PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Boris Yeltsin Jr (ranked 2063 p4p, 2487 weight class) and Bobby Mercer (ranked 153 p4p, 178 weight class). Mercer has chosen Why Can't We Be Friends by WAR as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Yeltsin Jr
vs
Mercer

174 cm
31
146
15 - 11 - 0

166 cm
34
158
18 - 20 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Heavy handed

Furnace Performance 🔥
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Boris Yeltsin Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bobby Mercer!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shigeki Sano and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mercer connects with a single shot there.

Mercer clinches.
Yeltsin Jr misses with a punch on the inside.
Yeltsin Jr blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
The referee calls for Yeltsin Jr to work.
The referee is keeping an eye on Yeltsin Jr - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Mercer using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Yeltsin Jr has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Yeltsin Jr tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A shot in the inside from Yeltsin Jr.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yeltsin Jr.
Yeltsin Jr manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mercer.
Mercer throws a punch but it's blocked by Yeltsin Jr.
Mercer lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Yeltsin Jr stalling in the clinch.
Mercer lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Yeltsin Jr or not.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Mercer.
Mercer lands a nice uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Mercer.
Yeltsin Jr tries to pull guard but Mercer forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Yeltsin Jr misses with the head strike.
Mercer misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Mercer blocks an uppercut.
Yeltsin Jr jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mercer walks away with a smile on his face. Yeltsin Jr gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mercer displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Yeltsin Jr throws out the jab.
Yeltsin Jr throws a poor cross that misses
and Mercer counters with a left to the body.
Yeltsin Jr takes one to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mercer connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Yeltsin Jr's hands.
Mercer scoring well with a low kick there.

Yeltsin Jr pushes Mercer up against the cage in a clinch.
Yeltsin Jr is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Mercer using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Yeltsin Jr has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Yeltsin Jr blocks a body shot from Mercer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Mercer misses with a punch to the body.
Mercer lands with a left to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Yeltsin Jr.
Yeltsin Jr is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Yeltsin Jr takes a knee to the side of the body.
Mercer fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mercer lands with a left to the head.
Mercer stalling the fight.
Yeltsin Jr tries to pull guard but Mercer forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Boris Yeltsin Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mercer tries to work over Yeltsin Jr's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yeltsin Jr tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Mercer smiles and moves away.
Nice body punch from Mercer.

Yeltsin Jr gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mercer goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Mercer with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Yeltsin Jr slowing the pace effectively.
Yeltsin Jr blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yeltsin Jr misses with some punches.
Yeltsin Jr holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The referee calls for Yeltsin Jr to work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Mercer dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Yeltsin Jr showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mercer.
A right-left combo lands from Yeltsin Jr.

It looks like Bobby Mercer has been cut.

Yeltsin Jr fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mercer, pushing him back against the cage.
Yeltsin Jr tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Mercer misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mercer goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Mercer scores with a hook to the body.
Mercer throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Yeltsin Jrs head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mercer tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Yeltsin Jr's elbow.
A head punch on the inside from Yeltsin Jr fails to land.
Yeltsin Jr is struggling to control the position.
Mercer misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Mercer.
Yeltsin Jr stalling in the clinch.
Yeltsin Jr misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yeltsin Jr throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mercers head.
Yeltsin Jr jumps guard but Mercer stands there with Yeltsin Jr around his waist. Yeltsin Jr gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Yeltsin Jr has a couple of punches blocked by Mercer.
Mercer lands a left hand.
Mercer throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mercer misses with a body punch.
Yeltsin Jr blocks a body shot from Mercer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Mercer scores with a shot to the side of Yeltsin Jr's head.
Mercer misses with some punches.
Mercer swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Yeltsin Jr fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short right from Mercer.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Mercer landing knees to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yeltsin Jr misses with a punch on the inside.
Yeltsin Jr taking a breather.
Mercer goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yeltsin Jr blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Yeltsin Jr is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Mercer misses with a punch on the inside.
Mercer lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Bobby Mercer seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Mercer throws a punch but it's blocked by Yeltsin Jr.
Yeltsin Jr has Mercer pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Yeltsin Jr - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Yeltsin Jr is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mercer to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Boris Yeltsin Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yeltsin Jr misses with a punch on the inside.
Mercer lands with a short shot to the head.

Yeltsin Jr is rocked!
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Oh Yeltsin Jr is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Stalling in the clinch from Yeltsin Jr.
Yeltsin Jr seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Yeltsin Jr leaning against his opponent.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Yeltsin Jr for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Yeltsin Jr seems to have got his legs back now.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Boris Yeltsin Jr.
Yeltsin Jr throws a hook to the side of Mercer's head but Mercer sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yeltsin Jr blocks a jab.
Yeltsin Jr takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Mercer ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Yeltsin Jr moves away.
Mercer misses the shot to the body.
Bobby Mercer seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mercer takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Mercer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bobby Mercer's cut.
That's time! Yeltsin Jr's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Yeltsin Jr throws a quick inside leg kick.
Boris Yeltsin Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Yeltsin Jr clinches up against the cage.
Mercer tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Yeltsin Jr taking a breather.
Yeltsin Jr lands a right hand.
Mercer working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Mercer fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Yeltsin Jr.
Mercer tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mercer tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Yeltsin Jr misses with the head strike.
Mercer tries to work over Yeltsin Jr's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Mercer lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yeltsin Jr misses with some punches.
Yeltsin Jr tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch on the inside from Yeltsin Jr fails to land.
Mercer has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mercer tries to land a knee to the head but Yeltsin Jr blocks with his arms.
Mercer being controlled against the cage.
Yeltsin Jr is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Yeltsin Jr dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Yeltsin Jr.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yeltsin Jr fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The referee calls for Yeltsin Jr to work.
Mercer tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Yeltsin Jr's elbow.
Yeltsin Jr takes a knee right on the jaw!
Yeltsin Jr is looking to control Mercer's arms but Mercer gets an underhook and turns him. Now Yeltsin Jr has his back to the cage.
Yeltsin Jr misses with some punches.
Yeltsin Jr is trying to stall.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Boris Yeltsin Jr.
Mercer scores with a hook.

Yeltsin Jr instigates a clinch.
Mercer goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yeltsin Jr is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mercer to keep the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mercer doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mercer misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mercer with a knee to the head.
Yeltsin Jr swings wildly with an uppercut but Mercer uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mercer throws a head punch that misses.
Yeltsin Jr working aggressively here.
Mercer lands a body shot in the clinch.
Yeltsin Jr lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Mercer lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Yeltsin Jr or not.
Yeltsin Jr wants to stall.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Mercer obliges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercer trying to control the position but instead, Yeltsin Jr has worked for underhooks and has pushed Mercer into the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mercer.
Mercer fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Yeltsin Jr throws a head punch that misses.

Yeltsin Jr pulls guard successfully.
Mercer is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bobby Mercer.
Well Mercer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bobby Mercer!
Post fight, Bobby Mercer took to the microphone: 'I love training, and I love coming here and performing in front of all of you. I really don't know how many more I'll be doing. But let's have some fun these next couple fights! I'm addicted to getting my ass kicked and I need my fix!'.