PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marco Polo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Mera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Polo's entrance music is On The Floor. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Polo
vs
Mera

178 cm
31
153 lbs
12 - 15 - 1

168 cm
37
150 lbs
18 - 16 - 1

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 12 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Marco Polo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 16 - 1, fighting out of London, Jose Mera!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Polo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Marco Polo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Polo moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Mera looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mera throws out a loose jab but Polo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Polo seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Polo tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mera defends well and Polo ends up having to push Mera into the ropes where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Polo tries to clinch there but Mera circles away.
Mera swats away the attempt to clinch by Polo.
Some wild striking there from Mera.
Polo swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Mera counters with a shoot takedown. Polo fights it but they end up in guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Polo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Mera won't allow Polo to sweep him here.
Polo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mera manages to get to full guard.
Mera tries to strike from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Polo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Polo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Polo sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Mera's guard.
Polo is thwarting Mera's attempts to control the position.
Mera is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Polo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Polo's back!
Mera is trying to stick to Polo's back but Polo is turning into Mera. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Mera's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Polo.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Polo wants to control from the top but Mera keeps moving.
Mera looking for a sweep. Not yet Mera, not yet.
Polo tries to free his leg and advance position but Mera is retaining full guard.
Polo won't allow Mera to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Polo postures up and lands a big shot to Mera's brow.
Polo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Mera trying to keep a closed guard but Polo is proving a slippery customer.
Polo postures up in Mera's guard and throws a big left but Mera blocks it.
Polo trying to control the position from guard on top but Mera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Polo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mera regains full guard. Nicely done.
Mera keeping moving, preventing Polo from controlling successfully.

Mera is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mera is trying to keep Polo in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mera trying to control the position.
Mera is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Polo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mera.
Mera winds up and cracks Polo with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Mera is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Polo defends it well.
Polo regains full guard. Nicely done.
Polo looking to control.
Polo keeping full guard, as Mera tries to pass.
Polo pulls Mera in to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mera trying to control but Polo is working from the bottom.
Polo is trying to control the position but Mera postures up.
Polo wants to sweep here but Mera controlling him for the moment.
Polo seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Mera engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Mera in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mera throws a big right hand that misses.
Mera has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Mera drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Polo dives on top into guard.

Polo trying to control the position from guard on top but Mera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Polo engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Mera dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mera throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Polo on the side of the head.
Mera lands a really nice looking cross but Polo seems unphased.
Mera rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Polo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Polo shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Polo is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Mera keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Polo tries to control but Mera wriggling away.
Mera 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polo avoids the attempt from Mera to control.
Polo wants to control the pace but Mera is squirming around nicely.
Mera is looking to get to half guard.
Polo lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Mera hang on?
Mera can't escape the position.
Polo content just to control the position here.
Polo connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Polo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mera is looking to escape.
Polo is landing with some decent strikes but Mera is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Polo looking to control but Mera is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Polo prevents Mera from getting the reversal.
Polo lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Mera hang on?
Mera is working to get back to half guard.
Polo tries to control but Mera wriggling away.
Mera sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Mera trying to control but Polo postures up.
Mera is trying to get back to full guard.
Mera moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Mera is trying to keep Polo in close.
Polo stopping the sweep attempt from Mera.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mera is looking for a triangle but Polo pushes his legs off easily.
Polo trying to control the position from guard on top but Mera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mera is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Polo trying to control the position from guard on top but Mera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Polo preventing the sweep.
Polo trying to control the position from guard on top but Mera is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Polo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mera is keeping the position for now.
Polo wants to control from the top but Mera keeps moving.
Mera wants to sweep here but Polo controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mera has his hands on Polo's head, controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Polo tries for a takedown but Mera sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mera shoots in looking for a takedown. Polo tries to sprawl out of it but Mera keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Polo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Polo attempts a counter takedown but Mera avoids it well and moves away.
Polo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Polo slips under a jab from Mera.
Polo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mera sprawls well. Mera wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Polo gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marco Polo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Polo staying out of range there.
Polo dives in for a single leg takedown but Mera sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.
Marco Polo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Polo moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marco Polo dominated that second round.
That's time! Polo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Mera fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Polo tries to clinch but Mera is having none of it.
Polo dives in for a single leg takedown but Mera sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the ropes.
Polo darts in looking for a takedown but Mera gets double underhooks and turns Polo into the ropes.
Polo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mera misses with an uppercut.
Mera scores with a punch to the head.
Polo is looking to clinch.
Polo slips under a jab.
Polo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marco Polo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big right from Mera misses.
Mera misses with a straight left.
A slow jab from Mera misses its intended target.
A jab from Mera misses.
Polo is looking to counter the offense by Mera and move into the clinch.
Mera slips a jab and a cross from Polo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polo dodges the punch combination from Mera.
Polo throws a quick counter kick to the body but Mera avoids it.
Polo explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Mera connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Polo shoots for a takedown but Mera saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Horrible takedown attempt by Polo or perhaps it was just good defense by Mera, which made it look bad.
Polo tries to clinch there but Mera circles away.
Mera misses with a hook. Polo ducked under it nicely.
Mera connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Mera throws a series of punches but Polo moves out of range.

Polo tries to sprawl but Mera drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Mera is keen to just control but Polo is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mera throwing shots but Polo is blocking nicely.
Polo has his hands clasped together around Mera's back. He's all about the action.
Polo tries to get to full guard but Mera has control of the leg.
Marco Polo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mera thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Polo's head.
Mera seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Mera seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Polo does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Polo is looking to improve his position.

Mera is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mera trying to control the action but Polo is working from the bottom.
Mera is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Polo wants to improve his position but Mera is controlling well.
Mera is looking to advance position but Polo won't allow it.
Mera is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Polo tries to clinch there but Mera circles away.
Mera lands with an uppercut that bounces Polo off the ropes and back into range.
Mera might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's four 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.

Polo drives through with a takedown into Mera's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Mera has his foot on Polo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Polo works his way back into a safe position though.
Mera looking to hit a scissor sweep but Polo is one step ahead there.
Mera takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Polo trying to control but Mera is working from the bottom.
Mera working a defensive guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mera manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Polo manages to get himself to full guard.

Polo is trying to control the position from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Mera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mera 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Mera!
A victorious Jose Mera thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.