PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eddie Mercury (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rozafa Arben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mercury comes into the arena with Shawn Michaels -Sexy Boy blaring out of the sound system. Arben has chosen P.O.D. - The Messenjah as his entrance music. Rozafa Arben will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Mercury
vs
Arben

188 cm
27
215 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

198 cm
20
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Eddie Mercury!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rozafa Arben!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The crowd cheers as Mercury lands an impressive looking overhand right. Arben doesn't seem phased though.

It looks like Rozafa Arben has been cut.
Arben takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Rozafa Arben seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big right from Arben misses.
Arben swinging wildly here.
Arben misses with a body shot.
Arben scores with a jab to the jaw.
Arben scores with a body shot.
Nice straight punches there by Arben. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Arben.
Mercury dives in and grabs Arben's left leg, looking for a takedown. Arben pushes down on Mercury's head and hops out.
Arben misses with a double jab.
Arben throws a body punch but Mercury moves out of range.
Arben throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mercury.
Mercury tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Arben was well out of range. Poor timing from Mercury.
Arben jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A telegraphed right hand from Arben misses the target.
Arben misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mercury.

Mercury darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mercury lands with a punch from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercury throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Mercury throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Arben wants to control but Mercury is keeping busy.
Mercury missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Arben can do anything to dispel that myth.
Mercury throwing shots but Arben is blocking nicely.
Mercury throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Mercury not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mercury throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Arben gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Mercury to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Arben wants to sweep here but Mercury controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercury throwing strikes but missing.
Arben working a defensive guard here.
Mercury advances position into side control!
Arben can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Mercury seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Arben dodges the ground and pound from Mercury.
Arben takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Mercury has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Mercury takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Mercury looks to throw the jab but Arben is out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mercury.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Arben changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Mercury showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Arben.
Mercury attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Arben jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercury misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Mercury. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mercury takes a jab right on the kisser.
Arben looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mercury showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Arben.
Mercury looks to land a right hand but Arben moved out of range.
Nice shot by Arben.
Arben connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Arben fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mercury manages to avoid it.
Arben misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mercury.
Mercury uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Arben.
Decent striking displayed by Arben there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mercury misses with a series of wild punches.
Arben throws a left and a right that both miss
and Mercury counters with a nice leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arben misses with a double jab.
Arben leaves Mercury with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Mercury shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Arben napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Arben is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Mercury dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rozafa Arben's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Arben throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mercury is looking to slow Arben down with leg kicks.
Arben scores with a jab.
Arben scores with the left hand. Mercury knows he should have avoided that one.
Mercury shoots in for a takedown but Arben shows good takedown defense.
Arben throws a good cross that connects.
Arben misses with a few strikes there.
Arben fails to land with a series of punches.
Arben misses with a combination

and Mercury counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arben working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mercury.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mercury stops Arben from standing up.
Mercury loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mercury wants to pass the guard but Arben is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercury stands up over Arben, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mercury 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.
Mercury throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Arben works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Arben avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mercury postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Arben throws a right and a left that both miss.
Arben has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Mercury on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Rozafa Arben seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Arben cracks Mercury with an open hand slap.
Arben lands with a nice body punch.
Mercury throws a chopping leg kick but Arben manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Mercury misses with a takedown attempt - Arben sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mercury has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Arben misses with a wild combination.
Rozafa Arben is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercury tries to land a front kick but Arben steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Mercury shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Arben tries to roll over but Mercury keeps him under control.
Arben blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mercury.
Mercury is taking a breather. Arben says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Mercury moves into full mount! Arben won't be happy about that!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercury sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Arben avoids a strike by Mercury and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Mercury's guard! Fantastic escape!
Arben would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Mercury wants to get back to his feet but Arben is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Arben trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mercury's guard.
Arben slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Arben stands up and beckons Mercury to his feet.
Arben misses with a hook to the body
and Mercury counters with a body kick that stops Arben in his tracks momentarily.
Mercury fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Arben manages to avoid it.
Arben lands a nice looking body shot.
Arben misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mercury.
Arben misses with a shot to the body
and Mercury counters with a series of strikes. Arben will be more careful next time no doubt.
Mercury tries for a takedown but Arben sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Mercury. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Arben ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arben throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mercury sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Mercury 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.
Arben keeping moving, preventing Mercury from controlling successfully.
Mercury postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Mercury dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rozafa Arben's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! 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.

Arben lands a nice shot to the body.
Arben throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Arben throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mercury keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Arben will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Arben throws a combination that misses

and Mercury counters with a single leg into guard. Arben didn't expect that.
Arben avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mercury throwing strikes but missing.
Mercury wants to pass the guard but Arben is keeping the position.
Mercury trying to control the position from guard on top but Arben is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mercury wanted to stand there but Arben had control of the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arben trying to control the position.
Arben preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Arben utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Mercury gets a takedown into half guard.
Mercury wants to take a breather but Arben is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arben is trying to control but can't.
Eddie Mercury overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Arben is trying to get back to full guard.
Arben is staying active underneath Mercury, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mercury thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Mercury thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Mercury is looking to stall here but Arben recovers full guard.
Mercury with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Arben misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mercury.
Mercury misses with a low kick.
Arben tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mercury was well out of range. Poor timing from Arben.
Arben rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mercury moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Arben works Mercury's body with a nice hook.
Arben pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Arben checks a leg kick.
Mercury stalks Arben and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Arben's face. Arben staggers backwards, shaken.
Mercury misses with a low kick.
Mercury fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Arben manages to avoid it.
Mercury misses with a two punch combination.
Arben throws a combination. Mercury tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Arben swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

so Mercury counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mercury looking to pass the guard.
Arben preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercury lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Mercury trying to control but Arben is working from the bottom.
Mercury pushing down on Arben's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Arben blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mercury.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Arben is trying to stand back up but Mercury is controlling him
Mercury throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rozafa Arben has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eddie Mercury is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Arben blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mercury.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eddie Mercury showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mercury, 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eddie Mercury!