PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dolph Mercury (ranked 5582 p4p, 4751 weight class) and Paulius Zurauskas (ranked 569 p4p, 0 weight class). Dolph Mercury has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Mercury
vs
Zurauskas

181 cm
25
220
2 - 2 - 0

195 cm
18
240
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Prefers standup

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Dolph Mercury!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Paulius Zurauskas!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Andrew Berry and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mercury throws a big shot that misses.
Zurauskas looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Zurauskas lands a glancing blow to the side of Mercury's head.
Zurauskas jabs Mercury right on the nose. Mercury blinks but takes it well.
Zurauskas moves into range and connects with a jab.
Mercury on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Zurauskas misses with a body shot.
A little feinted left hand from Mercury on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Zurauskas staying out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zurauskas scores with a nice strike.
Mercury moves forwards but Zurauskas connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Zurauskas fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Mercury on the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercury takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Zurauskas doesn't manage to clinch there - Mercury circles away.
Mercury is looking to counter the offense by Zurauskas and move into the clinch.
Mercury throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Zurauskas cracks Mercury with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Zurauskas feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Mercurys jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Zurauskas lands with a nice body punch.
Zurauskas connects with a single shot there.
Zurauskas tries to clinch up but Mercury circles away and keeps his distance.
Zurauskas uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Paulius Zurauskas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Zurauskas there.
Zurauskas ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The crowd cheers as Zurauskas lands an impressive looking overhand right. Mercury doesn't seem phased though.
Zurauskas is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Mercury had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mercury misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Zurauskas.
Mercury moves forwards but Zurauskas connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Zurauskas sizes up Mercury with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A lazy left from Zurauskas finds it's target.
Mercury throws out a loose jab but Zurauskas uses good head movement to avoid it.
A jab from Zurauskas finds it's way through Mercury's defenses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zurauskas connects with the punch.
A left lands for Zurauskas.
Zurauskas scores with a decent looking hook.
Mercury just misses with a punch to the body.
Zurauskas has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Zurauskas connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Mercury's hands.
Zurauskas throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Mercury on the side of the head.
Zurauskas tries to clinch up
letting Mercury counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercury walks into a left hand.
The fighters circling - Mercury throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Zurauskas catches Mercury with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Zurauskas moves away from the strike by Mercury.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zurauskas works the jab nicely.
Mercury is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Zurauskas's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Zurauskas listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sloppy strikes from Zurauskas. Those never looked like landing.
Mercury misses with a right hand
and Zurauskas counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nice uppercut there from Zurauskas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Zurauskas lands with a right hand.
Mercury looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Zurauskas lands a jab to the nose.
Zurauskas cracks Mercury with a good jab.
A cross from Zurauskas lands.
Zurauskas lands with a straight right. Mercury didn't see that one coming.
Zurauskas slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zurauskas scores with a punch to the head.
Zurauskas 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.
Mercury is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Zurauskas connects with a nice looking jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zurauskas swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Mercury.
Zurauskas lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Zurauskas scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Paulius Zurauskas seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Zurauskas scores with a jab.
Zurauskas is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Mercury throws a hook but Zurauskas blocks it.
Mercury swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Zurauskas moves into range and connects with a jab.
Mercury throws an overhand right that lands on Zurauskas's shoulder, as Zurauskas tries to avoid the shot.
Zurauskas lands the left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zurauskas scores with a nice head shot.
Decent striking displayed by Zurauskas there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zurauskas blocks a jab.
Zurauskas buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Zurauskas scores with a crisp jab that stopped Mercury in his tracks.
Mercury gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Zurauskas.
Mercury drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Mercury with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Zurauskas to score with a decent uppercut.
Mercury throws a shot from downtown. Zurauskas moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zurauskas lands a jab to the head.
Zurauskas tests Mercury's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mercury gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Zurauskas.
Zurauskas swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Mercury.
Zurauskas lands a jab to the head.
Jab by Zurauskas.
Zurauskas lands a nice shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Zurauskas.
Zurauskas bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Mercury's head backwards.
Nice straight punches there by Zurauskas. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Zurauskas.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zurauskas scores with a shot to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Zurauskas.
Zurauskas wants to clinch up but Mercury keeps it at a distance.
Zurauskas falls off balance throwing a combination
and Mercury counters with a nice uppercut.
Zurauskas throws a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulius Zurauskas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Zurauskas ducks under a wild hook from Mercury.
Zurauskas throws a left and a right that both miss
and Mercury counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Zurauskas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mercury loads up on a big right hand but Zurauskas slips the punch.
Jab from Zurauskas.
Jab from Zurauskas.
Mercury throws out a loose jab but Zurauskas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zurauskas is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Mercury with a body shot.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Mercury might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zurauskas throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Mercury counters by clinching up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zurauskas.
Zurauskas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mercury manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercury lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Zurauskas backwards.
Zurauskas misses with a body punch.
Mercury pushes off an throws an elbow but Zurauskas leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Zurauskas swings wildly with an uppercut but Mercury uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zurauskas throws a punch but it's blocked by Mercury.
Mercury looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Mercury avoiding damage.
Zurauskas working aggressively here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Zurauskas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercury keeps control of Zurauskas as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mercury throws an elbow but it misses.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Mercury as Zurauskas tries to tie him up.
A nice right hand lands inside from Mercury.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Mercury just misses with a elbow thrown towards Zurauskas's brow.
Zurauskas throws a punch but it's blocked by Mercury.
Zurauskas misses with a short punch on the inside.
Zurauskas stalling in the clinch but Mercury improves position.
Zurauskas misses with the head strike.
Zurauskas misses with some punches.
Zurauskas lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Zurauskas is trying to push Mercury away but Mercury has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zurauskas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zurauskas swings wildly with an uppercut but Mercury uses good head movement to avoid it.
Zurauskas is trying to maintain a safe position but Mercury gets an underhook and turns Zurauskas into the cage.
Zurauskas tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Zurauskas is trying to push Mercury away but Mercury has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Zurauskas tries to work over Mercury's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Zurauskas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zurauskas wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mercury pushes off an throws an elbow but Zurauskas leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Mercury taking a breather.
Mercury throws an elbow that misses.

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.
Mercury throws an elbow that misses.
Zurauskas blocks an elbow strike from Mercury.
Zurauskas fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Paulius Zurauskas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Zurauskas avoids a wild elbow strike from Mercury.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Mercury.
Mercury stalling against the cage.
Mercury gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Mercury softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Dolph Mercury has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Mercury lands a right hand that snaps the head of Zurauskas backwards.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dolph Mercury showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zurauskas 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulius Zurauskas!