PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rusty Merritt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toussaint Louverture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Toussaint Louverture has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Merritt
vs
Louverture

218 cm
24
151 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

176 cm
24
153 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rusty Merritt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Toussaint Louverture!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merritt closes the distance and clinches up with Louverture, looking for a takedown. Merritt pushes Louverture against the cage but Louverture circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Louverture bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Louverture unleashes a big counter combination but Merritt bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Louverture rushes Merritt and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Merritt wants to take the fight to the mat but Louverture manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Merritt is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Louverture can't fight it off and eventually Merritt manages to take the fight to the floor. Louverture looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Louverture wants to sweep here but Merritt controlling him for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merritt stops Louverture from standing up.
Merritt missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merritt with a flurry of punches that miss.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Louverture holds on and takes a little breather.
Louverture striking off his back.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Merritt postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Merritt scoring with some ground and pound.
Merritt throws a big elbow that misses.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Louverture moves in looking to clinch but Merritt pushes him off.
A big right from Merritt misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Merritt pushes Louverture up against the cage in a clinch.
Merritt goes for a takedown attempt but Louverture pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rusty Merritt. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck for Merritt with that takedown attempt.
Merritt shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Louverture pinned against the cage. Louverture gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Merritt gets tackled into the cage by Louverture. Louverture maintains the clinch.

Louverture breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Louverture closes the distance and pushes Merritt back into the cage.
Merritt fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Louverture is struggling to control the position.
Merritt holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Merritt missing with knees to the body.
Merritt is working for takedown but Louverture is calmly controlling the position for now.
Louverture has a couple of punches blocked by Merritt.
Merritt fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Merritt tries to pull guard but Louverture forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Louverture lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Merritt manages to break the clinch.

Merritt clinches up with Louverture and pushes him back against the cage.
Merritt missing with knees to the body.

Merritt ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Merritt no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Merritt really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Louverture working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Louverture throws a big elbow that misses.
Louverture wants to control from the top but Merritt keeps moving.
Merritt avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Louverture won't allow Merritt to sweep him here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Louverture with a flurry of punches that miss.
Merritt 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.
Louverture throwing strikes from guard but Merritt blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Toussaint Louverture will probably get the nod.
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.

Louverture clinches up with Merritt and pushes him back against the cage.

Louverture pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Louverture pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Merritt tries to clinch up.
Louverture showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Merritt.
Louverture tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Merritt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merritt fails to land the takedown.
Merritt tries to score a power double leg takedown but Louverture sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Merritt somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Merritt tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Louverture smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rusty Merritt. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Merritt decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Louverture pushes Merritt off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Louverture showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Merritt.
Louverture moves in looking to clinch but Merritt pushes him off.
Merritt fails with the takedown.
Louverture unleashes a big counter combination but Merritt bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Louverture has closed the distance and engaged Merritt in a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Louverture pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Merritt misses with a double jab.
Louverture looks for a takedown but Merritt sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Louverture is looking to clinch.
Merritt keeps the fight on the outside.
Merritt shoots in for a double leg but Louverture sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Merritt shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Merritt showed some decent athleticism there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Louverture tries to kick Merritt off but Merritt keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merritt not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Louverture is looking for a sweep. Merritt is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Merritt winds up and cracks Louverture with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Louverture has his hands clasped together around Merritt's back. He's all about the action.
Merritt 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.
Louverture tries to get to full guard but Merritt has control of the leg.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Rusty Merritt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Louverture tries to sprawl but Merritt drives through with a takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toussaint Louverture showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Louverture clinches up with Merritt and pushes him back against the cage.

Merritt pulls guard.
Merritt keeping moving, preventing Louverture from controlling successfully.
Louverture loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Louverture tries to free his leg and advance position but Merritt is retaining full guard.
Louverture wants to stand but Merritt is controlling his posture from full guard.
Louverture must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Merritt is looking to stand up but Louverture isn't so interested in that idea.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Louverture throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Merritt works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Louverture throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Merritt works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Merritt controlling the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Louverture fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Merritt, pushing him back against the cage.
Merritt lands a left hand that snaps the head of Louverture backwards.
A body shot lands from Louverture.
Merritt wants to take the fight to the mat but Louverture manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Toussaint Louverture seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Louverture letting Merritt take a breather here.
Merritt goes for a takedown in the clinch but Louverture prevents it.
Louverture is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Louverture misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merritt drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Louverture gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rusty Merritt. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Merritt wants to take the fight to the mat but Louverture manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Merritt has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Louverture is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Merritt is looking for a takedown.
Louverture misses with a hook from the clinch.
Louverture is stalling here.

Louverture's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Louverture moves into range and clinches up with Merritt.

Louverture breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merritt doesn't manage to clinch there - Louverture circles away.
Louverture moves to clinch but Merritt breaks away
and Merritt counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Louverture thinking.
Merritt keeps the fight on the outside.
A jab from Louverture misses.

Louverture feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Merritt is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Louverture throws a strike but Merritt rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Louverture wants to stand and escape but Merritt is having none of it.

Merritt drops back looking for a leg! Louverture is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Louverture manages to kick Merritt off! Merritt jumps back into Louverture's guard.
Louverture not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Toussaint Louverture comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Louverture winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Toussaint Louverture!