.

Merel feints and as Guns raises his hands in defense, Merel changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Merel postures up.
Merel in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Merel wants to control from the top but Guns keeps moving.
Merel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Guns throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Merel is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Guns throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Guns looking to hit a scissor sweep but Merel is one step ahead there.
Guns is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Merel jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Merel lands with a right hand.
Merel connects with a good right hand that stumbles Guns. Guns circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Guns keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Merel.
Mark Merel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Guns staying out of range there.
Guns looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Merel with a hook.
Guns misses the shot to the body.
Merel is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Merel gets a takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Guns won't allow Merel to pass to mount.
Merel will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Merel is thwarting Guns's attempts to control the position.
We've been hearing that Merel has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

Merel is working for a submission of some sort.
Merel stalling away here and it's allowed Guns to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Guns working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Merel.
Guns trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Guns has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Guns controls Merel momentarily but Merel frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Guns throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Our spies down at at Jed's Gym inform us that Guns has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Guns is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Merel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Guns is keeping the position for now.
Merel working some strikes from top position.
Merel lands a couple of elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Merel is in close to Guns's body, working some short punches and elbows.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Guns is on top in guard.

Guns trying to control but Merel is working from the bottom.
Merel trying to keep a closed guard but Guns is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Merel dominated that round.
That's time! Merel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Guns tries to move into range but Merel moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Merel swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Guns.
Merel shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Guns as he jumps to the side.
The crowd cheers as Merel lands an impressive looking overhand right. Guns doesn't seem phased though.
Merel connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Guns keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Merel.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merel misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Guns.
Guns uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Merel.
A little jabbing left from Guns on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Guns looks to throw the jab but Merel is out of range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Guns. That's going to slow Merel down.
Big Guns is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guns throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

It looks like Mark Merel has been cut.
Merel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Guns can do to turn this around?
Merel connects with a right hand. Guns shakes it off.
Merel looks to score with a jab to the body but Guns is just out of range.
Merel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Merel ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Merel slips under a jab.
Merel was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Horrible takedown attempt by Merel or perhaps it was just good defense by Guns, which made it look bad.
Merel is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Merel throws a jab when Guns was well out of range.
Mark Merel is winning the standup battle so far.
Guns tries to land a body kick
and Merel counters with a stiff right hand.
Nice uppercut lands for Merel. That snapped Guns's head back.
Guns throws a sloppy body shot
and Merel connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Merel connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Guns momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Merel ducks under a wild hook from Guns.
Merel shoots for a takedown but Guns saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Merel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Guns ducks under a wild hook from Merel.
Merel lands with a cross.
Merel with a poor takedown
and Guns counters with a thumping low kick.
Merel with a poor takedown
and Guns counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Guns gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Merel.
Merel shoots and misses
and Guns cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Guns moves into the clinch.

Guns breaks from the clinch.
Merel uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Guns.
Nice defenses there by Guns.
Merel is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Guns.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Merel dives in and scores a takedown into Guns's guard.

Guns has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Merel can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Guns trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Merel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Merel trying to control but Guns is working from the bottom.
Merel is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Guns is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Merel chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merel throws a strike but Guns rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Merel looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Guns postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Guns throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Merel works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Merel has his foot on Guns's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Guns works his way back into a safe position though.

Merel is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Guns working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Guns thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Merel throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mark Merel will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mark Merel's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A swing and a miss from Merel.
Guns throws a head kick but Merel moves out of range.

Merel shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Merel was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Guns is trying to improve his position.
Mark Merel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Guns gets back to half guard.
Guns trying to control but Merel postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Guns is looking for a sweep. Merel is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Guns is concentrating on defense, preventing Merel from advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Guns wants to get back to full guard.
Merel wants to control but Guns is keeping him busy.
Guns wants to improve his position but Merel is controlling well.
Merel stalling.
Merel's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Merel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Guns's head.
Guns tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

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.
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.
Merel throws an overhand right that lands on Guns's shoulder, as Guns tries to avoid the shot.
Merel is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Merel's corner calls for a 1-2. Merel obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Guns misses with a lunging right hand
and Merel counters with a series of strikes. Guns will be more careful next time no doubt.
Merel shoots in and drives through. Guns sprawls well.
Guns tries to clinch up.
Merel throwing a counter right hand but Guns manages to avoid it.
Guns misses with a leg kick

and Merel counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Guns!
Guns tries to improve position but can't.
Guns can't do much from the bottom here.
Merel gets to mount! Guns was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merel sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Guns is trying to escape the mount.
Guns wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Guns manages to reverse the position and now he's in Merel's guard. Nice work there by Guns.
Guns landing some decent shots from guard.

Merel is looking for a triangle but Guns pushes his legs off easily.
Big Guns has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Merel escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Guns gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Merel keeping moving, preventing Guns from controlling successfully.
Merel is trying to control the position but Guns postures up.

Merel working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Guns doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Guns manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Guns in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Guns is looking to work some ground and pound but Merel has wrist control.
Guns throws a strike but Merel rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Merel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Merel, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Merel!
After winning the bout, Mark Merel thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.