PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Merlin Phoenix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kidd Brusko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Phoenix comes to the cage accompanied by Simon Says. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Phoenix
vs
Brusko

190 cm
18
278 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
225 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Merlin Phoenix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kidd Brusko!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Damien Edna and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brusko looks for a takedown but Phoenix sprawls well.
Brusko throws a looping overhand right but Phoenix ducks down to avoid it.
Phoenix tries to bum rush Brusko with a series of wild strikes but Brusko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Phoenix attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Phoenix keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Brusko.
Phoenix rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Brusko moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Brusko throws a hook but Phoenix blocks it.
Brusko shoots for a takedown but Phoenix saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Phoenix ducks under a wild hook from Brusko.
Brusko darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Phoenix closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Phoenix tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Brusko has had enough of the clinch but Phoenix keeps him there for the moment.
Phoenix lands an elbow that stopped Brusko in his tracks for a moment.

Phoenix breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Phoenix could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Brusko avoids the head kick by Phoenix.

Brusko closes the distance and clinches.
Phoenix is trying to break free.
Brusko misses with some punches.
Phoenix lands an elbow inside that Brusko shrugs off.
Phoenix struggles to land a body shot inside as Brusko controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Phoenix breaks the clinch.
Brusko thows a left - swing and a miss!
Phoenix throws a series of punches but Brusko moves out of range.
Phoenix fails to land with a series of punches.
Brusko takes a swing at Phoenix's ribcage but misses.
Phoenix lands a nice looking body kick.
Brusko dodges the punch combination from Phoenix.
Phoenix looks to land a combination. Brusko sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Brusko throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Brusko smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Brusko swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Phoenix counters with an outside leg kick.
Phoenix keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Merlin Phoenix has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kidd Brusko.
Brusko misses with a hook
and Phoenix counters with a straight right hand.
Brusko looks gassed!
Brusko on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Phoenix pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Phoenix moves into range and clinches up with Brusko.
Phoenix lands a shot to the body.

Phoenix escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Phoenix lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Brusko at a distance.
Phoenix misses with a double jab
and Phoenix takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phoenix throws a series of punches but Brusko moves out of range.
Phoenix thuds a left hand into Brusko's body.
Phoenix works the jab nicely.
Phoenix rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Brusko moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Phoenix's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Phoenix duly obliges.
Merlin Phoenix is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Brusko throws a left and a right that both miss
and Phoenix counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Phoenix throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Brusko will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Phoenix.
Brusko gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Phoenix counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Brusko thinking.
Phoenix throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Brusko.
Good shot there by Phoenix.
Brusko drops Phoenix with a big left hand and mounts him. Phoenix is in big trouble!

Phoenix is rocked!

It looks like Merlin Phoenix has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Brusko raining down shots from the mount!
Oh Phoenix is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Brusko is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Phoenix can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
A nice elbow there by Brusko.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Phoenix defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Brusko.
Brusko trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Brusko has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Brusko working Phoenix over with strikes here.
Phoenix tries to buck Brusko off but he can't manage it.
Brusko lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Phoenix hang on?
Phoenix wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Phoenix in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Brusko landing strikes from the mount and Phoenix is in trouble!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Brusko breaks from Phoenix's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Brusko in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Brusko.
You get the feeling that Phoenix really doesn't like being in this position too much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Brusko landing shots from mount.
Phoenix wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Phoenix taking shots to the head.
Phoenix squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Brusko unloading with bombs!
Brusko lands a nice shot to the head.
The referee warns Phoenix that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Phoenix is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
A nice elbow there by Brusko.
Phoenix really wants to buck Brusko off and get back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Brusko lands with some strikes.
Phoenix taking shots to the head.
Brusko thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Brusko has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Phoenix's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kidd Brusko dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Merlin Phoenix's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Brusko throws a left and a right that both miss
and Brusko takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Brusko throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Brusko throws a right and a left that Phoenix avoids nicely.
Brusko closes this distance looking for a takedown but Phoenix circles away.
Brusko loads up on a big right hand but Phoenix slips the punch.
No joy there for Brusko, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Brusko misses with a few strikes there.
Brusko is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Brusko shoots in looking for a takedown. Phoenix tries to sprawl out of it but Brusko keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Phoenix manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Phoenix dodges the punch combination from Brusko.
Brusko shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Phoenix pinned against the cage. Phoenix gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Merlin Phoenix has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kidd Brusko.
Brusko throws a hook but Phoenix blocks it.
Brusko looks to land a right hand but Phoenix moved out of range.
Brusko is breathing heavily.
Phoenix blocks a jab.
Nice takedown defense from Phoenix. No joy for Brusko on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brusko misses with a looping right.
Phoenix staying out of range there.
Phoenix staying out of range there.
Brusko shoots for a double leg takedown but Phoenix sprawls well. He's pushed Brusko's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Brusko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Phoenix but Phoenix pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Brusko throws a right and a left that Phoenix avoids nicely.
Brusko looks to score with a jab to the body but Phoenix is just out of range.
Brusko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Brusko looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Brusko might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Brusko rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Phoenix moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Brusko waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Phoenix.
Phoenix keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Some wild striking there from Brusko.
Brusko throws a jab when Phoenix was well out of range.
Brusko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Phoenix but Phoenix pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Brusko throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Horrible takedown by Brusko or perhaps it was just good defense by Phoenix which made him look bad.
Phoenix slips under a jab from Brusko.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Brusko.
Brusko throws a right hand that Phoenix ducks under and follows up with a left that Phoenix also avoids with ease.
Phoenix uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Brusko.
Merlin Phoenix is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Brusko jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Phoenix defending well as Brusko loads up on a big left hand.
A combination from Brusko does no damage.
Phoenix displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Brusko throws out the jab.
Phoenix displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Brusko throws out the jab.
Brusko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Brusko shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Phoenix but Phoenix pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Brusko throws a body punch but Phoenix moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Brusko.
Phoenix seems to have got his legs back now.
Phoenix lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Phoenix looks to land a combination. Brusko sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Phoenix will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brusko takes one to the chin there.
Phoenix buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Phoenix swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Brusko.
Brusko throws a poor cross that misses
and Phoenix cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Brusko misses with a right hand
and Phoenix counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Phoenix misses with a two punch combination.
Merlin Phoenix is winning the standup battle so far.
Brusko throws a right hand that misses

and Phoenix counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Brusko tries to break the clinch but Phoenix is controlling the position.
Phoenix misses with a knee strike.

Phoenix manages to break the clinch.
Phoenix throws a series of punches but Brusko moves out of range.
Phoenix looks to land a combination but Brusko avoids it well.
Brusko keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Kidd Brusko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phoenix lands the left hand.
Phoenix scores with a body shot.
Brusko throws a lazy uppercut
and Phoenix counters with a three punch combo that has Brusko backing up. Brusko nods at Phoenix to acknowledge the strikes.
Phoenix misses with a few strikes there.
Brusko throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Phoenix stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Phoenix bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brusko throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Phoenix holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Phoenix breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Phoenix is looking to clinch.

Brusko tries to keep at a distance but Phoenix has taken the fight into the clinch.
Brusko drops down looking for an ankle pick but Phoenix pulls his leg out and moves away.
Phoenix throws a right and a left that Brusko avoids nicely.
Phoenix misses with a hook.
Brusko clinches but Phoenix breaks the clinch
and Phoenix counters with a nice low kick that buckles Brusko's knee momentarily.
A big right followed by a crushing left from Brusko knocks Phoenix out cold! Ouch - that one's going to be featured in highlight reels for years to come!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Kidd Brusko!