PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Angelo Meroni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Radzi Tamil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Meroni
vs
Tamil

183 cm
21
190 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
23
201 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Rocha Nutrition

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Angelo Meroni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Radzi Tamil!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Daniel Bishop and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meroni slips a straight right by Tamil.
Tamil thows a left - swing and a miss!

Meroni forces Tamil back against the ropes and clinches.
Tamil has had enough of the clinch but Meroni keeps him there for the moment.

Meroni manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Tamil trying to control but Meroni is working from the bottom.
Tamil passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Tamil looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Meroni is trying to improve his position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Tamil working the ground and pound.
Tamil working away.
Tamil has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Tamil thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Tamil cracks Meroni with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meroni wants to control but Tamil postures up.
Tamil scores with punches from side control.
Tamil wants to lay and pray for a moment but Meroni keeps working.
Meroni can't do much from the bottom here.
Meroni is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Tamil is controlling him well.
Tamil trying to control the position but Meroni is working away.
Tamil lands a few punches from side control.
Tamil wants to control for a moment but Meroni uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
The fighters are battling for position here. Tamil manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Meroni accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tamil looking to control.
Tamil wants to sweep here but Meroni controlling him for the moment.
Meroni wants to pass the guard but Tamil is keeping the position.
Meroni won't allow Tamil to sweep him here.
Tamil is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Meroni trying to control the position from guard on top but Tamil is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
No joy there for Tamil, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tamil throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Meroni sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Meroni shoots in looking for a takedown. Tamil tries to sprawl out of it but Meroni keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Tamil manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Tamil lands with an uppercut that bounces Meroni off the ropes and back into rage.

It looks like Angelo Meroni has been cut.

Meroni changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Tamil looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Tamil tries to improve position but can't.
Meroni is breathing heavily.
Tamil tries to strike but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meroni is chipping away with strikes.
Tamil is not content to let Meroni control the position.
Tamil is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Tamil's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Meroni slips a jab from Tamil.
Tamil throws a right hand that Meroni ducks under and follows up with a left that Meroni also avoids with ease.
Meroni tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Radzi Tamil dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Angelo Meroni's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Meroni shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Meroni trying to control but Tamil is working from the bottom.
Tamil throwing short punches from the bottom.
Meroni scoring with some ground and pound.
Tamil wants to sweep here but Meroni controlling him for the moment.
Tamil working a defensive guard here.
Tamil keeping moving, preventing Meroni from controlling successfully.

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

Tamil looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meroni wants to control from the top but Tamil keeps moving.
Tamil has a closed guard, preventing Meroni from standing up.

Tamil has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Meroni can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Tamil is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Meroni pushes Tamil off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meroni showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tamil.
Angelo Meroni seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Meroni walks into a stiff left hand from Tamil.
Tamil lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Meroni circles away quickly and effectively.
Meroni defending well as Tamil loads up on a big left hand.
Tamil walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Tamil lands a right hook to the body.
Meroni showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tamil.
Tamil takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Meroni scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Tamil wants to control but Meroni postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meroni trying to control the action but Tamil is working from the bottom.
Tamil is looking for a sweep.
Tamil gets back to half guard.
Tamil trying to control but Meroni postures up.
Meroni working the head and body with strikes.
Meroni wants to free his trapped foot but Tamil is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Tamil actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Tamil is looking for a sweep. Meroni is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tamil is refusing to be controlled, as Meroni sits in half guard.

Meroni is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Tamil manages to get to full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tamil is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Radzi Tamil will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Angelo Meroni's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Tamil cracks Meroni with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Meroni tries to move into range but Tamil moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Tamil throws a good cross that connects.
Left hook, right uppercut from Tamil.

Meroni is rocked!
Tamil throws a right hand that Meroni ducks under and follows up with a left that Meroni also avoids with ease.
Meroni is looking to clinch.
Meroni pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Meroni moves in looking to clinch but Tamil pushes him off.
Tamil keeps the fight on the outside.
Meroni slips a straight right by Tamil.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Meroni. Tamil shrugs it off though.
Tamil lands with a shot to the body.
Angelo Meroni is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meroni walks into a jab.
The crowd cheers as Tamil lands an impressive looking overhand right. Meroni doesn't seem phased though.
A jab from Tamil does it's job there.
Good exchange - Tamil coming out on top.
Tamil tests Meroni's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Tamil, as that shot connected.
Tamil misses the jab.
Nice shot lands for Tamil.
Good standup being displayed there by Tamil as he connects with a hook.
Meroni takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Meroni uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tamil.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tamil misses with an uppercut. Meroni saw that one coming.
Good standup being displayed there by Tamil as he connects with a hook.
Meroni throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tamil lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Tamil might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Meroni drops his hands momentarily and Tamil takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Radzi Tamil is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Meroni swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tamil swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Meroni.
Tamil scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Meroni moves out of range as Tamil strikes.
Meroni moves away from the strike by Tamil.
Tamil misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Meroni clinches up against the ropes.

Tamil manages to break the clinch.
A head kick misses from Meroni.
Tamil throws out a loose jab but Meroni uses good head movement to avoid it.
Danga de danga de dang - Tamil scores with a four punch combination!

Meroni has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tamil can't break the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Meroni.

Meroni breaks from the clinch.
Meroni takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Meroni staying out of range there.
Tamil stuffs the takedown attempt from Meroni. Meroni gets slowly back to his feet.
Tamil throws a looping overhand right but Meroni ducks down to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tamil misses with a straight left.
Meroni tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tamil swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tamil lands with a straight right. Meroni didn't see that one coming.
Meroni tries to clinch but Tamil moves out of range.
Meroni dodges the punch combination from Tamil.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Meroni.
Tamil waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Meroni.
Angelo Meroni has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Meroni throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Radzi Tamil comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tamil winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight for Radzi Tamil!
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Radzi Tamil!
Judge James Atkins scores the fight for Radzi Tamil!

Radzi Tamil wins by unanimous decision!