PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leif Anderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Merit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anderson's entrance music is Black Star Deceiver. A fine choice. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Anderson
vs
Merit

191 cm
19
220 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

192 cm
21
245 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leif Anderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Merit!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksandr Martynov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merit misses with a double jab.
Merit throws a head kick but Anderson moves out of range.
Merit misses with a wild combination.

Merit is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Anderson's half guard.
Merit missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Anderson wants to control but Merit is keeping busy.
Anderson is trying to stand up here but Merit is controlling him well.
Anderson is breathing heavily.
Merit trying to mount his opponent but Anderson defends it.
Merit stops Anderson from getting back to his feet.
Merit thows a huge punch but Anderson dodges it nicely.
Merit scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Merit tries to stand and escape but Anderson is controlling the position.
Merit is thwarting Anderson's attempts to control the position.
Merit tries to stand and escape but Anderson is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Merit tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Anderson.
Anderson is trying to stand.
Anderson won't allow Merit to pass to mount.
Merit missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Anderson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Merit takes the fight into the clinch.
Merit lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Merit manages to break the clinch.
Anderson tries to clinch but Merit moves away

and Merit moves into the clinch.
Merit works on Anderson's body with a couple of short punches.
Anderson goes for a takedown attempt but Merit pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Merit throws a head kick that misses.
Merit misses with a double jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Merit looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Anderson wants to get back to his feet.
Merit not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Merit thows a huge punch but Anderson dodges it nicely.

Merit stands up from half guard.
Merit will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Merit clinches with his opponent.
Anderson looking for a takedown.
Merit wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Anderson has him pressed against the cage.
Anderson misses with a body punch.
Merit tries for a takedown but Anderson manages to get underhooks.

Merit breaks from the clinch.

Merit gets caught flat footed, as Anderson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Anderson preventing the sweep.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Merit can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Anderson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Anderson throws a big right hand that misses.
Anderson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Merit works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Merit really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Anderson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Merit manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Anderson manages to get himself to full guard.
Merit won't allow Anderson to sweep him here.
Anderson trying to keep a closed guard but Merit is proving a slippery customer.
Merit wants to stand but Anderson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Anderson is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Anderson has his feet on Merit's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Merit fails with an attempt to clinch.
Merit doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Anderson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Merit won't be happy with that.
Anderson working the body and head with strikes.

Anderson decides to stand up, so the ref orders Merit to his feet.
Merit shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Anderson as he jumps to the side.
Leif Anderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Merit.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Anderson is defended easily by Merit.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Merit tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Merit shoots for a takedown but Anderson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mike Merit will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Anderson tries to close the distance and clinch but Merit swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Anderson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Merit scores with a nice strike.
Anderson stuffs the takedown.

Anderson gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Merit to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Anderson is pulling down on Merit's head. It's preventing any offense from Merit, at least for the moment.
Anderson working a defensive guard here.
Anderson wants to stand and escape but Merit is having none of it.
Anderson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Anderson working a defensive guard here.
Merit looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson wants to get back to his feet but Merit is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Merit drops back looking for a leg! Anderson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Anderson manages to kick Merit off! Merit jumps back into Anderson's guard.
Anderson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Merit.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Merit slips a jab and a cross from Anderson.
Anderson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Merit shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Anderson pinned against the cage. Anderson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Anderson shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Merit napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderson landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
You can see the frustration on Merit's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Check out the look on Anderson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Merit tries to get back to half guard but can't.
A lull in the action here.
Merit is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Merit is trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Merit keeps working.
Anderson working the head with strikes.
Anderson is looking to take a break and control but Merit is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Anderson has control of an arm but Merit manages to advance to Anderson's back!
Anderson breaks Merit's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Anderson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Merit pushes Anderson off and scrambles back to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Merit.
Leif Anderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Merit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Merit closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Anderson isn't going anywhere.
Anderson wants to control but Merit postures up.
Merit trying to control the action but Anderson is working from the bottom.
Anderson prevents Merit from improving position.
Merit trying to control the action but Anderson is working from the bottom.

Anderson bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mike Merit will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Merit fails to land with a series of punches.
Anderson tries to clinch up.
Merit throws a head kick that misses.
Anderson wants to clinch but Merit slips to the side

and Merit counters with a takedown into side control.
Mike Merit has got the better of the ground game so far.
Anderson is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Merit has just dragged him back down to the mat.
You can see the frustration on Anderson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Anderson tries to improve position but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Anderson wants to control but Merit postures up.

Merit has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Anderson forces Merit back against the cage and clinches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Merit manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Anderson darts in and clinches Merit up against the cage.
Anderson trying to land knees to the body.
Merit leaning against his opponent.
Anderson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Merit tries to break free but Anderson pushes him back against the cage.

Anderson breaks the clinch.

Merit closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Anderson pushes Merit off looking to stand but Merit dives back in and keeps control.
Anderson controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Anderson is pressing down on Merit's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Merit postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Anderson is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Merit prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Merit successfully pulls guard.
Anderson is fighting to break Merit's control of his arms but Merit is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Anderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Merit is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Merit tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Anderson lands a couple of elbows.
Merit avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Anderson wants to pass the guard but Merit is keeping the position.
Anderson trying to control but Merit is working from the bottom.
Leif Anderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merit has momentary wrist control but Anderson slips an elbow through the middle.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Merit throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Anderson.
Anderson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Merit counters with a two punch combo.
Anderson has his takedown stuffed

and Merit counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leif Anderson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Anderson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Merit's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Merit's back!
Anderson scores with strikes from the back.
Anderson lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Merit hold on?!
Merit is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Merit is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merit rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Anderson stands up from half guard.
Anderson tries to clinch up but Merit circles away and keeps his distance.
Merit lands a jab to the head.
Merit tries to land a front kick but Anderson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Anderson scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Anderson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Anderson wants to take a breather but Merit is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Anderson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Merit defending well though.
Merit has hold of Anderson's hands but Anderson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Mike Merit is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Anderson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Merit comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Merit 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Merit!