PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nam Phan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Meyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Meyer has chosen Dead man walking as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Phan
vs
Meyer

168 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nam Phan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Thomas Meyer!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Columbo Gatti and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phan jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Phan attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
A head kick misses from Phan.
Meyer shoots in but Phan avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Phan moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Phan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Meyer shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Meyer is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Meyer is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meyer thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Phan tries to get to full guard but Meyer has control of the leg.
Phan is trying to control but can't.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Thomas Meyer hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
A head kick misses from Phan.

Meyer changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Phan looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Meyer stands up.
Phan shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Meyer blocks a low kick nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Meyer as Phan shoots in.
Meyer will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
No joy there for Phan, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Phan throws a series of punches but Meyer moves out of range.
Meyer avoids a kick to the body.
Phan misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
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!
Phan slaps away a takedown attempt from Meyer, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Nam Phan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Meyer.
Meyer dodges the punch combination from Phan.
Phan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Phan is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phan shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Meyer eats them both and turns towards Phan to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Meyer drives through with a takedown into guard.
Meyer trying to stand up but can't free himself from Phan's guard.
Meyer tries to free his leg and advance position but Phan is retaining full guard.
Meyer throwing strikes from guard but Phan blocks nicely.
Meyer wanted to stand there but Phan had control of the position.
Meyer pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Phan is keeping the position for now.
Phan being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phan keeping moving, preventing Meyer from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Thomas Meyer was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Phan throws a leg kick but Meyer sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Phan finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Meyer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Phan misses with a few strikes there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Phan swinging wildly here.
Meyer lands a nice looking body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Meyer dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Phan throws a left and a right that both miss
and Meyer counters with a three punch combo that has Phan backing up. Phan nods at Meyer to acknowledge the strikes.
Meyer shoots in for a takedown but Phan shows good takedown defense.
Meyer shoots in but Phan avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Phan throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Meyer closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Phan quickly recovers to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Phan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Phan is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Phan controls Meyer momentarily but Meyer frees himself.
Phan might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Meyer trying to control the position from guard on top but Phan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phan controls Meyer momentarily but Meyer frees himself.
Meyer must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Meyer controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Nam Phan.
Phan looks to land a combination but Meyer avoids it well.
A nice combination there by Phan.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Phan.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Meyer fails with a takedown attempt.
Nam Phan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Meyer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phan throws a head kick that misses.
Meyer shoots in but no luck this time.
Phan lands the left hand.
Phan misses with a series of wild punches.
Phan throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Meyer counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Meyer.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Meyer stays in close to Phan's body and controls the position.
Phan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Meyer is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Meyer controls the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Thomas Meyer wasn't active enough on the ground.

Meyer closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Meyer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Phan keeps working.

Meyer is working for a kimura but Phan is defending it quite comfortably.
Meyer thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Phan's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer trying to control the pace.

Meyer is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Phan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Meyer.
Phan tries to roll over but Meyer keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Meyer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Meyer moves into the clinch successfully.

Meyer pulls guard effortlessly.
Meyer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Meyer has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Phan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Phan trying to stand up but can't free himself from Meyer's guard.
Phan trying to control but Meyer is working from the bottom.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Meyer is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Meyer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Phan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Phan with a nice cross.

Meyer clinches up against the cage.
Meyer content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Meyer continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

Meyer manages to break the clinch.
Meyer checks the leg kick nicely there.
Phan looks to land a body kick but Meyer moved away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Phan.
Meyer tries to clinch up.
Meyer shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Phan pinned against the cage. Phan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Meyer takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Meyer dodges the punch combination from Phan.
Phan connects with a body shot that sends Meyer's belly button to the back.
Meyer looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nam Phan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Meyer.
Phan fails to land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Meyer counters with a single leg into guard. Phan didn't expect that.
Phan wants to stand up but Meyer is controlling him.
Meyer postures up.
Meyer sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Meyer looking to pass the guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Phan throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Phan misses

and Meyer counters with a single leg into guard. Phan didn't expect that.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Meyer trying to control but Phan is working from the bottom.
Meyer controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Phan is trying to keep Meyer in close.
Meyer trying to control but Phan is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Thomas Meyer.
Meyer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nam Phan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thomas Meyer is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Phan avoids the body shot from Meyer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Meyer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Meyer 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Meyer!
After the fight, Thomas Meyer was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.