PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kabal Labak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Merridew (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Labak
vs
Merridew

180 cm
22
213 lbs
9 - 3 - 1

195 cm
30
215 lbs
18 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

GREEN!160

KAISER Nutrition (160!/220$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Kabal Labak!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jack Merridew!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Micheangelo Fripello and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Labak doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Merridew gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Merridew tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Labak was well out of range. Poor timing from Merridew.
Labak gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Merridew.
Labak throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Merridew tries to bum rush Labak with a series of wild strikes but Labak uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Labak throws a lazy right hand but Merridew sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Merridew lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Labak at a distance.

Labak closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Merridew quickly recovers to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Labak working the head and body with strikes.
Labak landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Labak is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Merridew is just riding it out for now. Labak eventually gives up the hold.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Labak seems to be looking for submissions.
Labak is pressing down on Merridew's thigh, looking to free his foot. Merridew is holding on for now.
Labak stalling away here and it's allowed Merridew to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Labak lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Labak works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Merridew is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Labak is looking to advance position but Merridew won't allow it.
Merridew felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Labak landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Labak is looking to take a break and control but Merridew is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Merridew avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Labak.
Labak throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Labak is pressing down on Merridew's thigh, looking to free his foot. Merridew is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labak is nestled in close to Merridew, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Labak not doing much here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Labak scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Merridew has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Labak is working away from the top position though.
Merridew moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
We've been hearing that Labak has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Merridew manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Labak blocks a body shot from Merridew.
Merridew can't break the clinch.
Merridew is looking to break free of the clinch but Labak has double underhooks.
Merridew misses with a punch to the body.
Labak is working for takedown but Merridew is calmly controlling the position for now.

Merridew manages to break the clinch.
Merridew fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Labak manages to avoid it.
Labak swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Labak fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Merridew takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Labak throws a sloppy body shot
and Merridew counters with a right hand to the body.
Merridew is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Labak.
Labak half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Jack Merridew seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Labak lands with a hook. Merridew tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Merridew is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Labak rather than just go for the knockout.
Labak displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Merridew throws out the jab.
Merridew misses with a body shot.
Merridew walks into a straight right hand from Labak.
Labak ducks under a wild hook from Merridew.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kabal Labak dominated that round.
That's time! Labak's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Labak looks to land a right hand but Merridew moved out of range.
Labak misses the shot to the body.
Labak shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Merridew sprawls well. Merridew wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Labak gets slowly back to his feet.
Merridew throws a jab when Labak was well out of range.
Merridew just misses with a punch to the body.
Merridew jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Jab by Labak.
Labak on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Merridew lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Labak with a lazy takedown attempt
and Merridew counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merridew cracks Labak with an open hand slap.
Merridew avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Labak lands a nice looking body shot.
Labak cracks Merridew with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Merridew throws a good cross that connects.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Labak throws out a loose jab but Merridew uses good head movement to avoid it.
A big right from Labak misses.
Merridew doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Labak scores with a jab to the body.
Jack Merridew seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Merridew throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Labak changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Merridew ducks under a wild hook from Labak.
Labak keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Merridew takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Merridew swings for the body but Labak moves out of range.
Labak fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kabal Labak. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Merridew lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Labak slips a straight right by Merridew.
Labak throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Labak throws a body shot but no joy.
Merridew looks to land a right hand but Labak moved out of range.
Labak drops down looking for a counter takedown but Merridew sprawls and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merridew throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A big right from Merridew misses.
Labak tries to counter with a takedown but Merridew is quick to defend against it.
Merridew comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Labak cracks Merridew with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Merridew walks into a jab.
Labak lands a lovely overhand right.
Merridew misses with a double jab

and Labak counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Labak pushing down on Merridew's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Labak thows a huge punch but Merridew dodges it nicely.
Labak wants to pass the guard but Merridew is defending well.
Merridew avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Labak.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Labak thows a huge punch but Merridew dodges it nicely.
Labak controlling the pace.
Labak is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Labak dominating with strikes here.
Labak with the ground and pound from mount.
Labak can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Merridew is looking to escape.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Merridew can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merridew wants to control but Labak is having none of it.

Labak working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Merridew looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Labak! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Kabal Labak!
Kabal Labak retains his light heavyweight title!
A victorious Kabal Labak thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.