PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Greg Connor (ranked 85 p4p, 547 weight class) and Anthony Merel (ranked 8 p4p, 58 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Connor might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Cherub Rock. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Connor
vs
Merel

178 cm
23
158
10 - 1 - 0

171 cm
24
152
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

HARDCORE Threads
Altitude Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Greg Connor!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Merel!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Matheus Silva and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Connor ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A little feinted left hand from Connor on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A big right from Merel misses.
Connor misses with a hook. Merel ducked under it nicely.
Merel with the counter takedown but Connor avoids it easily.
Connor connects with a good right hand that stumbles Merel. Merel circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

It looks like Anthony Merel has been cut.
Connor pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Connor fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Merel lands with a hook. Connor tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Connor misses with a looping left.

Merel shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Connor is trying to defend but Merel finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Merel throwing shots but Connor is blocking nicely.
Merel not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merel controlling the pace.
Connor avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Merel.
Merel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Connor's head.
Merel working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Connor is looking to improve his position.
Merel has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Merel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Connor's head.

Merel wants to work for an arm triangle but Connor is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Merel working Connor over with strikes.
Merel is thwarting Connor's attempts to control the position.
Merel controlling the pace.
Merel scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merel landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Merel uses his free foot to push down on Connor's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Connor.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Connor is in all sorts of trouble here.
Merel throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Merel looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Merel lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Connor is in all sorts of trouble here.
Merel thowing shots but they're missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merel lands a big shot there that rocks Connor but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Merel thowing shots but they're missing.

Merel jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Connor is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Connor and Merel has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Merel lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Connor down.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Merel is trying to ground and pound but Connor uses the momentary lack of control by Merel to regain half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice strikes from Merel there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Merel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anthony Merel's cut.
That's time! Connor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Connor takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Merel throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Anthony Merel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Connor throws a hook but Merel avoids it easily.
A left lands for Merel.
Merel throws a jab but it's blocked by Connor.
Connor is looking to counter punch.
Merel keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Merel. Connor does a little dance to reset his feet.
Connor looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A looping hook to the body misses from Connor. Merel does a little dance to reset his feet.
Connor has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Connor there as he acknowledges the shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merel paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
A left lands for Merel.
Merel misses with a straight left.
Merel staying out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connor takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Merel scores with a jab. Connor acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Merel paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Merel throws a shot to the body.
Connor drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Connor drops his hands momentarily and Merel takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A decent looking cross lands there for Merel.
Connor swings widly with a right hand

so Merel counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Merel scoring with punches to the head and body.
Connor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Merel.
Merel throws a big elbow that misses.
Connor keeping moving, preventing Merel from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connor is trying to control the position but Merel postures up.
Connor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Merel.
Connor utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Merel connects with a couple of short punches.
Merel lands a couple of elbows.
Merel wants to control from the top but Connor keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Connor is keeping the position for now.
Merel sitting in guard here, content to control.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Merel looking to pass the guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A telegraphed right hand from Merel misses the target.
Merel scores with the left hand. Connor knows he should have avoided that one.
Connor takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Anthony Merel seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Merel fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Connor throws a body shot but no joy.
Merel changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Connor loads up on a big right hand but Merel slips the punch.
Merel dives in and grabs Connor's left leg, looking for a takedown. Connor pushes down on Merel's head and hops out.
Merel catches Connor with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
A left lands for Connor.
Connor throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Greg Connor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Connor throws a body shot but no joy.
Connor throws a hook to the side of Merel's head but Merel sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Merel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Merel moves away from the strike by Connor.
Merel ducks under a wild hook from Connor.
Merel listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Merel jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Merel uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Connor.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Merel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Anthony Merel's cut.
That's time! Connor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Merel tests Connor's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A big left from Merel misses.
Connor is looking to counter punch.
Merel scores with a decent looking hook.
Merel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Merel's jab looks to have found its range, popping Connor under the eye.
Nice shot by Connor.
Merel swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Connor looks to throw the jab but Merel is out of range.
Merel takes a swing at Connor's ribcage but misses.
Connor smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Merel.
Merel uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Connor.
Merel with the counter takedown but Connor avoids it easily.
Merel throws a series of punches but Connor avoids them all with ease.
Merel lands a head shot.
Merel takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A big left from Merel misses.
Connor slips a straight right by Merel.
Connor throwing a counter right hand but Merel manages to avoid it.
Connor walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Merel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Connor moves away.
Connor swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Connor lands a jab to the head.
Merel lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Connor misses with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connor ducks right into an uppercut from Merel.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A big left from Connor misses.
Merel moves out of range as Connor strikes.
Merel fails with a takedown attempt.
A jab from Merel does it's job there.
Connor looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Merel shoots and misses
and Connor counters with a stiff right hand.

Merel is rocked!
A looping hook to the body misses from Merel. Connor does a little dance to reset his feet.
Merel is still on wobbly legs! Can Connor finish him?
Merel throws a right hand that misses
and Connor counters with a huge left! Merel is in big trouble! He's backing up but Connor isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Merel from any more damage. A dominating finish by Connor!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Greg Connor!
Greg Connor retains his featherweight title!
A less than humble Greg Connor misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.