PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Elia Mercurio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ibru Mukatah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Elia Mercurio has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Mercurio
vs
Mukatah

191 cm
25
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Island's Forbidden Fruits

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Elia Mercurio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ibru Mukatah!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Michael Johnstone and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mukatah tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mercurio swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mercurio misses with a body shot.
The crowd cheers as Mercurio lands an impressive looking overhand right. Mukatah doesn't seem phased though.
Mercurio cracks Mukatah with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Mercurio lands a lovely overhand right.

Mukatah closes the distance and clinches.
Mercurio tries a body shot but Mukatah blocks it.
Mukatah scores with a shot to the side of Mercurio's head.
Mukatah is defending well against a takedown attempt.
I was talking to Mercurio's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Mercurio goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Mercurio tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Mukatah's elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mukatah lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mercurio backwards.
Mukatah blocks an uppercut.
Mukatah is trying to force a seperation but Mercurio has the dominant position.
Mercurio is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Mercurio holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mukatah tries to pull guard but Mercurio won't allow it.
Mercurio just leaning against Mukatah, taking a breather.
Mukatah jumps guard but Mercurio turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Mukatah can't break the clinch.
Mercurio misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Mukatah pushes Mercurio back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Mercurio misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mukatah.
Mercurio being controlled against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Mercurio.
Mercurio misses with some punches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Mukatah tries to work over Mercurio's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mukatah blocks a body shot from Mercurio.
Mukatah scores with a hook to the body.
Mercurio tries to pull guard but Mukatah holds him up against the cage and eventually Mercurio drops back down to his feet.
Mercurio has a couple of punches blocked by Mukatah.
Mukatah misses with a hook to the ribs.
Mercurio working aggressively here.

Mercurio breaks the clinch.
Ibru Mukatah is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mercurio connects with a body shot.
Mercurio wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Mukatah throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mercurio throws a body shot but no joy.
Mukatah changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Mukatah tries to clinch up but Mercurio circles away and keeps his distance.
Mercurio connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Mukatah's hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercurio darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Mercurio waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mukatah.
Mukatah shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mercurio pinned against the cage. Mercurio gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Elia Mercurio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ibru Mukatah.
A telegraphed right hand from Mercurio misses the target.
Mercurio slips a jab and a cross from Mukatah.
Elia Mercurio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mukatah closes the distance and clinches.
Mercurio lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Mukatah.
Mercurio drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mukatah pulls his leg out and moves away.
Mukatah moves forwards but Mercurio connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Mukatah tries to clinch up but Mercurio circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mercurio shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mercurio drops an elbow to the side of Mukatah's head.
Mukatah is trying to stand up here but Mercurio is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mercurio is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Mercurio working over Mukatah with some ground and pound. Mukatah looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mercurio controlling the pace.
Mukatah misses with some strikes from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mercurio lands a nice short elbow.
Mercurio sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Mercurio slips a nice elbow through Mukatah's hands, connecting with Mukatah's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elia Mercurio dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Mercurio fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Mukatah is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mercurio tries to counter with a takedown but Mukatah is quick to defend against it.
Mercurio throws an off balance right hand
and Mukatah connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Mercurio gets tackled into the cage by Mukatah. Mukatah maintains the clinch.
Mukatah is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Mercurio has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Mukatah clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Mercurio scores with strikes from the back.
Mercurio connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Mukatah to escape the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mercurio scores with punches from the back.
Mukatah is trying to get back to his feet but Mercurio has full control of the position and if anything, Mukatah has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercurio lands a shot to the head.
Elia Mercurio overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Mercurio is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Mercurio keeps control of the position as Mukatah tries to break free.

Mukatah preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Mercurio.
Mercurio is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Mukatah up.
Mercurio really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Mukatah.
Mukatah covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Mukatah is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mukatah keeps trying to improve his position.
Mercurio connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Mukatah to escape the position.
Mercurio is punishing Mukatah with some ground and pound.

It looks like Ibru Mukatah has been cut.
Mercurio lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.

Mukatah is rocked!
Mercurio lands a series of strikes from the back and Mukatah goes limp! The ref jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Elia Mercurio!
An out of breath Elia Mercurio thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.