PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Artem Bessmertin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Merik Hunt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hunt has chosen Comfortably Numb as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Merik Hunt has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bessmertin
vs
Hunt

189 cm
30
183 lbs
22 - 12 - 0

175 cm
36
170 lbs
39 - 24 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

GREEN!160

Hellbent
SP Ultimate Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Artem Bessmertin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 39 - 24 - 0, fighting out of London, Merik Hunt!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Colin Fotheringham and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hunt chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Bessmertin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hunt.
Bessmertin connects with an inside leg kick.
Merik Hunt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hunt throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hunt will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hunt takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Bessmertin slips under a jab from Hunt.
Bessmertin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hunt throws a hook but Bessmertin blocks it.
Bessmertin feinted with a counter takedown.
Bessmertin cracks a nice hook into Hunt's ribs.
Hunt scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Hunt's coach down at ~T~ Troid - Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Hunt's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
An inside leg kick lands from Hunt.
Bessmertin moves out of range of the strikes.
Bessmertin attempts a counter takedown but Hunt avoids it well and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bessmertin lands a jab to Hunt's midsection.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hunt.
Hunt pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bessmertin swings for the body but Hunt moves out of range.
Bessmertin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hunt misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bessmertin scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Hunt is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Hunt throws a lazy right hand but Bessmertin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Bessmertin slips a jab from Hunt.
Hunt swings for the body but Bessmertin moves out of range.
Hunt throws a body kick that misses.
Hunt misses with a combination

so Bessmertin counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bessmertin works over Hunt with some ground and pound from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunt has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Bessmertin has passed into side control.
Hunt is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Bessmertin misses with a head shot. Hunt uses the momentum to regain guard.
Bessmertin is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Bessmertin wants to control from the top but Hunt keeps moving.
Bessmertin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hunt works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bessmertin advances to half guard.
Hunt is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Bessmertin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hunt is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Bessmertin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Bessmertin's back!
Bessmertin is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Hunt has Bessmertin flattened out and is raining down punches.
Hunt trying to control.
I really don't envy Bessmertin right now.
Hunt missing with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunt missing with strikes.
Hunt avoiding Bessmertin 's attempts to control his hands.
Hunt is hanging on to Bessmertin's back as he tries to escape.
Bessmertin trying to control the hands but Hunt breaks the grip.
Bessmertin is covering up but some of the strikes from Hunt are getting through and doing damage.
Hunt not allowing Bessmertin to control his hands.
Can Bessmertin hold on?! Hunt is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hunt is hanging on to Bessmertin's back as he tries to escape.
Bessmertin has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Hunt.
Hunt missing with punches from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Merik Hunt dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hunt lands a jab to the head.

Bessmertin is rocked!
Hunt throws an overhand right that drops Bessmertin like a sack of potatoes! Hunt dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:15 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Merik Hunt!
After winning the bout, Merik Hunt thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.