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WP 4 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the super heavyweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of New York, with a TWGC record of 40 wins and 22 losses; Xavier Merlin! And in the blue corner, fighting out of New York, with a TWGC record of 26 wins and 26 losses; Marc Read!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Jeff Smith and Chris Saunders.
The fighters connect hands in the middle of the mat and we are under way.
Read drives through with a takedown into Merlin's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Merlin (0) vs (2) Read
We've been hearing good reports from Merlin's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Read showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Read preventing the sweep.
Read pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Merlin is keeping the position for now.
Read trying to control but Merlin is working from the bottom.
Read trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merlin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Merlin keeping full guard, as Read tries to pass.
Read trying to control but Merlin is working from the bottom.
Read pushing down on Merlin's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Merlin keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Merlin trying to hold on to Read's head to control him but Read postures up.
Read is looking for a kimura here.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merlin tries to get to full guard but Read has control of the leg.
My spies in Blacktalians MMA inform me that Read has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Read is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Read is looking for a kimura but Merlin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Read to get the leverage.
Read wants to control but Merlin is keeping him busy.
Read might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Merlin haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Read is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Read seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Read is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Merlin has managed to free his arm - good work.
Read stalling away here and it's allowed Merlin to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Read trying to control but Merlin is working from the bottom.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merlin looking for a sweep. Not yet Merlin, not yet.
Read tries to free his leg and advance position but Merlin is retaining full guard.
Read postures up.
Merlin keeping moving, preventing Read from controlling successfully.
Read wants to pass the guard but Merlin is keeping the position.
Read stopping the sweep attempt from Merlin.
Merlin keeping full guard, as Read tries to pass.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Merlin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Read is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Read pushes down on Merlin's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Read tries to pass to full mount but Merlin defends it.
Read wants to control but Merlin is keeping him busy.
Merlin moves into full guard.
Merlin is pulling down on Read's head. It's preventing any offense from Read, at least for the moment.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Merlin lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (2) vs (2) Read
Read bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Merlin's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (2) vs (4) Read
Read is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Merlin is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Merlin has escaped and now he's on top! Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (4) vs (4) Read
Read is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Merlin sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Read's guard.
Merlin prevents Read from improving his position.
Read slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Read looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Merlin tries to free his leg and advance position but Read is retaining full guard.
Read is trying to keep Merlin in close.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Read is on top in guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (4) vs (6) Read
Read looking to pass the guard.
Merlin keeping moving, preventing Read from controlling successfully.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Read pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Merlin is keeping the position for now.
Read is looking to pass into half guard but Merlin pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Merlin is in guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (6) vs (6) Read
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Read working a defensive guard but Merlin manages to pass into side control anyway.
Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (9) vs (6) Read
Merlin wants to control but Read is keeping him busy.
Read is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Merlin is one step ahead and moves to full mount! Score +2 for reaching mount: Merlin (11) vs (6) Read
Read tries to hold on but Merlin postures up.
Read is wriggling around trying to escape.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Read manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Read won't allow Merlin to pass to mount.
Merlin is thwarting Read's attempts to control the position.
Well, if Merlin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Read is looking to improve his position.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Merlin trying to control the action but Read is working from the bottom.
Merlin prevents Read from improving his position.
Read trying to get back to full guard but Merlin takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount! Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (14) vs (6) Read
Read regains half guard.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Merlin controlling the action here.
Read is looking to improve his position.
Read trying to control here.
Read is looking to improve his position.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Read wants to control but Merlin passes into side.
Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (17) vs (6) Read
Merlin tries to move to mount but Read blocks the move with his legs.
Read is trying to improve his position.
Read is trying to control Merlin's posture but Merlin avoids it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Read is looking for a sweep.
And that's the end of the fight!
Merlin takes the fight on points by 17 to 6.
Xavier Merlin seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website. |
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