PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nathaniel Mercado (ranked 5962 p4p, 0 weight class) and Theodore Van Anderson (ranked 4610 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Anderson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Ain't my bitch. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Mercado
vs
Van Anderson

209 cm
24
346 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

199 cm
25
300 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Nathaniel Mercado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Theodore Van Anderson!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Paul Aken and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Anderson misses with a series of wild punches.
Mercado moves in looking to clinch but Van Anderson pushes him off.
Van Anderson lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

It looks like Nathaniel Mercado has been cut.

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

Mercado has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Van Anderson is on him like a limpet, forcing Mercado back against the cage.
Van Anderson is trying to force a seperation but Mercado has the dominant position.
Mercado prevents a takedown attempt there.

Van Anderson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mercado delivers a nice body kick.

Mercado gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Van Anderson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado slips a jab and a cross from Van Anderson.
Mercado stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mercado wants it to stay on the feet.
Mercado keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nathaniel Mercado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Theodore Van Anderson.
A head kick by Van Anderson misses
and Mercado counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Van Anderson is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Van Anderson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Theodore Van Anderson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mercado forces Van Anderson back against the cage and clinches.
Van Anderson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Van Anderson goes for a takedown attempt but Mercado pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Van Anderson moves into the clinch successfully.
Mercado slows down the pace here.
Mercado tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Van Anderson avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Anderson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Mercado just leaning against Van Anderson, taking a breather.

Mercado breaks the clinch.

Van Anderson pushes Mercado up against the cage in a clinch.
The referee calls for Mercado to work.
Van Anderson working hard to break the clinch.
Mercado prevents a takedown attempt there.
A frustrated look appears on Van Anderson's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Anderson letting Mercado take a breather here.
Mercado could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Van Anderson wants a takedown but no success here.
Mercado keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Van Anderson's efforts to push away.

Mercado gets control of Van Anderson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mercado will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Mercado 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.
Van Anderson sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mercado is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Van Anderson wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercado 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.

Van Anderson makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Van Anderson throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Van Anderson lands with a jab that stuns his opponent. Mercado is looking to close the distance but Van Anderson sees it coming and throws a beautiful knee! Mercado crumbles to the mat and that's all she wrote! Let's hope Mercado is OK because that was naaaaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Knee). Theodore Van Anderson!
Theodore Van Anderson decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.