PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Diego Mercado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lasko Eratore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mercado comes to the cage accompanied by CKY - Flesh Into Gear. 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.

Mercado
vs
Eratore

177 cm
24
283 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

190 cm
26
286 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Global Nutritional - ACME - (Q157 for $50)

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Diego Mercado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lasko Eratore!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Gregory Folan and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Eratore lands a really nice looking cross but Mercado seems unphased.
Eratore avoids the body shot from Mercado.

Oh, that's a big right hand from Mercado and Eratore goes tumbling to the canvas! Mercado follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.

It looks like Lasko Eratore has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Eratore slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mercado wants to control from the top but Eratore keeps moving.
Mercado seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Mercado has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Diego Mercado just wasn't active enough.
Eratore tries for a takedown but Mercado sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Eratore lands a high kick to the side of Mercado's head that stuns him and send him tumbling down to the canvas! Eratore dives into guard, looking to finish.

It looks like Diego Mercado has been cut.
Eratore won't allow Mercado to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eratore controls from within his opponent's guard.
Mercado keeping moving, preventing Eratore from controlling successfully.
Eratore prevents Mercado from getting back to his feet.
Eratore trying to control the position from guard on top but Mercado is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Lasko Eratore.
Mercado takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Mercado is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mercado on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Eratore.

Eratore tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Eratore has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Eratore wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Mercado, who protects the arm well.
Mercado is not content to let Eratore control the position.
Mercado stops Eratore from passing to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Eratore is looking to take a break and control but Mercado is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Eratore is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mercado knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Eratore is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mercado knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Mercado is not content to let Eratore control the position.

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.
Mercado wants to get back to his feet.

Eratore is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Mercado knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Eratore just content to control the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Eratore thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lasko Eratore dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mercado fails with the takedown

and Eratore counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Eratore.
Mercado keeping moving, preventing Eratore from controlling successfully.
Eratore content to stall in guard here.
Mercado might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Mercado pushes Eratore off and scrambles back to his feet.
Eratore with a poor takedown

and Mercado counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Eratore is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Eratore wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Eratore is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Eratore uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Lasko Eratore seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Eratore misses with a body shot.
Eratore shoots and misses

and Mercado counters with a takedown into side control.
Mercado just content to control the position.
Eratore can't do much from the bottom here.
Mercado staying calm.
Mercado working away.
Diego Mercado overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

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

and Mercado counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mercado.
Diego Mercado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lasko Eratore.
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!
Mercado seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Eratore looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mercado tries to free his leg and advance position but Eratore is retaining full guard.

Mercado avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mercado stays in close to Eratore's body and controls the position.
Mercado passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercado performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Eratore wants to get back to his feet.
Eratore is looking to improve his position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Eratore wants to control but Mercado is keeping busy.
Mercado is controlling the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Diego Mercado just wasn't active enough.
Mercado lands an overhand right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eratore waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mercado.
Eratore shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mercado cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That has opened up Lasko Eratore's cut even more.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Eratore shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Eratore is countered with a crisp right hand from Mercado that sends him to the canvas! Mercado follows him to the mat into side control.

Mercado decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Eratore shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mercado counters with a stiff right hand.

The cut above Lasko Eratore's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Mercado is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Eratore's half guard.
Mercado performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Mercado dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Eratore shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mercado counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mercado.
Eratore not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Mercado is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Eratore controls Mercado momentarily but Mercado frees himself.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

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

and Mercado counters with a takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Eratore is looking for a sweep.
Mercado is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Eratore is trying to control Mercado's posture but Mercado avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado controlling from side mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Eratore struggling a bit here.
You can see the frustration on Eratore's face as Mercado controls the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Eratore with a poor takedown

and Mercado counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Diego Mercado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lasko Eratore.
Mercado takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Eratore is refusing to be controlled, as Mercado sits in half guard.
Mercado is pressing down on Eratore's thigh, looking to free his foot. Eratore is holding on for now.
Eratore is trying to stand.
Mercado not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Mercado seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Eratore for as long as he can get away with.

Diego Mercado has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Eratore scoring well with a low kick there.
Eratore looks to land a combination but Mercado avoids it well.
Mercado tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Eratore swivels and escapes.
A punch combination from Eratore misses.
Eratore misses with a wild body shot.
Mercado takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Mercado pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mercado avoids the body shot from Eratore.
Eratore throws a nice looking combination but Mercado bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercado throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Mercado scores with a nice right hand.
Eratore shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mercado counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Eratore!
Mercado can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Eratore is looking to escape.
Mercado sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Mercado can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Eratore is looking to escape.
Eratore regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercado prevents Eratore from improving his position.
Mercado is trying to control. Eratore wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Eratore is trying to maintain the position but Mercado is very close to passing his half guard.
Mercado is controlling the pace.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

We're going to have a standup here because Diego Mercado wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Mercado slips a straight right by Eratore.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Mercado showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mercado has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Diego Mercado!