PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Prince Merritt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andreas Pochini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Prince Merritt has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Merritt
vs
Pochini

177 cm
22
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

155 cm
23
176 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Prince Merritt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Andreas Pochini!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Chris Saunders and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pochini has managed to clinch.
Pochini should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Merritt is trying to trip Pochini. He has hold of a leg but Pochini is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Merritt persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Merritt wants to stand and escape but instead Pochini has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Pochini looking to pass the guard.

Merritt working for a triangle but Pochini defends it easily.

Pochini gets to his feet. Merritt looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Merritt tries to clinch but Pochini moves out of range.
Merritt jabs at Pochini's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merritt tries to clinch but Pochini moves out of range.
Merritt doesn't manage to clinch there - Pochini circles away.

Pochini takes the fight into the clinch.
Merritt has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Merritt wants to get back to striking at distance but Pochini won't allow it.
Pochini stalls.

Merritt is fighting off a takedown attempt but Pochini is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Merritt to the mat. Merritt regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merritt trying to control the position.
Merritt has momentary wrist control but Pochini slips an elbow through the middle.
Merritt is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Merritt will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Pochini stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Merritt tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Merritt keeps the fight on the outside.
Pochini wants to clinch.

Merritt closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pochini is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Merritt is defending well for now.
Merritt stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Pochini has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Merritt uses from the top position.
Pochini controlling Merritt's posture.
Merritt wants to get up but he can't break Pochini's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Pochini seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Pochini has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Andreas Pochini hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Merritt is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Pochini throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pochini keeps the fight on the outside.
A head kick misses from Merritt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andreas Pochini dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Pochini swinging wildly here.
Pochini swats away the attempt to clinch by Merritt.
Pochini tries to clinch but Merritt is having none of it.

Pochini closes the distance and clinches.
Merritt jumps guard but Pochini stands there with Merritt around his waist. Merritt gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Merritt tries to throw a body punch but Pochini avoids it by throwing Merritt back against the cage.
Merritt jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Pochini walks away with a smile on his face. Merritt gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pochini fails to land with a series of punches.
Pochini avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Merritt throws a series of strikes that have Pochini backpedaling.
Pochini fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pochini tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Prince Merritt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Pochini closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Merritt quickly recovers to half guard.
Merritt moves into full guard.

Pochini gets to his feet. Merritt looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Merritt keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pochini tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Merritt paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Merritt moves to clinch but Pochini breaks away
and Pochini counters with a huge left! Merritt is in big trouble! He's backing up but Pochini isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Merritt from any more damage. A dominating finish by Pochini!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Andreas Pochini!