PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Nathan Young (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frankie Vercini (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Young comes into the arena with The Rapture - Echoes blaring out of the sound system. Frankie Vercini is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Young
vs
Vercini

179 cm
19
148 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

172 cm
19
153 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Enjoys gardening

Big Bear Nutrition 160Q
Arcticus

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Nathan Young!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Frankie Vercini!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Paul Aken and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Young shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Vercini 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.

Vercini looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Young seems to be looking for submissions.
Vercini is trying to get back to full guard.
Young trying to advance position but Vercini counters by regaining guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Young stays in close to Vercini's body and controls the position.
Young advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Young trying to pass the guard but Vercini defending well.

Young is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Vercini doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Young.
Vercini is trying to maintain the position but Young is very close to passing his half guard.
Vercini is looking for a sweep. Young is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Young is working for a kimura but Vercini is defending it quite comfortably.

Young is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Young tries to pass the half guard into mount. Vercini knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Vercini is in trouble now - Young has advanced to mount!
Young throws a wild left hand from mount and Vercini manages to wriggle his way back to half guard.
Vercini is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Young is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Young is working for a kimura here but Vercini manages to reverse the position and he's now in Young's guard.
Vercini tries to free his leg and advance position but Young is retaining full guard.
Vercini advances position into side control!
Vercini wants to lay and pray for a moment but Young keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vercini staying calm.
Vercini wants to lay and pray for a moment but Young keeps working.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathan Young dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Young throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Vercini tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Young is in Vercini's guard.
Nathan Young overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Young is looking to work some ground and pound but Vercini has wrist control.
Young is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vercini can do to turn this around?
Young tries to free his leg and advance position but Vercini is retaining full guard.

Young postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Vercini is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Young, into his guard.

Vercini controls from within his opponent's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vercini works a leg free and moves into half guard.
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.
Young tries to roll over but Vercini keeps him under control.
Vercini trying to control the action but Young is working from the bottom.
Vercini might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Young haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Young trying to control from the bottom.
Young tries to get to full guard but Vercini has control of the leg.
Vercini seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Young does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two 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.
Vercini prevents Young from improving his position.
Vercini wants to lay and pray for a moment but Young keeps working.
Young wants to control but Vercini is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Vercini trying to control from half guard but Young is working away.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Vercini throws a jab but it's blocked by Young.
Vercini misses with a looping right.

Young shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Young was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Young tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vercini keeps working.
Young laying and praying for a moment but Vercini takes advantage and regains half guard.
Young prevents Vercini from improving his position.

Young wants to work for an arm triangle but Vercini is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Vercini trying to control from the bottom.

Young is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Vercini defends it well.

Young 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.
Vercini tries to roll over but Young keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathan Young 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. This is the final round!

Young bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Vercini is not content to let Young control the position.

Young thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Young is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Vercini has escaped the position, nice work there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Young working away.

Young swings around for an armbar but Vercini sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Young's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vercini wants to pass the guard but Young is keeping the position.
Young looking for a sweep. Not yet Young, not yet.

Young looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Vercini passes into half guard.
Vercini works his way into side control.
Vercini trying to control the position but Young is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Vercini looking to control but instead Young has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Vercini content to control rather than advance.
Vercini uses his free foot to push down on Young's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Young.
Vercini trying to control but Young is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young tries to improve his position but instead Vercini has taken his back!

Vercini tightening his grip on Young, looking for the choke.
Young prevents Vercini from getting a body triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Vercini tightening his grip on Young, looking for the choke.
Nathan Young is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Vercini struggling to keep hold of the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frankie Vercini comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Young 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nathan Young!
Nathan Young decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.