PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Merlin Charles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Huynh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tommy Huynh has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Charles
vs
Huynh

223 cm
24
193 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

177 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Merlin Charles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tommy Huynh!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Huynh stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Huynh wants it to stay on the feet.
Charles looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Huynh is fending him off so far but Charles persists. Nope, Huynh circles away and we're back to standing.
Huynh fails to land the takedown.

Charles rushes Huynh and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Charles is trying to break free.
Charles tries to break the clinch but Huynh is controlling the position.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Huynh fails to pull guard.
Charles tries to break free but Huynh pushes him back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Huynh's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Charles looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles tries to break the clinch but Huynh is controlling the position.

Charles breaks from the clinch.
Tommy Huynh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Charles fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Merlin Charles. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Huynh closes this distance looking for a takedown but Charles circles away.
Charles really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Huynh fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Huynh moves forwards but Charles connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Charles.
Charles fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Huynh avoids it really well and circles away.
Charles throws a hook but Huynh avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Huynh goes for a double leg but Charles avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Charles continues to drive forward.

Charles's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Charles is trying hard to land a takedown here. Huynh sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Charles drives through with a takedown into Huynh's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Huynh working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Charles.

Huynh has his foot on Charles's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Charles works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Huynh trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Huynh has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Charles throwing strikes but missing.
Charles with a flurry of punches that miss.

Huynh looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Charles is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Charles throwing strikes but missing.
Huynh looking to hit a scissor sweep but Charles is one step ahead there.
Charles makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Charles throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Huynh works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Charles decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Huynh clinches up with Charles and pushes him back against the cage.

Charles manages to break the clinch.
Charles defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Huynh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Charles throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Huynh's waist but Huynh gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Charles off to one side.

Charles bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Charles creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Charles is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Charles working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

Charles tries for a kimura but Huynh is defending well.
Huynh is looking for a sweep.
Charles throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Charles throws an elbow but Huynh slips to the side and avoids it well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Charles wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Huynh, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Huynh manages to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Charles darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Huynh is looking for a sweep. Charles is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Charles thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Huynh's head.

Huynh is defending against the submission attempts here by Charles.
Merlin Charles overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Huynh looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Charles looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Huynh is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Charles is trying to work for a kimura but Huynh is defending well.
Huynh has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Charles is working away from the top position though.
Nice strikes from Charles there.
Huynh pushes Charles off looking to stand but Charles dives back in and keeps control.
Charles missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Huynh is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charles sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Huynh defending well though.
Charles thows a huge punch but Huynh dodges it nicely.
Huynh is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Charles decides to stand up.

Huynh rushes Charles and presses him up against the cage.

Charles's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Huynh dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Charles fails with the takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Charles fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Huynh drives through and clinches with Charles against the cage.
Huynh prevents Charles from breaking the clinch.

Charles breaks the clinch.
Huynh fails with a takedown attempt.
Huynh uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Charles.
Huynh lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Tommy Huynh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Charles tries to clinch up.
Charles will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Horrible takedown by Huynh or perhaps it was just good defense by Charles which made him look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Charles shoots in for a takedown but Huynh shows good takedown defense.
The fighters circling - Charles throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Huynh misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Charles misses with a kick to the body.
Huynh shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Merlin Charles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tommy Huynh.

Huynh gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Huynh tries to score a body lock takedown but Charles shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Huynh is trying to break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Merlin Charles will probably get the nod.
That's time! Charles's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Charles falls off balance throwing a combination

and Huynh counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Huynh.
Huynh is trying to break free.
Huynh has had enough of the clinch but Charles keeps him there for the moment.
Charles has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Huynh has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Huynh's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Charles breaks from the clinch.
Huynh dives in and grabs Charles's left leg, looking for a takedown. Charles pushes down on Huynh's head and hops out.
Charles slaps away a takedown attempt from Huynh, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Huynh moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles is trying to push Huynh away but Huynh has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Charles manages to break the clinch.
Charles fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Merlin Charles is winning the standup battle so far.
Charles misses with a few strikes there.
Charles takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Huynh closes the distance and clinches.
Huynh has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Charles is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Merlin Charles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tommy Huynh.
Charles is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Huynh is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Charles breaks from the clinch.
Huynh throws a head kick that misses
and Charles counters with a nice leg kick.
Huynh takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Huynh tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Charles defends well and Huynh ends up having to push Charles into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Huynh is trying to pull guard but Charles turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Charles pulls Huynh into guard.
Huynh throwing strikes from guard but Charles blocks nicely.
Charles is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Charles has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huynh postures up.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Merlin Charles wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Huynh throws a head kick that misses.
Charles fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Huynh falls off balance throwing a combination
and Charles counters with a straight right hand.
No luck for Huynh with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Charles.
Charles tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Huynh swivels and escapes.
Charles throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Huynh on the side of the head.

Charles moves into range and clinches up with Huynh.

Huynh pulls guard effortlessly.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Charles postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Charles throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Huynh works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Charles accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Huynh working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Charles.
Huynh controlling the position.
Tommy Huynh has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Merlin Charles is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Huynh avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Merlin Charles showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Charles, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Merlin Charles!