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WP 106 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 99 wins and 59 losses; Xavier Merlin! And in the blue corner, fighting out of New York, with a TWGC record of 56 wins and 85 losses; Billy Turturro!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Sam Margolis and Colin Fotheringham.
The fighters connect hands in the middle of the mat and we are under way.
Merlin closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Turturro to the mat! Turturro manages to get full guard. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Merlin (2) vs (0) Turturro
Turturro keeping moving, preventing Merlin from controlling successfully.
Turturro looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Merlin has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Merlin wants to control from the top but Turturro keeps moving.
Turturro is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Merlin is aware though and is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merlin postures up.
Turturro looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Turturro holds on and takes a little breather.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Turturro is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Merlin looking to sit in guard and control but Turturro gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (2) vs (2) Turturro
Turturro pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Merlin is keeping the position for now.
Turturro looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Turturro drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Merlin dives on top into guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (4) vs (2) Turturro
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turturro seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Merlin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Merlin looking to pass the guard.
Merlin preventing the sweep.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turturro escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Merlin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Turturro wants to sweep but no luck.
Turturro is pulling down on Merlin's head. It's preventing any offense from Merlin, at least for the moment.
Turturro wants to sweep here but Merlin controlling him for the moment.
Merlin controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Turturro has an active guard here but Merlin has managed to pass into half guard.
Turturro is trying to get back to full guard.
Merlin is controlling the pace.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Turturro is staying active underneath Merlin, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Turturro moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Merlin passes Turturro's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Turturro looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Merlin prevents Turturro from improving his position.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Merlin is looking to advance position but Turturro won't allow it.
Merlin works his way into side control. Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (7) vs (2) Turturro
Turturro tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Merlin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Turturro is trying to control Merlin's posture but Merlin avoids it.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Turturro prevents Merlin from improving position.
Turturro is trying to improve his position.
Turturro is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Merlin's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Turturro slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Merlin sitting in guard here, content to control.
Turturro has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Merlin is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Turturro. Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (10) vs (2) Turturro
Turturro can't do much from the bottom here.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Turturro regains half guard.
Turturro wants to sweep but Merlin has passed to side control! Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (13) vs (2) Turturro
Turturro sneaks back into half guard.
Turturro tries to get to full guard but Merlin has control of the leg.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Merlin wants to take a breather but Turturro is having none of it.
Turturro controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Turturro tries to roll over but Merlin keeps him under control.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Merlin is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Turturro reverses the position - he's now on top in Merlin's guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Merlin (13) vs (4) Turturro
Merlin trying to keep a closed guard but Turturro is proving a slippery customer.
Turturro passes easily into side control. Nice work. Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (13) vs (7) Turturro
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Turturro has knee on belly momentarily but Merlin bucks him off and regains half guard.
Merlin trying to hold on to Turturro's head to control him but Turturro postures up.
Merlin won't allow Turturro to pass to mount.
Turturro is trying to control the action in half guard but Merlin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Turturro is controlling the pace.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Turturro prevents Merlin from improving his position.
Merlin trying to control but Turturro postures up.
Turturro wants to take a breather but Merlin is having none of it.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Turturro is trying to work for a kimura but Merlin is defending well.
Merlin manages to get to full guard.
Merlin has his foot on Turturro's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Turturro works his way back into a safe position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Turturro sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Turturro preventing the sweep.
And that's the end of the fight!
Merlin takes the fight on points by 13 to 7.
An out of breath Xavier Merlin thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career. |
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