PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bryan Mayhem (ranked 293 p4p, 46 weight class) and Malcolm Merlin (ranked 820 p4p, 124 weight class). Merlin has chosen Let There Be Rock! as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mayhem
vs
Merlin

180 cm
32
224 lbs
21 - 4 - 0

190 cm
28
208 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

XFighter Clothing
Mockstar Energy Drinks 160Q

Aspire Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bryan Mayhem!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Malcolm Merlin!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, James Atkins and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merlin fakes the leg kick and cracks Mayhem in the body.
Merlin misses with a body punch
and Mayhem counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Merlin thinking.
Mayhem misses with a hook.
Merlin scores with a nice head shot.
Merlin thows a leg kick but Mayhem checks it
and Mayhem counters with a stiff right hand.
Mayhem avoids the body shot from Merlin.
Mayhem has been working on his boxing with his coaches at LOD: Lightning Kicks (MaxID290K) in the buildup to the fight.
Merlin throws a poor cross that misses
and Mayhem counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Merlin thinking.
Merlin throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Mayhem counter with a right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Merlin. Mayhem does a little dance to reset his feet.
A punch lands to the side of Mayhem 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Merlin is looking to slow Mayhem down with leg kicks.
Merlin misses the jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Merlin will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A little feinted left hand from Mayhem on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
The fighters circling - Merlin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Merlin takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merlin misses with a few strikes there.
Mayhem throwing a counter right hand but Merlin manages to avoid it.
A left lands for Mayhem.
Merlin looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Mayhem half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Merlin throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Malcolm Merlin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A low kick from Merlin is predictable there
and Mayhem counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Merlin misses with the combination.
Mayhem fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Merlin.
Mayhem scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Mayhem misses with a body shot.
Merlin swings for the body but Mayhem moves out of range.
An inside leg kick from Merlin misses.
Malcolm Merlin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot by Mayhem.
Merlin misses with an uppercut.
Mayhem stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mayhem tries to close the distance and clinch up but Merlin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A low kick from Merlin is predictable there

and Mayhem counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mayhem looking to pass the guard.
Merlin controlling the position.
Mayhem is working Merlin over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Merlin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mayhem is one step ahead there.
Merlin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mayhem's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Merlin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mayhem.
Merlin trying to control the position.
Mayhem trying to control the position from guard on top but Merlin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Merlin keeping full guard, as Mayhem tries to pass.
Mayhem scoring with punches to the head and body.
Mayhem sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mayhem is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Mayhem scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Mayhem throws a big right hand that misses.
Mayhem engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Mayhem in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bryan Mayhem dominated that round.
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.

Merlin bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Merlin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Mayhem wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Merlin finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Mayhem, right into the meat.
Mayhem avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mayhem uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Merlin.
Mayhem tried to counter with a leg kick but Merlin avoided it.
Merlin throws a sloppy body shot
and Mayhem makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Merlin tries a head kick but it misses.
Mayhem moves away from the strike by Merlin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mayhem clinches with his opponent.
Merlin throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Merlin fails to land.
Mayhem pushes Merlin back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Merlin has a couple of punches blocked by Mayhem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merlin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Merlin misses with some punches.
Mayhem blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Merlin works on Mayhem's body with a couple of short punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Merlin.
Mayhem scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Mayhem misses with a body punch.
Still in the clinch, Merlin scores with a nice short uppercut.
Merlin holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Merlin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Merlin tries to work over Mayhem's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Merlin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Merlin swings wildly with an uppercut but Mayhem uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merlin has a couple of punches blocked by Mayhem.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mayhem.
Merlin lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mayhem backwards.
Mayhem goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Merlin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mayhem misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Merlin fails to land.
Merlin tries to throw a body punch but Mayhem avoids it by throwing Merlin back against the cage.
Merlin working aggressively here.
Mayhem lands a left hand.

It looks like Malcolm Merlin has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mayhem blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mayhem tries to throw a body punch but Merlin avoids it by throwing Mayhem back against the cage.
Mayhem blocks an uppercut.
Merlin swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merlin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mayhem throws a punch but it's blocked by Merlin.
Mayhem misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Merlin misses with the head strike.
Merlin makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Mayhem swings wildly with an uppercut but Merlin uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Merlin.
A short uppercut from Mayhem.
Malcolm Merlin seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Merlin swings wildly with an uppercut but Mayhem uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mayhem misses with a punch to the body.
Mayhem lands a right hand that snaps the head of Merlin backwards.
A short left from Merlin.
Merlin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Mayhem's elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Merlin.
Mayhem is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Merlin pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Merlin throws a punch but it's blocked by Mayhem.
Merlin can't find room to land a body shot as Mayhem controls the action.
Mayhem tries to pull guard but Merlin won't allow it.
Merlin lands a hook to the side of the head.
Merlin misses with a body punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mayhem is working Merlin over against the cage.
Merlin scores with a shot to the side of Mayhem's head.
Merlin blocks a body shot from Mayhem.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Merlin.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Merlin.
Nice body punch from Merlin.
Merlin has a couple of punches blocked by Mayhem.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malcolm Merlin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Malcolm Merlin's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Merlin is looking to slow Mayhem down with leg kicks.
Merlin misses with a right hand
and Mayhem counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Merlin misses with a looping left.
Mayhem swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
A looping hook to the body misses from Merlin. Mayhem does a little dance to reset his feet.
Merlin avoids the body shot from Mayhem.
Merlin works over Mayhem's head and body with a nice combination.
Merlin throws a jab when Mayhem was well out of range.

Mayhem moves into the clinch.
A short uppercut from Merlin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mayhem tries to pull guard but Merlin forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Merlin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Merlin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mayhem lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Merlin blocks a body shot from Mayhem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Merlin.
Merlin tries to stall but Mayhem uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Merlin looking to slow down the pace here.
Merlin working aggressively here.
Merlin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Mayhem blocks a body shot from Merlin.
Mayhem goes for a takedown attempt but Merlin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A big left from Merlin misses.
Mayhem will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bryan Mayhem. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mayhem slips under a jab from Merlin.
Merlin takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Merlin walks into a stiff left hand from Mayhem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merlin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mayhem tries to counter by clinching up but Merlin breaks away and moves out of range.
Merlin misses with a wild combination.
Merlin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Merlin misses with a body kick.
Merlin scores with a head kick.
Mayhem darts in looking for a takedown but Merlin gets double underhooks and turns Mayhem into the cage.
Some bone on bone action there as Mayhem checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Merlin misses with the combination.
Mayhem feinted with a counter takedown.
Merlin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mayhem was well out of range. Poor timing from Merlin.
Merlin throws a right hand that misses
and Merlin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Merlin throws a right hand that misses
enabling Mayhem to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mayhem scores with a jab to the body.
Mayhem scores with a leg kick.
Mayhem slips a jab from Merlin.
Merlin throws a series of punches but Mayhem moves out of range.
Mayhem throws a shot from downtown. Merlin moves away and avoids it.
Mayhem tries to clinch but Merlin is having none of it.
An inside leg kick lands from Mayhem.
Merlin misses with a lunging right hand
and Mayhem connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Good work by Merlin as he checks the leg kick.

Mayhem drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Mayhem lands a nice forearm strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mayhem trying to control the action but Merlin is working from the bottom.
Mayhem lands some shots froms side control.
Mayhem working the ground and pound.
Mayhem sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Merlin is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Mayhem cracks Merlin with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Merlin is rocked!
Mayhem lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Merlin down.
Merlin is still in real trouble! Can Mayhem finish him?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mayhem scoring with punches and elbows.
Merlin tries to improve position but can't.
Mayhem lands a strong strike to the head of Merlin. That's dazed him! Mayhem looking to finish here. Merlin is waving his arms around trying to block but he's hurt badly - Mayhem lands more strikes and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Bryan Mayhem!
In his post fight interview, Bryan Mayhem started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.