PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Shakes (ranked 3193 p4p, 2426 weight class) and Manny Mercado (ranked 369 p4p, 294 weight class). Shakes's entrance music is About the Money- T.I.. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Shakes
vs
Mercado

175 cm
23
157
7 - 5 - 0

168 cm
22
160
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Gatoroids
Neon Zombie

Brooklyn Apothecary
Conviction

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 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Shakes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Manny Mercado!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Reed Andrews and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shakes has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Mercado.
Shakes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mercado shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Shakes closes the distance and clinches.
Shakes using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mercado has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Shakes gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Shakes lands a good knee to the midsection. Mercado won't want to take too many of those.
Our sources have told us that Shakes has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Mercado tries a body shot but Shakes blocks it.
Shakes lands a left hand that snaps the head of Mercado backwards.
Mercado takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Manny Mercado has been cut.
Mercado tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mercado misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mercado working aggressively here.
Shakes misses with some punches.
Mercado misses with the head strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Mercado escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mercado dodges the punch combination from Shakes.
Shakes wants to clinch up but Mercado keeps it at a distance.
Mercado walks into a stiff left hand from Shakes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shakes slips a straight right by Mercado.
Mercado ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Mercado has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
A decent looking cross lands there for Shakes.
Shakes checks a leg kick.

Shakes drives through and clinches with Mercado against the cage.
Nice elbow from Shakes.
Shakes lands an elbow inside.
Mercado lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Shakes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mercado is defending well for now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mercado pushes Shakes back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Mercado avoiding damage as Shakes throws knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shakes.
Shakes looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Mercado fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mercado prevents a body shot from Shakes.
Shakes creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Shakes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shakes misses with an elbow strike.
Mercado has a couple of punches blocked by Shakes.
Shakes lands a body shot in the clinch.
Mercado doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Shakes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mercado tries to work over Shakes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Mercado is looking to break free of the clinch but Shakes has double underhooks.
Mercado has a couple of punches blocked by Shakes.
Mercado avoids a wild elbow strike from Shakes.
Shakes unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mercado lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Shakes tries to land knees in the clinch but Mercado avoids the damage to the body.
Shakes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mercado blocks it with crossed arms.
Mercado doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Shakes tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mercado avoids it.
Shakes throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Shakes throws a knee to the head but misses.
Shakes misses with a punch to the body.
Shakes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mercado lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shakes.
Shakes landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Shakes unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Shakes misses with a punch on the inside.
Shakes lands a body shot.
A nice left hand lands by Shakes.
Shakes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Shakes struggles to land a body shot inside as Mercado controls his hands.
Good body shot from Shakes.
Mercado is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Mercado wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Mercado.
A hook to the body from Shakes.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Mercado managing to block the knees to the body from Shakes.
Mercado is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Shakes is keeping busy.
Shakes lands a shoulder strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercado tries a body shot but Shakes blocks it.
Shakes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mercado.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Shakes.
Shakes lands a damaging elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shakes trying to land knees to the body.
Mercado tries to work over Shakes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Shakes lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A short right from Shakes on the inside.
Shakes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Shakes lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Mercado tries to circle away but Shakes has him pinned against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shakes.
Shakes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mercado blocks it with crossed arms.
Shakes using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Shakes pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Shakes connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mercado's face.
Shakes lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Shakes lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Shakes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Manny Mercado's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Shakes waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mercado.
Shakes scores with a nice right hand.
Mercado throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Shakes moves into the clinch.
Mercado lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Shakes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A knee to the head by Shakes.
Shakes pushes Mercado back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Marcus Shakes has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Mercado manages to break the clinch.

Mercado tries to keep at a distance but Shakes has taken the fight into the clinch.
Shakes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mercado can do to turn this around?
Mercado wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Shakes tries to throw a body punch but Mercado avoids it by throwing Shakes back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shakes lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That has opened up Manny Mercado's cut even more.
Mercado dodges an elbow strike from Shakes.
Shakes misses with an elbow over the top.
Mercado looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Shakes lands an elbow inside that Mercado shrugs off.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shakes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mercado is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shakes can't find room to land a body shot as Mercado controls the action.
Shakes lands with a short shot to the head.
Shakes tries to land knees in the clinch but Mercado avoids the damage to the body.
Shakes can't find room to land a body shot as Mercado controls the action.
Mercado blocks the elbow strike.
Shakes lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Shakes scores with a knee to the head.

Mercado is rocked!
A body shot lands from Shakes.
Mercado is still on wobbly legs! Can Shakes finish him?
Shakes lands an elbow just above Mercado 's eye.
Mercado tries a body shot but Shakes blocks it.
Shakes lands a left hand that snaps the head of Mercado backwards.
Mercado works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Shakes lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Mercado.
Mercado misses with a punch to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Shakes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Shakes landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Mercado is breathing heavily.
Shakes lands a big knee! That's hurt Mercado! Oh, he's all over the place! Shakes lands another knee that sends Mercado to the floor and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Marcus Shakes!
A relieved looking Marcus Shakes thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.