PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Andreas Meyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raoul Duke (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.

Meyer
vs
Duke

164 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
144 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Andreas Meyer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raoul Duke!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meyer tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Duke paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Meyer has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Andreas Meyer has been cut.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Duke is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Meyer is defending well.

Duke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Duke dives in and grabs Meyer's left leg, looking for a takedown. Meyer pushes down on Duke's head and hops out.
Meyer staying out of range there.

Duke has Meyer up against the cage in a clinch.
Duke wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Meyer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Duke tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Meyer swivels and escapes.
Andreas Meyer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raoul Duke.

Meyer darts in and clinches Duke up against the cage.

Duke breaks from the clinch.
Raoul Duke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Meyer tries to keep at a distance but Duke has taken the fight into the clinch.

Duke manages to break the clinch.

Duke clinches up with Meyer and pushes him back against the cage.
Meyer jumps guard but Duke turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Meyer is trying to push Duke away but Duke has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Duke tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Meyer escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Duke fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Meyer, pushing him back against the cage.

Meyer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Andreas Meyer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Duke lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Duke.
Duke closes the distance and clinches up with Meyer, looking for a takedown. Duke pushes Meyer against the cage but Meyer circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Meyer. No joy for Duke on that attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Duke pushes Meyer up against the cage in a clinch.

Duke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Duke has taken the fight to the clinch.
Duke scores with a knee to the head.

Meyer pulls guard effortlessly.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Duke not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Raoul Duke wasn't active enough on the ground.
Duke fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Meyer avoids it really well and circles away.
Duke looks winded!

Duke moves into range and clinches up with Meyer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Meyer to keep the fight standing.
Meyer is stalling here.
Duke lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Meyer trying to control the position but instead, Duke has worked for underhooks and has pushed Meyer into the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Meyer misses with a body punch.
Duke blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Duke stalls.
Meyer goes for a takedown attempt but Duke pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Duke.

Duke gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Meyer keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Duke's efforts to push away.

Meyer manages to break the clinch.
Duke misses with a takedown attempt - Meyer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Duke moves into range and clinches up with Meyer.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Duke tries to pull guard but Meyer forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raoul Duke dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Andreas Meyer's cut.
That's time! Meyer's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Duke gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Duke lands a nice elbow.

Duke breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Duke darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Duke is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Meyer is looking to control Duke's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Meyer avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Andreas Meyer.

Duke instigates a clinch.
Meyer is trying to break the clinch but Duke is controlling him.
Duke unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Duke has Meyer pressed against the cage, preventing Meyer from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A frustrated look appears on Meyer's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Duke with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Duke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Meyer has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Meyer tries to clinch but Duke moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Duke has closed the distance and engaged Meyer in a clinch.
Duke will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Meyer up against the cage.

Duke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Duke rushes Meyer and presses him up against the cage.
Duke managing to block the knees to the body from Meyer.
Duke lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Duke connects with a knee to the head.
Meyer pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke tries to pull guard but Meyer holds him up against the cage and eventually Duke drops back down to his feet.

Duke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Duke takes the fight into the clinch.
Meyer goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Meyer takes a knee right on the jaw!
Meyer scores a nice knee to the body.
Duke is trying to break free.
Duke will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Meyer up against the cage.
Duke is breathing heavily.
Meyer landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer working Duke over with knees to the body.

Meyer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Meyer tries to clinch up.
Duke shoots in but Meyer avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Andreas Meyer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raoul Duke.

Meyer gets a clinch.
Duke with a knee to the head.

Meyer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Duke moves into the clinch successfully.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Duke managing to block the knees to the body from Meyer.

Meyer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Duke gets a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raoul Duke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Andreas Meyer's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Duke gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Meyer counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Meyer.
Meyer is working Duke over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Duke is trying to control the position but Meyer postures up.
Duke utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Meyer's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Meyer is looking to work some ground and pound but Duke has wrist control.
Duke avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Meyer working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Meyer connects with a couple of short punches.
Meyer connects with a couple of short punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Duke trying to keep a closed guard but Meyer is proving a slippery customer.
Meyer is in close to Duke's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Meyer is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke looking for a sweep. Not yet Duke, not yet.
Duke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Meyer cracks Duke with a solid left hand.
Meyer lands a couple of digs.
Duke has a closed guard, preventing Meyer from standing up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Duke holds on and takes a little breather.
Duke has a closed guard, preventing Meyer from standing up.

Meyer decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Duke, up you get!

Duke takes the fight into the clinch.
Meyer is trying to stall.
Duke has Meyer pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Meyer manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Meyer's efforts to push away.
Duke wants a takedown but no success here.
Andreas Meyer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raoul Duke.
Duke tries to break the clinch but Meyer is controlling the position.
Meyer tries to work over Duke's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A frustrated look appears on Duke's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Meyer lands an elbow inside that Duke shrugs off.
Duke lands a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Meyer tries to break the clinch but Duke is controlling the position.

Meyer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Duke forces Meyer back against the cage and clinches.
Meyer tries for a takedown but Duke manages to get underhooks.
Duke lands a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meyer is looking to break free of the clinch but Duke has double underhooks.
Meyer wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Meyer is trying to force a seperation but Duke has the dominant position.
Duke lands a left hand.

Duke breaks the clinch.

Duke closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Meyer on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Meyer misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Duke.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Meyer as Duke tries to tie him up.
Duke throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Duke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Meyer closes the distance and clinches.

Duke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Horrible takedown by Duke or perhaps it was just good defense by Meyer which made him look bad.
Meyer slips a straight right by Duke.
Raoul Duke is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Duke blocks a head kick by Meyer.

Meyer tries to keep at a distance but Duke has taken the fight into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Meyer ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Meyer no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Andreas Meyer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Meyer is working an open guard so Duke takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andreas Meyer showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Duke has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raoul Duke!