PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Moguen Merk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Timur Ruslanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Merk
vs
Ruslanov

180 cm
25
199 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
204 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Moguen Merk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Timur Ruslanov!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Viktor Lagutenko and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merk swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ruslanov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Merk is fending him off so far but Ruslanov persists. Nope, Merk circles away and we're back to standing.
Good standup being displayed there by Merk as he connects with a hook.
Merk stuffs the takedown.
Merk misses with a few strikes there.

Ruslanov clinches with his opponent.

Merk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ruslanov shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Merk as he avoids it easily.
Moguen Merk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Timur Ruslanov.
Merk tries to clinch but Ruslanov is having none of it.
Merk leaves Ruslanov with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Ruslanov throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Merk tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Ruslanov is in Merk's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Ruslanov controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merk wants to stand but Ruslanov is controlling the position.
Merk is looking to stand back up but Ruslanov counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Merk.
Merk moves into full guard.
Ruslanov throws a big elbow that misses.
Ruslanov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Merk is keeping the position for now.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merk listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
No luck for Ruslanov with that takedown attempt.
Ruslanov looks for a takedown but Merk sprawls well.
Merk stuns Ruslanov with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Ruslanov scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Ruslanov looks winded!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ruslanov seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Merk does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Merk wants to get back to full guard.
Ruslanov stops Merk from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ruslanov tries to pass to full mount but Merk defends it.
Ruslanov trying to control the pace.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Timur Ruslanov has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Ruslanov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Ruslanov lands in his opponent's guard.
Merk is looking to stand up but Ruslanov isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruslanov wants to pass the guard but Merk is keeping the position.
Ruslanov wants to control from the top but Merk keeps moving.
Merk is looking to stand up but Ruslanov isn't so interested in that idea.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruslanov 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.

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

Merk keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Ruslanov clinches up with Merk and pushes him back against the cage.

Ruslanov breaks the clinch.
Ruslanov tries for a takedown but Merk sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Merk pushes Ruslanov up against the cage in a clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Merk's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Merk tries a body shot but Ruslanov blocks it.

Merk manages to break the clinch.
Merk misses with a wild combination.
Ruslanov tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Merk swivels and escapes.
Moguen Merk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Timur Ruslanov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruslanov shoots for a takedown but Merk saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Merk stuffs the takedown attempt from Ruslanov. Ruslanov gets slowly back to his feet.

Ruslanov moves into the clinch successfully.

Merk manages to break the clinch.
Merk slaps away a takedown attempt from Ruslanov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ruslanov is breathing heavily.
Ruslanov shoots in looking for a takedown. Merk tries to sprawl out of it but Ruslanov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Merk manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ruslanov fails with the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merk fails with a takedown attempt.
Merk will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ruslanov closes the distance and clinches up with Merk, looking for a takedown. Ruslanov pushes Merk against the cage but Merk circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ruslanov throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Ruslanov has Merk up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merk's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Ruslanov drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Merk breaks the clinch.
Ruslanov defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Merk.
Ruslanov darts in looking for a takedown but Merk gets double underhooks and turns Ruslanov into the cage.

Merk manages to pull guard.

Merk uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Merk misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merk rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ruslanov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ruslanov swinging wildly here.
Ruslanov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ruslanov shoots in for a takedown but Merk shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ruslanov throws a hook to the side of Merk's head but Merk sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ruslanov.

Ruslanov has managed to clinch.
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 Moguen Merk will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Merk swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ruslanov is defended easily by Merk.
Ruslanov walks forward, straight into a front kick from Merk.
Merk moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Ruslanov has managed to clinch.
Merk content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ruslanov as Merk tries to tie him up.

Merk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ruslanov gets a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruslanov tries to work over Merk's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ruslanov doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Ruslanov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Merk tries to sprawl but Ruslanov drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Ruslanov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Merk holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Ruslanov not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ruslanov trying to control from half guard but Merk is working away.
Ruslanov tries to pass to full mount but Merk defends it.

Merk makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Merk. No joy for Ruslanov on that attempt.
Merk fails with a takedown attempt.
Ruslanov fails to land the takedown.
Moguen Merk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Timur Ruslanov.

Ruslanov drives through and clinches with Merk against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice body punch from Merk.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Merk.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merk will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ruslanov up against the cage.
Merk stops a takedown attempt from Ruslanov.

Merk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Merk throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ruslanov shoots for a double leg takedown but Merk sprawls well. He's pushed Ruslanov's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ruslanov takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Moguen Merk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Merk slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Merk tries to clinch but Ruslanov is having none of it.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ruslanov is defended easily by Merk.
Merk fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruslanov avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ruslanov shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ruslanov fails to land the takedown.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ruslanov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Moguen Merk.
I think Merk 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Moguen Merk!