PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Derek Meyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Hall (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.

Meyer
vs
Hall

212 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Can Moonwalk

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Derek Meyer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tom Hall!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hall lands a jab to the head.

It looks like Derek Meyer has been cut.
Hall stuffs the takedown.

Hall closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Meyer quickly recovers to half guard.
Meyer wants to control but Hall is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Hall is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Hall slows the pace down in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Let's hope that Hall 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall is looking to stall here but Meyer recovers full guard.
Hall seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Tom Hall has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Hall fails with the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall misses with a head kick.
Meyer changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hall tries to avoid it but Meyer manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hall to the ground. Hall escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Hall misses with a kick to the body.
Hall looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Meyer.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Derek Meyer. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Hall will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hall misses with a takedown attempt - Meyer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hall misses with a hook to the body
and Hall takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Meyer tries to clinch up

and Hall counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hall.
Meyer misses with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hall walks away with a smile on his face. Meyer gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Hall has his takedown stuffed
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Meyer circles away from the clinch attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hall wants to clinch
and Meyer counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meyer misses with a takedown attempt - Hall sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Hall dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Derek Meyer's cut.
That's time! Meyer's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hall moves into the clinch.
Meyer fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Come on Meyer - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Meyer works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Meyer pulls guard effortlessly.
Hall is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hall wants to pass the guard but Meyer is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hall is stalling in the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tom Hall.
Hall has his takedown stuffed
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Tom Hall seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hall moves into range and clinches up with Meyer.
Hall is working for takedown but Meyer is calmly controlling the position for now.
The referee is keeping an eye on Hall - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Meyer blocks a body shot from Hall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall looking for a takedown.
Derek Meyer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Hall.
Hall is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Meyer tries a body shot but Hall blocks it.
Hall taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Meyer jumps guard and drags Hall to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Hall trying to control but Meyer is working from the bottom.
Hall in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meyer tries to land a sweep but no joy.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Meyer looking for a guillotine here but Hall defends easily.
Meyer trying to keep a closed guard but Hall is proving a slippery customer.
Hall wants to get up but he can't break Meyer's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Meyer will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Tom Hall hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Hall pushes Meyer up against the cage in a clinch.
Hall lands a shot to the body.

Hall gets control of Meyer's arms and successfully pulls guard. Hall will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Meyer wanted to stand there but Hall had control of the position.
Meyer trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hall is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Meyer is aware though and is defending well.

Meyer stands up from Hall's guard - Meyer perhaps looking for a knockout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meyer keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Hall showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Derek Meyer's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Meyer swats away the attempt to clinch by Hall.

Hall has Meyer up against the cage in a clinch.

Hall escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hall misses with a combination
and Meyer counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Hall is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Hall shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Meyer but Meyer pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hall tries for a takedown but Meyer sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Meyer scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Meyer stands up and beckons Hall to his feet.
Hall feints a jab promting Meyer to slip. Hall then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Meyer slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Horrible takedown attempt by Hall or perhaps it was just good defense by Meyer, which made it look bad.
Derek Meyer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Hall.
Hall takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Hall closes the distance and pushes Meyer back into the cage.

Hall breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall throws a sloppy head kick and Meyer moves out of range easily.
Hall stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hall wants it to stay on the feet.
Tom Hall seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hall shoots and misses
and Meyer counters with a leg kick.
Hall tries to close the distance and clinch but Meyer swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hall throws a sloppy head kick
and Meyer counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hall slaps away a takedown attempt from Meyer, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hall changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Meyer tries to avoid it but Hall manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Meyer to the ground. Meyer escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Meyer moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meyer is looking for a takedown.
Hall tries to score a body lock takedown but Meyer shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Meyer.
Hall wants a takedown but no success here.
Meyer really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Meyer tries to work over Hall's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Meyer slowing the pace effectively.
Hall trying to stall but Meyer improves his position.

Meyer tightens his grip and picks Hall up, before dumping him to the ground. Hall manages to land in guard.

Meyer drops back looking for a leg! Hall is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hall manages to kick Meyer off! Meyer jumps back into Hall's guard.
Meyer is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hall has a closed guard, preventing Meyer from standing up.
Meyer wants to stand and escape but instead Hall has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Hall is looking to stand up but Meyer won't let him.
Derek Meyer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tom Hall is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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

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 Derek Meyer.
I think Hall has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Hall!