PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Claud Mercer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Franco Petersen (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.

Mercer
vs
Petersen

214 cm
18
346 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Claud Mercer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Franco Petersen!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Dmitry Maklakov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mercer takes a swing at Petersen's ribcage but misses.
Mercer misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Petersen misses with a jab to the body

so Mercer counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Mercer won't allow Petersen to sweep him here.
Mercer throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Petersen wants to stand but Mercer is controlling the position.

Petersen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mercer doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mercer manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Petersen has his foot on Mercer's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mercer works his way back into a safe position though.
Petersen trying to control the position.
Mercer landing some decent shots from guard.

Petersen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercer stands up over Petersen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mercer has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Petersen is looking to sweep but instead, Mercer has passed into half guard.
Petersen looks winded!

Mercer is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Petersen has managed to free his arm - good work.
Mercer stalling.

Mercer is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercer looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Petersen is trying to control but can't.
Mercer trying to control the pace.
Mercer lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer prevents Petersen from improving his position.
Mercer controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Claud Mercer.
Mercer misses with a wild combination.
Mercer looks to land a combination but Petersen avoids it well.
Mercer scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Petersen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mercer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Mercer.
Petersen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Mercer tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mercer checks a leg kick.
Petersen looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Mercer feints and as Petersen raises his hands in defense, Mercer changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mercer works over Petersen with some ground and pound from guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mercer lands a couple of elbows.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mercer is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Mercer lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mercer throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Petersen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Petersen throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Petersen shoots in looking for a takedown. Mercer tries to sprawl out of it but Petersen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mercer manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mercer takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Claud Mercer has been cut.
Mercer throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Franco Petersen has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mercer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Petersen throws a nice head kick!
Petersen is breathing heavily.
Mercer throws a head kick that misses.
Petersen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mercer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A combination from Mercer does no damage.
Petersen moves in looking to clinch but Mercer pushes him off.

Petersen moves into the clinch.
Petersen taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Petersen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Mercer lands a takedown into guard.
Petersen working a defensive guard but Mercer passes into half guard.
Mercer content to control rather than advance.
Mercer is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petersen is trying to stand.
Mercer trying to control the pace.
Claud Mercer overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Petersen trying to control but Mercer postures up.

Mercer is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mercer prevents Petersen from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mercer in particular looking to stall.
Mercer's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Claud Mercer wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Mercer tries to bum rush Petersen with a series of wild strikes but Petersen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercer tries to close the distance and clinch up but Petersen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Petersen tries to clinch up.
Mercer throws a right and a left that both miss.
Petersen looks to land a body kick but Mercer moved away.
Mercer throws a sloppy head kick and Petersen moves out of range easily.
No joy there for Mercer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Petersen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mercer.
Claud Mercer is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mercer throws a sloppy head kick
and Petersen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Petersen drives through and clinches with Mercer against the cage.
Petersen has Mercer pressed against the cage, preventing Mercer from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Franco Petersen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Petersen scores with a head kick. Mercer tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Petersen throws a head kick but Mercer moves out of range.
Mercer blocks a head kick by Petersen.
Mercer tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Petersen was well out of range. Poor timing from Mercer.
Petersen tries to clinch up but Mercer circles away and keeps his distance.
Petersen tries to land a front kick but Mercer steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Some wild striking there from Mercer.
Mercer throws a right and a left that both miss.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Petersen moves into the clinch.
Mercer looking for a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petersen prevents the takedown attempt.
Petersen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Mercer prevents it.
Mercer is looking to break free of the clinch but Petersen has double underhooks.
Petersen putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Mercer in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Petersen tries to score a body lock takedown but Mercer shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Mercer lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Mercer throwing shots but Petersen is blocking nicely.
Mercer working Petersen over with strikes.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Petersen wants to improve his position but Mercer is controlling well.
Petersen trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Petersen is trying to get back to full guard.
Mercer working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mercer scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mercer in particular looking to stall.
Mercer prevents Petersen from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mercer is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Petersen sees it coming and defends easily.
Mercer winds up and cracks Petersen with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Petersen is trying to stand.
Petersen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mercer is working away from the top position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Still in half guard, Mercer seems content to control.
Petersen has hold of Mercer's hands but Mercer slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Mercer drops an elbow to the side of Petersen's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mercer seems to be working for a kimura but Petersen defends the submission attempt.
Nice strikes from Mercer there.
Petersen is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mercer scores with a couple of nice shots.
Mercer seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Claud Mercer showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mercer has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Claud Mercer!