PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Graig Jimenez (ranked 5948 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jax Mertal (ranked 3715 p4p, 0 weight class). Graig Jimenez has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Jimenez
vs
Mertal

206 cm
18
161 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

168 cm
25
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Graig Jimenez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jax Mertal!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Chris Dean and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mertal closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Mertal tries to advance position but instead Jimenez slips a leg back in to half guard.
Jimenez desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Mertal misses with a head shot. Jimenez uses the momentum to regain guard.

Mertal is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Jimenez is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Jimenez has escaped and now he's on top!

Jimenez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mertal's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mertal has control of Jimenez's left arm, preventing Jimenez from doing any damage.
Jimenez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Jimenez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Jimenez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mertal's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jimenez throws a big right hand that misses.
Jimenez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Jimenez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jimenez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Mertal should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Jimenez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mertal controlling the position.
Mertal utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Jimenez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Mertal looking to hit a scissor sweep but Jimenez is one step ahead there.
Mertal managing to control the position.
Mertal looking for a sweep. Not yet Mertal, not yet.
Mertal throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Jimenez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Mertal looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Mertal seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jimenez won't allow Mertal to sweep him here.
Mertal utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Mertal can do anything to dispel that myth.
Mertal controlling Jimenez's posture.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jimenez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jimenez stands up over Mertal, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Mertal looking for subs off his back but Jimenez has passed one foot through into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jimenez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Jimenez is thwarting Mertal's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jimenez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Mertal is trying to control but can't.
Jimenez drops an elbow to the side of Mertal's head.
Mertal tries to get to full guard but Jimenez has control of the leg.
Mertal trying to control from the bottom.
Jimenez 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.
Jimenez working Mertal over with strikes.
Jimenez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mertal defending well though.
Mertal really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jimenez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mertal wants to get back to full guard but Jimenez has passed into side control.
Mertal struggling a bit here.
Jimenez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mertal looks to move to half guard but instead Jimenez has passed into mount! Damn!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jimenez lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Jimenez lands a nice shot to the head.
Jimenez is breathing heavily.
The referee warns Mertal that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Mertal can't escape the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jimenez unloading with bombs!
Mertal wants to control but Jimenez is having none of it.
Mertal can't escape the position.
Jimenez looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Mertal is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Jimenez connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Jimenez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Jimenez tries to push Mertal's head away but Mertal is holding on tight.
Mertal tries to hold on but Jimenez pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mertal misses with a few strikes there.
Mertal throws a series of punches but Jimenez moves out of range.
A combination from Mertal does no damage.
Jimenez seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Mertal drives through with a takedown into Jimenez's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Mertal throws a big elbow that misses.
Jimenez is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Mertal got a little sloppy there for a moment and Jimenez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mertal has managed to get both his arms back between Jimenez's legs - danger averted.
Mertal with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jimenez throwing short punches from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mertal drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Jimenez dives on top into guard.

Mertal wants to hit a switch here but Jimenez passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Mertal there!
Mertal working to try and regain half guard.
Graig Jimenez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mertal is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Jimenez is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Mertal can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Mertal keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Jimenez with the ground and pound from mount.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mertal is trying to escape the mount.
Mertal tries to lock up and control but Jimenez gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mertal is desperately trying to improve his position but Jimenez has a good base and remains in mount.
Jimenez unloading with bombs!
Jimenez with shots to the head and body - Mertal looks very uncomfortable down there.
Oooooh, big shot lands for Jimenez! Mertal is hurt baaadly! Jimenez is firing away with more strikes - Mertal is covering up... the ref is warning him to do something. He's just covering up though still and the ref has to step in to end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Graig Jimenez!