PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Emile Dickerson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ars Meral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Dickerson
vs
Meral

187 cm
24
279 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

186 cm
25
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Emile Dickerson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ars Meral!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Albert Achterberg and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dickerson gets a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Meral as Dickerson tries to tie him up.

Meral tightens his grip and picks Dickerson up, before dumping him to the ground. Dickerson manages to land in guard.
Meral looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Dickerson working for a triangle but Meral defends it easily.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Dickerson holds on and takes a little breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Meral controlling from the top position.
Dickerson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dickerson looking to control.
Meral not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Meral trying to control but Dickerson is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Meral shoots in but Dickerson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Dickerson seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Meral has Dickerson up against the cage in a clinch.

Meral breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Meral doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Dickerson counters with a single leg into guard. Meral didn't expect that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dickerson wants to control from the top but Meral keeps moving.
Dickerson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Meral bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Dickerson's guard.

Dickerson could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Meral stays in close to Dickerson's body and controls the position.
Meral looking to pass the guard.
Meral is stalling in the full guard.
Dickerson controls Meral momentarily but Meral frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meral makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Dickerson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Meral would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Dickerson looking for a guillotine here but Meral defends easily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Dickerson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Meral trying to control the position from guard on top but Dickerson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dickerson has Meral pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dickerson tests Meral's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Meral dives in and grabs Dickerson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Dickerson pushes down on Meral's head and hops out.
Emile Dickerson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ars Meral.

Dickerson instigates a clinch.
Dickerson gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Meral.
Meral drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Dickerson has Meral pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Dickerson pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Meral tumbling to the mat - Dickerson dives into Meral's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Meral looks to clinch
and Dickerson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ars Meral is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Meral fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Dickerson avoids it really well and circles away.
Meral wants to clinch

and Dickerson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Dickerson is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Meral sees it coming and defends easily.

Dickerson wants to work for an arm triangle but Meral is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dickerson has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Meral works to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meral trying to control the position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dickerson won't allow Meral to get back to his feet.
Meral is adopting a defensive guard.
Meral is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Dickerson trying to control the position from guard on top but Meral is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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.

Dickerson darts in and clinches Meral up against the cage.
Meral is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Dickerson pulls Meral into guard.
Meral trying to control the position from guard on top but Dickerson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Meral engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Dickerson working a defensive guard here.
Meral must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Meral 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dickerson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Dickerson is pulling down on Meral's head to control his posture.
Dickerson looking for a sweep. Not yet Dickerson, not yet.
Meral trying to control but Dickerson is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Meral is trying hard to land a takedown here. Dickerson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Meral shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Emile Dickerson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ars Meral.

Meral gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Dickerson is standing up over Meral. Meral looks to escape but Dickerson dives into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meral is looking to reverse the position.

Dickerson is trying to get an arm triangle but Meral is defending well.
Meral parries the strikes from Dickerson easily there. Dickerson is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Meral to escape.
Meral manages to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Meral is trying to control but can't.
Meral avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dickerson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emile Dickerson dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Meral.
Dickerson drops down looking for a counter takedown but Meral sprawls and moves away.
Dickerson lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Dickerson rushes Meral and presses him up against the cage.

Dickerson drags the fight down to the ground.
Meral content to stall in guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Meral pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dickerson is keeping the position for now.
Meral looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dickerson looking to control but Meral passes into half guard.
Nice strikes from Meral there.
Meral wants to pass to mount but Dickerson is defending the position.
Dickerson wants to get back to full guard.
Dickerson trying to control from the bottom.
Dickerson is pressing down on Meral's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Dickerson is adopting a defensive guard.

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.
Meral trying to control but Dickerson is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dickerson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Meral controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Meral shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dickerson as he jumps to the side.

Dickerson instigates a clinch.
Dickerson is trying to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meral will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Dickerson up against the cage.
Dickerson can't break the clinch.
Dickerson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dickerson is trying to break free.
Meral drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Emile Dickerson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ars Meral.

Meral gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Dickerson is refusing to be controlled, as Meral sits in half guard.
Dickerson wants to sweep but Meral has passed to side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dickerson is looking for a sweep.

Meral tries for a kimura but Dickerson is defending well.
Meral takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Meral is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Dickerson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Ars Meral has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dickerson wants to control but Meral postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ars Meral.
Well Dickerson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 30:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emile Dickerson!