PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nate Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Clay Mercer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Barnes might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be. Nate Barnes has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Barnes
vs
Mercer

185 cm
25
210 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

189 cm
20
219 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Rivers Edge Nutrition (Disciples of Pain)
Rivers Edge Nutrition (Disciples of Pain)

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 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nate Barnes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Clay Mercer!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mercer misses with a hook. Barnes ducked under it nicely.
Mercer dodges the punch combination from Barnes.
Mercer misses with a right hand
and Barnes counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Clay Mercer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A head kick misses from Barnes.
Barnes blocks a low kick nicely.
Barnes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Barnes fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Mercer misses with a low kick as Barnes jumps back.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mercer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mercer throws a solid leg kick but Barnes takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Mercer.
Mercer looks to score with a jab to the body but Barnes is just out of range.
The fighters circling - Mercer throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Barnes swings for the body but Mercer moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Mercer.
Barnes fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Mercer checks it well.
Barnes misses with a wild body shot.
Mercer misses with a series of wild punches.
Barnes scores with a hook to the body. Mercer takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Barnes throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Mercer takes one to the chin there.
Mercer misses with a kick to the body.
Mercer throws a low kick but Barnes avoids it.
Mercer looks to land a combination but Barnes avoids it well.

Barnes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Mercer did well to prevent Barnes getting side control.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Barnes not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barnes wants to advance to full mount but Mercer doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Mercer keeping moving, preventing Barnes from controlling successfully.
Barnes wants to stand but Mercer is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mercer looking to control.
Barnes wants to stand but Mercer has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Mercer is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mercer manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Barnes manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mercer decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Mercer throws a hook but Barnes avoids it easily.
Mercer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Barnes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Barnes throws a hook but Mercer avoids it easily.
Mercer fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Barnes looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Mercer connects with an inside leg kick.
Barnes lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Mercer misses with a low kick.
Barnes misses with a body shot.
Mercer lands a leg kick that knocks Barnes off balance momentarily.
Mercer swinging wildly here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barnes moves out of range of the strikes.
A good leg kick by Mercer.
Mercer throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Barnes gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
A slapping leg kick lands for Mercer.
Mercer scores with a jab to the body.
Mercer cracks Barnes with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

It looks like Nate Barnes has been cut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Mercer checks a leg kick.
Good leg kick by Mercer there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clay Mercer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nate Barnes's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Barnes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mercer moves away.
Barnes throws a leg kick but Mercer sees it coming and moves out of range.
Barnes blocks a low kick nicely.
Barnes throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Mercer has closed the distance and engaged Barnes in a clinch.
Barnes is trying to push Mercer away but Mercer has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A frustrated look appears on Barnes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Barnes being controlled against the cage.
Mercer working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short left from Mercer.
Mercer working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Mercer lands an elbow just above Barnes 's eye.
Barnes prevents a body shot from Mercer.

Barnes manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnes's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Barnes duly obliges.

It looks like Clay Mercer has been cut.
Barnes scores with a one two! Mercer had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Mercer throws a head kick that misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Mercer, right into the meat.
Danga de danga de dang - Mercer scores with a four punch combination!
A big left from Mercer misses.
That kick from Barnes tenderised Mercer's leg. Mercer is trying to keep his angry face on.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Barnes tests Mercer's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Clay Mercer seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Barnes throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Mercer stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Barnes punishes Mercer's body with a nice straight punch.
Mercer throws a right and a left that Barnes avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes throws a leg kick but Mercer sees it coming and moves out of range.
Mercer bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Barnes fails with a takedown attempt.
Barnes tries a head kick but it misses.
Mercer scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Mercer looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Barnes lands a jab-cross combination.
Barnes shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Barnes blocks a head kick by Mercer.
Barnes throws a shot from downtown. Mercer moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer lands a really nice looking cross but Barnes seems unphased.
Barnes is looking to wear down Mercer with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Barnes throws a series of punches but Mercer moves out of range.
Mercer with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Barnes throws a body kick the misses
and Mercer counters with a left to the body.
Mercer connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Nate Barnes's cut is getting worse.
Mercer throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Barnes throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mercer bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Mercer throws a hook but Barnes avoids it easily.
Mercer misses with a hook. Barnes ducked under it nicely.
Barnes throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercer throws a body punch but Barnes moves out of range.
Mercer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Barnes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mercer misses with an uppercut. Barnes saw that one coming.
Mercer ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Barnes moves away.
Mercer looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mercer lands with a nice body punch.
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!
Barnes tries to bum rush Mercer with a series of wild strikes but Mercer uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Barnes moves out of range as Mercer strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mercer fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Barnes looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Barnes on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Mercer ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Clay Mercer will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Barnes takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Mercer moves in looking to clinch but Barnes pushes him off.
Mercer throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Barnes on the side of the head.
Mercer throws a leg kick
and Barnes counters with a one-two to the body.
A good leg kick by Barnes.
Good work by Barnes as he checks the leg kick.
Barnes uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mercer.
Barnes lands with an overhand left.
Barnes lands a body shot.
Barnes doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
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!
Mercer fails in his attempt to clinch.
Barnes walks into a left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercer misses with a two punch combination.
Mercer defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Barnes.
Mercer tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Barnes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mercer just misses with a punch to the body.
Barnes throws an overhand right that lands on Mercer's shoulder, as Mercer tries to avoid the shot.
Mercer throws a nice head kick!
Barnes doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Barnes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Barnes shoots for a double leg takedown but Mercer sprawls well. He's pushed Barnes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mercer feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Barnes's calf.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnes misses with a head kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barnes changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A thudding body kick lands there by Mercer!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mercer scores with a crisp jab that stopped Barnes in his tracks.
Mercer scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Barnes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mercer manages to avoid it.
Barnes lands a nice looking body shot.
Mercer tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barnes was well out of range. Poor timing from Mercer.
Mercer scores with a one two! Barnes had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Barnes throws a leg kick
and Mercer counters with a series of strikes. Barnes will be more careful next time no doubt.
Mercer pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Barnes back to the cage. Mercer follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer feints a jab promting Barnes to slip. Mercer then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Barnes slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

Nate Barnes's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Barnes walks into a left hand.

Barnes is rocked!
Nice body punch from Mercer.
Mercer avoids the head kick by Barnes.
Clay Mercer is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Mercer defending well as Barnes loads up on a big left hand.
Mercer scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Barnes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Barnes tries to work over Mercer's front leg with a kick but Mercer checks it.
Mercer scores with a hook to the body. Barnes takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Barnes looks to score with a jab to the body but Mercer is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercer looks to land a right hand but Barnes moved out of range.
Mercer lands a nice shot to the body.
Mercer rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Barnes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Barnes slips a jab and a cross from Mercer.
Nate Barnes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mercer is looking to score with low kicks.
A head kick by Mercer misses
and Barnes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Barnes scores with a body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mercer lands with a right hand.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mercer looks to score with a jab to the body but Barnes is just out of range.
Good shot there by Mercer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Clay Mercer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Mercer winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Clay Mercer!
Clay Mercer managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Rivers Edge Nutrition (Disciples of Pain), into his post fight interview.