PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Richard Head (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phillip Merki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Head
vs
Merki

177 cm
24
192 lbs
6 - 3 - 1

174 cm
20
202 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 6 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Richard Head!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Phillip Merki!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, George Francis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Head tries to bum rush Merki with a series of wild strikes but Merki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Merki checks a leg kick.
Head misses with an uppercut. Merki saw that one coming.
Head throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Head shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Merki napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Merki is looking to reverse the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Head stands up and beckons Merki to his feet.

Merki 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.
Head bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Merki's guard.
Head trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Head trying to control but Merki is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Head wants to stand but Merki is controlling his posture from full guard.

Merki is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Head has his hands clasped together but Merki extends an breaks Head's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Merki.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Phillip Merki!