PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sub Norris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danjie Mercado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mercado has chosen Pagsubok as his entrance music. Danjie Mercado has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Sub Norris's chin.

Norris
vs
Mercado

180 cm
37
154 lbs
31 - 28 - 1

168 cm
33
147 lbs
21 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
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 31 - 28 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sub Norris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Danjie Mercado!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Roger Salmon and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mercado swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Norris misses with a hook.

Mercado fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Norris sprawls well initially but Mercado persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Norris controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Mercado throwing shots but Norris is blocking nicely.
We've been hearing good reports from Norris's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
The fighters are battling for position here. Norris manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Norris throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Norris has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Norris looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mercado is one step ahead there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mercado accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado scoring with punches to the head and body.
Norris pulls Mercado in to control the position.
Mercado sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Norris's guard.
Norris trying to control from the bottom.
Norris desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Mercado prevents Norris from improving his position.
Mercado landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Norris tries to roll over but Mercado keeps him under control.
Mercado is thwarting Norris's attempts to control the position.
Norris is looking for a sweep. Mercado is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Norris preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Norris is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norris is refusing to be controlled, as Mercado sits in half guard.
Norris is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Norris has hold of Mercado's hands but Mercado slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Norris wants to control but Mercado is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Norris wants to get back to full guard.
Norris keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Norris keeps control of the position for the meantime.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mercado is pressing down on Norris's thigh, looking to free his foot. Norris is holding on for now.
Norris trying to control here.
Norris gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercado scoring with punches to the head and body.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Norris holds on and takes a little breather.
Mercado trying to control the position from guard on top but Norris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mercado being controlled here momentarily.
Mercado wants to pass the guard but Norris is keeping the position.
Norris looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mercado passes Norris's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Norris is trying to control but Mercado passes into side control!
Norris is trying to control Mercado's posture but Mercado avoids it.
Mercado controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercado scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Norris to see if he's OK.
You can see the frustration on Norris's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mercado scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Norris to see if he's OK.
Mercado tries to score with some ground and pound. Norris controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Mercado works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

Mercado thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Norris struggling a bit here.
Mercado lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Norris down.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mercado tries to advance to mount but Norris denies him.
Norris holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Norris connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Mercado momentarily.
Norris cracks Mercado with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Norris scores with a punch to the head.
Sub Norris seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice uppercut lands for Norris. That snapped Mercado's head back.

Mercado is rocked!
An inside leg kick from Norris misses.

Norris throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Mercado was covering up waiting for the punch and Norris finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Mercado working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Norris doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Norris manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Norris chips away with some ground and pound.
Norris lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Norris wants to pass the guard but Mercado is keeping the position.
Mercado wants to sweep here but Norris controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norris throws a big right hand that misses.
Norris slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Danjie Mercado has got the better of the ground game so far.

Mercado throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Norris postures up in Mercado's guard and throws a big left but Mercado blocks it.
Norris slips nicely into half guard.

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.
Norris thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mercado's head.
Mercado gets back to full guard.
Norris engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Norris missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Norris pushing down on Mercado's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Norris is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norris trying to mount his opponent but Mercado defends it.
Norris working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Mercado trying to hold on to Norris's head to control him but Norris postures up.
Mercado wants to get back to full guard.
Norris has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Mercado tries to reverse the position but Norris maintains control.
Mercado regains half guard.
Mercado tries to get to full guard but Norris has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercado is looking to control Norris's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mercado avoid being mounted?
Norris looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Norris's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Mercado is trying to control but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Norris is taking a breather. Mercado says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sub Norris dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Norris with a nice cross.
Norris stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Norris wants it to stay on the feet.
Norris shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Mercado eats them both and turns towards Norris to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

It looks like Danjie Mercado has been cut.
Norris misses the shot to the body.

Mercado scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Norris makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Norris.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Norris is on top in guard.

The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mercado trying to keep a closed guard but Norris is proving a slippery customer.
Norris not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Norris trying to control but Mercado is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norris looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Norris trying to control the position from guard on top but Mercado is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mercado is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Mercado looking for a guillotine here but Norris defends easily.
Mercado being controlled here, momentarily.

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.
Norris seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Mercado for as long as he can get away with.

Mercado is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mercado looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Mercado escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Norris gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mercado lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Mercado landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norris is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mercado passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Norris manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Mercado is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Mercado seems to be looking for submissions.
Mercado prevents Norris from improving his position.
Norris desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Mercado trying to control the action but Norris is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norris is trying to get back to full guard.

Mercado is looking for a kimura but Norris is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mercado to get the leverage.
Mercado sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Norris defending well though.

Mercado is trying to work for a kimura but Norris is defending well.
Mercado prevents Norris from improving his position.

Mercado seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Norris has recovered full guard.
Norris wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Norris wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sub Norris.
I think Norris 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sub Norris!
Danjie Mercado was interviewed post fight and said 'Well, what can I say man. He's the better man today. I'll be back. '.