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WP 84 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 88 wins and 51 losses; Xavier Merlin! And in the blue corner, fighting out of New York, with a TWGC record of 47 wins and 55 losses; Strega Notturna!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Andrew Berry and Paul Tew.
The fighters bow as they face eachother in the middle of the mat and we are under way.
Merlin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Notturna fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Merlin fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Notturna sprawls well initially but Merlin persists and gets the takedown into half guard. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Merlin (2) vs (0) Notturna
Notturna is looking to control Merlin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Notturna avoid being mounted?
Notturna is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Notturna is positioning himself well to prevent Merlin advancing to mount.
Merlin is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Notturna is not content to let Merlin control the position.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Merlin wants to pass to mount but Notturna is defending the position.
Notturna wants to control but Merlin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Notturna is refusing to be controlled, as Merlin sits in half guard.
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.
Notturna has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Merlin is working away from the top position though.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Notturna is controlling Merlin's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Notturna is looking for a sweep. Merlin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Merlin trying to pass the guard but Notturna defending well.
The fighters are battling for position here. Notturna manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Notturna manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Merlin manages to get himself to full guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (2) vs (2) Notturna
Notturna stays in close to Merlin's body and controls the position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Notturna wants to control from the top but Merlin keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Merlin is on top in guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (4) vs (2) Notturna
Notturna seems keen to control Merlin's posture.
Merlin tries to free his leg and advance position but Notturna is retaining full guard.
Notturna pulls Merlin in close to his closed guard and prevents Merlin from doing any damage or advancing 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.
Notturna's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merlin stopping the sweep attempt from Notturna.
Merlin is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Notturna controlling Merlin's posture.
Merlin stopping the sweep attempt from Notturna.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Merlin wants to control from the top but Notturna keeps moving.
Notturna 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.
Notturna has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Notturna keeping full guard, as Merlin tries to pass.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Notturna pulls Merlin in close to prevent any damage.
Notturna wants to sweep but no luck.
Notturna has Merlin pulled in close to control his posture.
Notturna is trying to keep Merlin in close.
Notturna looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Notturna is on top in guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (4) vs (4) Notturna
Notturna preventing the sweep.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Merlin pulls Notturna in close to prevent any damage.
Notturna slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Merlin looking for a sweep. Not yet Merlin, not yet.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Notturna trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Notturna is pushing down on Merlin's leg trying to pass to half guard. Merlin is fighting to maintain full guard but Notturna has managed to sneak the leg through.
Notturna is taking a breather. Merlin says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Merlin is looking for a sweep. Notturna is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Notturna is trying to control. Merlin wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Notturna trying to control the pace.
Merlin is staying active underneath Notturna, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Merlin is looking for a sweep. Notturna is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Notturna wants to take a breather but Merlin is having none of it.
Notturna perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Merlin is not content to let Notturna control the position.
Notturna not doing much here.
Merlin is concentrating on defense, preventing Notturna from advancing position.
Notturna performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Notturna trying to control from half guard but Merlin is working away.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Notturna is controlling the pace.
Notturna stalling away here and it's allowed Merlin to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Notturna is stalling in the full guard.
Notturna tries to free his leg and advance position but Merlin is retaining full guard.
Notturna postures up.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Merlin wants to sweep here but Notturna controlling him for the moment.
Notturna passes Merlin's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Notturna with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Merlin is staying active underneath Notturna, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Merlin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Notturna sitting and controlling from the half guard.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Notturna is looking to take a break and control but Merlin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Merlin is looking to improve his position.
Notturna takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
It looks like Notturna might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Notturna is trying to control. Merlin wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Notturna content to control rather than advance.
Merlin wants to get back to full guard.
Notturna seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Notturna trying to control from half guard but Merlin is working away.
Merlin wants to control but Notturna is keeping busy and won't allow it.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Notturna slows the pace down in half guard.
Notturna wants to lay and pray for a moment but Merlin keeps working.
Notturna is controlling the pace.
More stalling from Notturna.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Merlin is looking for a sweep. Notturna is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that's the end of the fight!
As we have tied on points and both fighters attempted the same number of subs, we will decide the bout based on the toss of a coin! Merlin is heads and Notturna is tails.
The coin is in the air and it lands... heads!
Merlin takes the fight on points by 5 to 4.
A relieved looking Xavier Merlin thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it. |
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