PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chadwick Mercado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Javi Javier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mercado
vs
Javier

208 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

170 cm
18
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chadwick Mercado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Javi Javier!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Javier shoots in and gets a takedown into Mercado's guard.
Javier stopping the sweep attempt from Mercado.

Mercado has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Javier can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Mercado isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Javier stacks Mercado on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Javier!

Javier has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Mercado shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Mercado is working for a submission of some sort.

Mercado is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado is trying to control the action in half guard but Javier is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Javier wants to get back to his feet.

Mercado is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Mercado is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Javier defends it well.
Javier is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Javier 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.

Mercado is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Javier is just riding it out for now. Mercado eventually gives up the hold.
Javier is trying to stand up here but Mercado is controlling him well.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Mercado is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Javier has managed to free his arm - good work.
Mercado is breathing heavily.
Still in half guard, Mercado seems content to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercado misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Mercado gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Javier gets to his feet - Mercado follows without any prompting.
Mercado changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Mercado really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Javier drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Mercado manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Javier scores with a takedown into Mercado's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Javier wants to stand but Mercado is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercado striking off his back but it's not causing Javier any problems.
Javier is looking to stand up but Mercado won't let him.

Mercado escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Javier gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Javier gets to his feet - Mercado follows without any prompting.

Javier decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Javier wants to stand up but Mercado manages to regain full guard.
Javier wants to get up but he can't break Mercado's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Chadwick Mercado will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mercado lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Javier shoots in and bounces Mercado off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Mercado is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Mercado escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Javier gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mercado working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Javier has passed into half guard!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mercado striking from half guard on the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Javier postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Mercado to stand up.
Javier checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

Javier looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Mercado has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Javier can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Mercado throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Mercado has an active guard here but Javier has managed to pass into half guard.

Mercado looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Javier stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Mercado to get to his feet.

Mercado gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Javier to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Mercado looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Javier passes into side control.

Javier decides to stand up, so the ref orders Mercado to his feet.

Javier shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Javier is going to stand back up.

Javier stands up and beckons Mercado to join him on the feet.
Mercado feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Javier's calf.

Javier shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Javier has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mercado is proving hard to escape from.

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.

Mercado is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Javier is aware though and is defending well.
Javier wants to stand but Mercado is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mercado will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Mercado looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Mercado working for a triangle but Javier defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Javi Javier showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Javier shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Javi Javier has got the better of the ground game so far.

Javier stands up out of the half guard.

Javier bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mercado is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Javier has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Javier blocks the strikes from Mercado.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mercado manages to work his way to half guard, despite Javier's best efforts.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mercado manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mercado working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Javier doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Javier manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Mercado looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Javier decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Javier drives through with a takedown into Mercado's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Mercado wants to get back to his feet but Javier passes into half guard.

Javier stands up out of the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Javier scores with a takedown into Mercado's guard.
Mercado doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Mercado has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Javier is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Mercado.
Mercado is trying to get back to half guard.
Mercado is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Javier stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Javier shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Mercado looking for submissions off his back.

Javier decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Javier shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Mercado manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercado manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Mercado tries to break free but Javier pushes him back against the cage.

Javier has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Mercado uses from the top position.
Mercado working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Javier is wriggling around but Mercado manages to pass to half guard.

Mercado is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Javi Javier.
I think Javier 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Javi Javier!