PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Milton Merritt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kiernan Lucas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kiernan Lucas acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Merritt
vs
Lucas

156 cm
19
214 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

194 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Milton Merritt!
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, Kiernan Lucas!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Merritt instigates a clinch.
Lucas jumps guard but Merritt stands there with Lucas around his waist. Lucas gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Merritt drags the fight down to the ground.
Lucas must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Merritt is adopting a defensive guard.
Lucas wants to control from the top but Merritt keeps moving.
Merritt seems keen to control Lucas's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Milton Merritt just wasn't active enough.

Merritt clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucas with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Merritt really is a fat lump.
A frustrated look appears on Merritt's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Lucas keeps control of Merritt as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Lucas tries to pull guard but Merritt forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Lucas drags the fight down to the ground.
Lucas is trying to control the position but Merritt postures up.
Merritt throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lucas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Lucas looking for subs off his back but Merritt has passed one foot through into half guard.
Merritt is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lucas preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Lucas wants to control the action here but instead Merritt manages to pass to full mount!

Lucas defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Merritt.

Merritt goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Lucas turns into him and now he's in Merritt's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Merritt swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Merritt wants to stand up but Lucas is controlling him.
Lucas wants to stand but Merritt is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lucas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Lucas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lucas wants to get up but he can't break Merritt's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Merritt pulls Lucas in to control the position.
Lucas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Merritt wants to get back to his feet but Lucas is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Merritt wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

We're going to have a standup here because Milton Merritt wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Merritt throws a series of punches but Lucas moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Milton Merritt dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lucas shoots in looking for a takedown. Merritt tries to sprawl out of it but Lucas keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Merritt manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Lucas walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Merritt checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lucas looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lucas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Merritt swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lucas closes the distance but Merritt moves to the side
and Merritt counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A head kick misses from Lucas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucas misses with a takedown
enabling Merritt to counter with a crisp jab.
Lucas with a poor takedown
and Merritt counters with a nice uppercut.
Milton Merritt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kiernan Lucas.

Lucas gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Merritt gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Lucas regains guard.
Merritt is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Merritt with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Merritt is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Lucas is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Lucas has escaped and now he's on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merritt is pulling down on Lucas's head to control his posture.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Merritt'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.
Lucas tries to free his leg and advance position but Merritt is retaining full guard.
Merritt has control of Lucas's left arm, preventing Lucas from doing any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Milton Merritt just wasn't active enough.
Lucas with a lazy takedown attempt
and Merritt counters with a stiff right hand.
Lucas is breathing heavily.
Lucas shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Merritt counters by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lucas manages to break the clinch.
Lucas with a lazy takedown attempt
and Merritt counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Lucas thinking.
Lucas shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Merritt counters with a nice uppercut.
Kiernan Lucas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Merritt fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Lucas, pushing him back against the cage.
Merritt looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Lucas wants to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Merritt breaks the clinch.
Lucas tries to clinch there but Merritt circles away.
Lucas fails with an attempt to clinch.
Merritt tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lucas paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Merritt clinches with his opponent.
Merritt is trying to push Lucas away but Lucas has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Merritt has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Lucas tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Merritt smiles and moves away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lucas gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Merritt connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Milton Merritt dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lucas tries for a takedown but Merritt circles away easily
and Merritt counters with a left and a right that stings Lucas.
Merritt tries to clinch but Lucas is having none of it.
Merritt tries to clinch but Lucas is having none of it.

Merritt takes the fight into the clinch.
Merritt can't break the clinch.
Merritt is trying to push Lucas away but Lucas has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Lucas tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Merritt successfully pulls guard.
Merritt thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Lucas trying to control but Merritt is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucas with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lucas trying to control but Merritt is working from the bottom.
Merritt has his hands on Lucas's head, controlling the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Merritt is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Lucas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lucas wants to control but Merritt is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kiernan Lucas has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Lucas digs a good body shot into Merritt's ribs.
Lucas tries to clinch up
and Merritt counters with a nice uppercut.
Lucas keeps the fight on the outside.

Lucas has taken the fight to the clinch.
Lucas has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Merritt avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Milton Merritt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kiernan Lucas.

Merritt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Merritt tries to clinch but Lucas moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lucas looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merritt blocks a low kick nicely.

Lucas drives through with a takedown into guard.
Merritt is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Merritt trying to control the position here.
Merritt is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lucas prevents Merritt from getting back to his feet.
Merritt has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Milton Merritt just wasn't active enough.
Lucas tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Merritt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Merritt has Lucas up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lucas lands a damaging elbow.

Merritt breaks from the clinch.
Kiernan Lucas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Milton Merritt is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lucas throws a nice looking combination but Merritt bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Milton Merritt showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Merritt has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Percy O'Donnell 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... Milton Merritt!