PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Merlin Yar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Mulligan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Yar
vs
Mulligan

185 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Merlin Yar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Dan Mulligan!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Sam Margolis and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mulligan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Yar paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Yar scores with a nice head shot.
Mulligan is looking to clinch.

Yar gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Mulligan to score an easy takedown into full guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Yar is looking to stand up but Mulligan isn't so interested in that idea.
Mulligan is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mulligan prevents Yar from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mulligan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mulligan pushing down on Yar's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Mulligan controlling the action here.

Mulligan is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Yar doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Mulligan.
Mulligan frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mulligan trying to control but Yar is having none of it.
Mulligan controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yar is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Mulligan has hold of Yar's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Yar manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yar is trying to stand up.
Mulligan throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mulligan looking to control but Yar is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Mulligan throwing strikes here but Yar is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

Mulligan is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Yar has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Mulligan trying to control but Yar is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Mulligan dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Yar avoids the head kick by Mulligan.

Mulligan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mulligan trying to control from half guard but Yar is working away.
Yar is trying to stand.
Yar won't allow Mulligan to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yar avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mulligan.
Yar is looking to improve his position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Yar wants to get back to his feet.
Mulligan is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Yar!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Yar blocking the ground and pound.
You get the feeling that Yar really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mulligan throws some wild stikes that Yar manages to avoid easily.
Mulligan can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Yar is looking to escape.
Mulligan thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Mulligan controlling his opponent.
Mulligan looking to ground and pound but Yar is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yar wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Mulligan.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yar wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Mulligan.
Yar is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Mulligan is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Yar is surviving well by controlling Mulligan's body position as best he can.
Poor strikes thrown by Mulligan there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Yar holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Mulligan tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Mulligan pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Mulligan looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Mulligan 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!

Mulligan tries to clinch but Yar moves out of range.
A big right from Yar misses.
Yar circles away from the clinch attempt.

Mulligan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Mulligan showed some decent athleticism there.
Yar avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mulligan.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mulligan decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Yar works Mulligan's body with a nice hook.
Yar lands a slapping body shot.
Horrible takedown by Yar or perhaps it was just good defense by Mulligan which made him look bad.
Mulligan wants to clinch up but Yar keeps it at a distance.

Mulligan throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Yar was covering up waiting for the punch and Mulligan finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Mulligan throwing strikes from guard but Yar blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mulligan stands and steps away. Yar gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Mulligan scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Mulligan has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Mulligan has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Yar!
Yar is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mulligan is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Yar to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Yar shrugs it off.
Yar is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Yar is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Yar blocking the ground and pound.
Mulligan thowing shots but they're missing.
Mulligan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mulligan misses with a head shot.
Merlin Yar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mulligan looking to control and managing it successfully.
Mulligan thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Mulligan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mulligan 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Mulligan!