PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jon Meril (ranked 1168 p4p, 1331 weight class) and Jing Xin Yi (ranked 172 p4p, 190 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Meril
vs
Xin Yi

176 cm
26
155
4 - 0 - 0

178 cm
26
165
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Primal

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jon Meril!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jing Xin Yi!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Santiago Holmes and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meril keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Meril ducks under a wild hook from Xin Yi.
Xin Yi lands a slapping body shot.
Xin Yi staying out of range there.
Meril throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Xin Yi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Meril throws out a loose jab but Xin Yi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Meril throws a body shot but no joy.
Xin Yi avoids the body shot from Meril.
Xin Yi walks into a left hand.
Meril definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Xin Yi scores with a kick to the body.
A left lands for Meril.
Meril lands a glancing blow to the side of Xin Yi's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Xin Yi misses with a body kick.
Meril is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Xin Yi.
Xin Yi lands a body shot.
Xin Yi throws a hook to the side of Meril's head but Meril sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Meril tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Xin Yi manages to circle out of the way.
Meril connects with a nice looking jab.
Meril is looking to clinch but Xin Yi is avoiding it.
A leg kick checked by Meril.
Meril bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Meril fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Xin Yi looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xin Yi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Meril manages to avoid it.
Meril drops his hands momentarily and Xin Yi takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Xin Yi throws the left hand but Meril avoids the punch easily.
A slow jab from Meril misses its intended target.
Meril doesn't manage to clinch there - Xin Yi circles away.
Meril moves out of range of the body kick from Xin Yi.
Xin Yi misses with a straight right.
Xin Yi looks for the body kick but Meril saw that one coming.
Xin Yi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Meril.
A jab from Xin Yi misses.
Meril appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Meril scores with a one two! Xin Yi had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Xin Yi tries to land a front kick but Meril steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Meril instigates a clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Meril.
Meril tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Meril.

Xin Yi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Xin Yi ducks right into an uppercut from Meril.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meril tries to close the distance and clinch up but Xin Yi swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Meril fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Xin Yi, pushing him back against the cage.
Xin Yi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Xin Yi manages to break the clinch.
Meril tries to clinch there but Xin Yi circles away.
Xin Yi takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Meril avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Meril takes a swing at Xin Yi's ribcage but misses.
Meril scores with a jab. Xin Yi acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Xin Yi looks to score with a jab to the body but Meril is just out of range.
A lazy left from Meril finds it's target.
Xin Yi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Meril moves into the clinch.
Meril swings wildly with an uppercut but Xin Yi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Still in the clinch, Meril scores with a nice short uppercut.
Meril struggles to land a body shot inside as Xin Yi controls his hands.
Meril misses with a punch to the body.
Xin Yi is trying to push Meril away but Meril has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meril misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Xin Yi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Meril misses with a looping left.
Xin Yi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Meril lands with a cross.
Meril misses with an uppercut.
Xin Yi swats away the attempt to clinch by Meril.
Xin Yi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Xin Yi throws a hook but Meril avoids it easily.
Meril throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Xin Yi misses with an uppercut. Meril saw that one coming.
Xin Yi's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Meril connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Xin Yi scrambles back to his feet.
Xin Yi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Xin Yi lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Xin Yi throws a half hearted mid kick.

Meril darts in and clinches Xin Yi up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Meril has Xin Yi pressed against the cage, preventing Xin Yi from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xin Yi is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Meril is keeping busy.
Xin Yi working hard to break the clinch.
Meril has Xin Yi pressed against the cage, preventing Xin Yi from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Xin Yi is trying to force a seperation but Meril has the dominant position.
Meril lands with a left to the head.

Xin Yi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Xin Yi misses with an uppercut

and Meril counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Meril.
Xin Yi is trying to push Meril away but Meril has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Xin Yi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Meril tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Xin Yi's elbow.
Meril tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Xin Yi's elbow.
Meril lands with a left to the head.
Meril lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meril working aggressively here.
Xin Yi looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
A head punch on the inside from Meril fails to land.
Xin Yi tries to break free but Meril pushes him back against the cage.

Xin Yi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Xin Yi tries to land a front kick but Meril steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Meril dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Meril moves in looking to clinch but Xin Yi pushes him off.
Jon Meril is winning the standup battle so far.
Meril scores with a jab. Xin Yi acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
A big right from Xin Yi misses.
Xin Yi lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Meril avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Xin Yi throws a shot from downtown. Meril moves away and avoids it.
Xin Yi misses with a looping left.
Meril ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A jab from Meril misses.
Xin Yi missing with a left hand there. Meril was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A big left from Xin Yi misses.
Xin Yi throws a push kick but Meril slaps the foot to one side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xin Yi misses with a hook. Meril ducked under it nicely.
Meril tries to counter by clinching up but Xin Yi breaks away and moves out of range.
Nice uppercut there from Meril.
Meril throws a combination. Xin Yi tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

It looks like Jing Xin Yi has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Xin Yi avoids the body shot from Meril.
Meril keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Meril tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meril avoids the head kick by Xin Yi.
Xin Yi misses with a head kick.
Meril tries to close the distance and clinch but Xin Yi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Xin Yi lands a body shot.
Meril fails with an attempt to clinch.
Xin Yi connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Xin Yi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Meril fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Xin Yi, pushing him back against the cage.
Xin Yi is trying to force a seperation but Meril has the dominant position.
Xin Yi wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Meril swings wildly with an uppercut but Xin Yi uses good head movement to avoid it.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Xin Yi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Xin Yi takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Meril rushes Xin Yi and presses him up against the cage.
Xin Yi wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Meril has him pressed against the cage.

Xin Yi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Xin Yi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Meril was well out of range. Poor timing from Xin Yi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xin Yi avoids the body shot from Meril.
Xin Yi looks to throw the jab but Meril is out of range.
Meril throws a combination. Xin Yi tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Xin Yi misses with a body kick.
Meril fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Meril scores with a jab. Xin Yi acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Meril throws an overhand right that lands on Xin Yi's shoulder, as Xin Yi tries to avoid the shot.
Xin Yi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Xin Yi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
As Xin Yi tries to get set, Meril tries to push him back and clinch up but Xin Yi manages to avoid the attempt.
A slapping body kick lands there for Xin Yi.
Xin Yi lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Meril moves into the clinch.
Xin Yi stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Meril misses with a punch to the body.

Xin Yi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Meril misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xin Yi throws a push kick but Meril slaps the foot to one side.
The fighters circling - Xin Yi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Meril comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Meril tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Xin Yi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Meril tries to clinch up.
Meril dips to his left and cracks Xin Yi with an uppercut!
Xin Yi misses with a left hand

and Meril holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Meril scores with a shoulder strike.
Meril wants to take the fight to the mat but Xin Yi manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Xin Yi wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Meril tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Good body shot from Meril.
Xin Yi works on Meril's body with a couple of short punches.
Xin Yi can't break the clinch.
Jon Meril has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Good body shot from Xin Yi.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Meril.
Meril is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Xin Yi can do to turn this around?

Xin Yi breaks the clinch.
Meril tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Xin Yi manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xin Yi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Meril connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Xin Yi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Meril blocks a jab.
Xin Yi connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
A big left from Xin Yi misses.
Meril moves out of range as Xin Yi throws a body kick.
Xin Yi throws out a loose jab but Meril uses good head movement to avoid it.
Xin Yi has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Xin Yi slips a jab from Meril.
Meril scores with a shot to the body.
Xin Yi drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Xin Yi misses with a two punch combination.
Meril steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Xin Yi.

Meril moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meril struggles to land a body shot inside as Xin Yi controls his hands.
Meril tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Xin Yi's elbow.
Meril scores with a shoulder strike.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jon Meril will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jing Xin Yi's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Xin Yi takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Meril closes the distance and pushes Xin Yi back into the cage.
Meril misses with the head strike.

Xin Yi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Meril lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Meril.
Meril keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Xin Yi throws an overhand right that lands on Meril's shoulder, as Meril tries to avoid the shot.
Meril misses with an uppercut. Xin Yi saw that one coming.
Meril is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Meril tries to close the distance and clinch but Xin Yi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Xin Yi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Meril.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xin Yi fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Xin Yi misses with an uppercut

and Meril holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Xin Yi tries to break free but Meril pushes him back against the cage.
Xin Yi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Meril tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Meril struggles to land a body shot inside as Xin Yi controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xin Yi blocks a body shot from Meril.
Meril throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Xin Yis head.
Xin Yi is looking to break free of the clinch but Meril has double underhooks.
Meril tries to throw a body punch but Xin Yi avoids it by throwing Meril back against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Xin Yi.

Xin Yi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Meril tries to clinch but Xin Yi moves away
and Xin Yi counters with a stiff right hand.
Meril lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Xin Yi backs up against the cage.
Xin Yi throws a jab when Meril was well out of range.
Meril jabs Xin Yi right on the nose. Xin Yi blinks but takes it well.
Xin Yi keeps the fight on the outside.
A nice side step and Xin Yi releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Xin Yi swats away the attempt to clinch by Meril.
Xin Yi getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Meril scores with a nice head shot.
Xin Yi connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Meril's hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Xin Yi lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Xin Yi thows a left - swing and a miss!
Meril wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Xin Yi swats away the attempt to clinch by Meril.
Meril tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Xin Yi paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Meril ducks under a wild hook from Xin Yi.
Meril is looking to counter the offense by Xin Yi and move into the clinch.
Meril tries to clinch but Xin Yi is having none of it.
Xin Yi steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Xin Yi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Xin Yi connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Meril ducks under a wild hook from Xin Yi.
Meril uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Xin Yi.

Meril rushes Xin Yi and presses him up against the cage.
Meril keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Xin Yi's efforts to push away.
Xin Yi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Meril goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Meril tries to throw a body punch but Xin Yi avoids it by throwing Meril back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meril fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Meril throws a head punch that misses.
Meril lands a hook that snaps the head of Xin Yi backwards.
A short uppercut from Meril.
Meril throws a head punch that misses.
Xin Yi wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Meril has him pressed against the cage.
Xin Yi has had enough of the clinch but Meril keeps him there for the moment.
Meril prevents a body shot from Xin Yi.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Xin Yi.
Meril prevents a body shot from Xin Yi.
Meril throws a punch but it's blocked by Xin Yi.
Meril has a couple of punches blocked by Xin Yi.
A frustrated look appears on Xin Yi's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Xin Yi.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Xin Yi.
Meril fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Xin Yi blocking some punches.
Xin Yi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Meril.
Nice body punch from Meril - that landed with a thud.

Xin Yi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Meril ducks under a wild hook from Xin Yi.
Meril dips to his left and cracks Xin Yi with an uppercut!
Xin Yi throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A swing and a miss from Xin Yi.
Xin Yi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jon Meril is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Meril works Xin Yi's body with a nice hook.
The fighters circle momentarily. Meril darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Meril on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Good shot there by Xin Yi.
Meril throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Xin Yi counter with a right hand.
Xin Yi misses with an uppercut.
Meril scores with a shot to the body.
Jing Xin Yi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A big left from Xin Yi misses.
Meril lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jon Meril showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Meril, 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jon Meril!