PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcel Mercier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ellis Stone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Mercier
vs
Stone

178 cm
21
174 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

180 cm
22
170 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcel Mercier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ellis Stone!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Chris Downing and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mercier takes one to the side of the head.
Mercier looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Stone moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Stone.
Stone throws a nice looking combination but Mercier bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stone works over Mercier's head and body with a nice combination.

Mercier is rocked!

Stone rushes Mercier and presses him up against the cage.
Oh Mercier is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Mercier tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Stone has Mercier pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Stone pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Mercier tumbling to the mat - Stone dives into Mercier's guard.
Stone looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mercier seems to have got his legs back now.
Stone wants to control from the top but Mercier keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Mercier is working an open guard so Stone takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Stone works over Mercier's head and body with a nice combination.
Stone throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mercier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stone scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Stone decides to stand back up. Stone steps back and let's Mercier get back to his feet.
Stone throws a nice looking combination but Mercier bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stone works the jab nicely.

Stone gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Stone breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mercier takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Stone closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Stone decides to take the fight back to the feet.
A right-left combo lands from Stone.
Mercier avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ellis Stone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mercier wants to clinch but Stone slips to the side
enabling Stone to counter with a crisp jab.
Stone throws a right and a left that Mercier avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone works over Mercier's head and body with a nice combination.
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!
A right-left combo lands from Stone.
Stone throws a series of punches but Mercier avoids them all with ease.
Stone scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Mercier tries to clinch but Stone moves away
and Stone counters with a left and a right that stings Mercier.
Stone scores with a one two! Mercier had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Stone throws a one two combo.
Mercier tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Mercier takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Stone lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Stone bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Mercier's head backwards.
Mercier looks to clinch
and Stone counters with a left and a right that stings Mercier.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mercier takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Mercier slips a jab and a cross from Stone.
Mercier looks to clinch
and Stone counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mercier thinking.
Stone is working the combinations to good effect here.
Stone tries to bum rush Mercier with a series of wild strikes but Mercier uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ellis Stone dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mercier tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Mercier takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Stone is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Stone tries to bum rush Mercier with a series of wild strikes but Mercier uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Stone throws a right and a left that Mercier avoids nicely.
Mercier avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mercier tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Stone counters with a series of strikes. Mercier will be more careful next time no doubt.
Marcel Mercier is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stone looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mercier looks to clinch
and Stone counters with a two punch combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stone drives through and clinches with Mercier against the cage.

Stone breaks from the clinch.
Stone shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mercier as he avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Good shot there by Stone.
Danga de danga de dang - Stone scores with a four punch combination!

Mercier tries to keep at a distance but Stone has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercier tries to stall but Stone uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Stone managing to block the knees to the body from Mercier.
Stone blocks an elbow strike from Mercier.
Mercier looking to stall.

Stone breaks from the clinch.
A jab lands there for Stone.
A right-left combo lands from Stone.
Stone throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Mercier on the side of the head.
Stone closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mercier circles away.
Stone avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
No joy there for Stone, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mercier darts in trying to clinch
and Stone counters with a three punch combo that has Mercier backing up. Mercier nods at Stone to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two 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.
Mercier closes the distance but Stone moves to the side
and Stone counters with a right hand to the body.
Stone circles away from the clinch attempt
and Stone counters with a stiff right hand.

Stone darts in and clinches Mercier up against the cage.
Stone blocks an elbow strike.

Stone breaks the clinch.
Mercier takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Mercier on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Stone, as that shot connected.
A combination from Stone does no damage.
Mercier tries to grapple but his opponent circles
letting Stone counter with a right hand.
Mercier tries to clinch but Stone moves away

and Stone counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercier is looking to control Stone's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mercier avoid being mounted?
Stone stalling.
Mercier manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Stone slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Stone wants to stand but Mercier has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ellis Stone showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Mercier tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mercier tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stone swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Stone dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Stone scores with a decent looking hook.
Stone tries to bum rush Mercier with a series of wild strikes but Mercier uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mercier looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Stone throws a right hand that Mercier ducks under and follows up with a left that Mercier also avoids with ease.
Stone misses with a series of wild punches.
Stone looks to land a combination but Mercier avoids it well.
Left hook, right uppercut from Stone.
Stone might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Stone scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Stone misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stone lands a with a good body shot.
Stone throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mercier's waist but Mercier gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Stone off to one side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stone scores with a hook to the body. Mercier takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Stone forces Mercier back against the cage and clinches.

Stone has clasped his hands together around Mercier's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone wants to stand but Mercier is controlling his arm.

Stone decides to stand back up.
Stone fails with an attempt to clinch.
Stone comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Stone misses with a jab, cross combination.
A slow jab from Stone misses its intended target.
Stone swats away the attempt to clinch by Mercier.
A combination from Mercier does no damage.
Mercier closes the distance but Stone moves to the side
and Stone counters with a one-two to the body.
Stone circles away from the clinch attempt
and Stone counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mercier rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Stone moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Stone throws a wild body kick that Mercier sees coming a mile off.
Mercier tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Mercier takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Stone misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stone is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Stone has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mercier looks to clinch

and Stone counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mercier wants to control but Stone is keeping busy.
Mercier keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Ellis Stone has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercier missing with punches from the bottom.
Mercier is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

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.

Stone stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Marcel Mercier has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stone throws a nice looking combination but Mercier bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Stone scores with a three punch combo!
Stone avoids the head kick by Mercier.
A cross from Stone lands.
Stone misses with a few strikes there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ellis Stone comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stone 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 26:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ellis Stone!