PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Marco Natta (ranked 2099 p4p, 24807 weight class) and Kadyn Mercer (ranked 152 p4p, 305 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Natta
vs
Mercer

170 cm
30
145
23 - 12 - 0

170 cm
28
145
6 - 11 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marco Natta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kadyn Mercer!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Columbo Gatti and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Natta fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mercer, pushing him back against the cage.
Mercer is trying to pull guard but Natta has him pressed against the cage.
Mercer tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Natta smiles and moves away.
Mercer dives in for a single leg takedown but Natta sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
As Mercer tries to get set, Natta tries to push him back and clinch up but Mercer manages to avoid the attempt.
Marco Natta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kadyn Mercer.

Mercer fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Natta to the ground. Mercer is now in Natta's guard.

Natta is looking for a triangle but Mercer pushes his legs off easily.
Mercer being controlled here momentarily.
Natta looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Natta looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Mercer has picked Natta up and slammed him! Natta can't keep hold of the triangle and Mercer manages to pass to side control!
Natta is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Natta can't do much from the bottom here.
Natta tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mercer is looking to take a break and control but Natta is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mercer just content to control the position.

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.
Natta gets back to half guard.
Natta tries to get to full guard but Mercer has control of the leg.
Natta has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Mercer slows the pace down in half guard.
Mercer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Natta keeps working.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Natta throws a hook to the side of Mercer's head but Mercer sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Natta tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mercer was well out of range. Poor timing from Natta.
Mercer is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Natta defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mercer.
Mercer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Natta closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Mercer manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Natta not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Natta pushing down on Mercer's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Natta is working for a kimura but Mercer is defending it quite comfortably.
Mercer is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Natta wants to take a breather but Mercer is having none of it.

Mercer looking for submissions off his back.
Mercer wants to control but Natta is keeping busy.
Mercer tries to get to full guard but Natta has control of the leg.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Natta is controlling the pace.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Marco Natta will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Natta fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mercer manages to avoid it.
Natta throws a body punch but Mercer moves out of range.
Natta ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mercer moves away.
Mercer shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Natta sprawls well. Natta wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mercer gets slowly back to his feet.
Natta misses with an uppercut.
Natta misses with a straight left.
Mercer is trying hard to land a takedown here. Natta sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Natta seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Natta swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mercer is trying hard to land a takedown here. Natta sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Marco Natta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kadyn Mercer.
Mercer shoots in and drives through. Natta sprawls well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Natta slaps away a takedown attempt from Mercer, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from Natta. Mercer does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mercer tries to counter by closing the distance.
Mercer changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Natta tries to avoid it but Mercer manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Natta to the ground. Natta escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Natta throws the left hand but Mercer avoids the punch easily.
Marco Natta is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Natta as Mercer shoots in.
Mercer uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Natta.
Natta throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mercer sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Natta misses with an uppercut. Mercer saw that one coming.
Mercer tries to counter with a clinch but Natta shakes him off and moves away.
Natta throws a body punch but Mercer moves out of range.
Natta slaps away a takedown attempt from Mercer, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from Natta. Mercer does a little dance to reset his feet.
Natta throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mercer steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Natta.
Natta throws out a loose jab but Mercer uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mercer shoots in looking for a takedown. Natta tries to sprawl out of it but Mercer keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Natta manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mercer shoots in but Natta avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Natta closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Natta misses with a body punch.
Mercer tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Natta smiles and moves away.
Natta stuffs the takedown attempt from Mercer. Mercer gets slowly back to his feet.
Natta throws a shot from downtown. Mercer moves away and avoids it.
Mercer slips a straight right by Natta.
Marco Natta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Natta throws a lazy right hand but Mercer sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Natta looks to score with a jab to the body but Mercer is just out of range.
Natta throws a jab but it's blocked by Mercer.
Mercer tries for a takedown but Natta sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mercer uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Natta.
Natta misses with a straight right.

Natta clinches with his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mercer is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Natta to keep the fight standing.
Mercer fails to pull guard.
Natta is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mercer can do to turn this around?

Natta successfully pulls guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Natta holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer postures up in Natta's guard and throws a big left but Natta blocks it.
Mercer trying to control but Natta is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Natta is controlling Mercer's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Natta has Mercer up against the cage in a clinch.
Mercer is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Natta to keep the fight standing.
A nice left hand lands by Natta.
Natta swings wildly with an uppercut but Mercer uses good head movement to avoid it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Natta tries to throw a body punch but Mercer avoids it by throwing Natta back against the cage.
Natta misses with a hook from the clinch.

Natta decides to pull guard.
Mercer wants to pass the guard but Natta is keeping the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Marco Natta dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

No luck for Mercer with that takedown attempt.
Natta seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Natta stuffs the takedown.
Natta throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Mercer tries to counter by closing the distance.
Mercer misses with a takedown attempt - Natta sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Marco Natta has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kadyn Mercer.
Natta lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Mercer at a distance.
Mercer is trying hard to land a takedown here. Natta sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mercer fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Natta avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Natta stuffs the takedown.
Natta looks to score with a jab to the body but Mercer is just out of range.
Natta misses the shot to the body.
Mercer shoots in looking for a takedown but Natta manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Mercer's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Natta tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mercer was well out of range. Poor timing from Natta.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Natta throws the left hand but Mercer avoids the punch easily.
Natta stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Natta wants it to stay on the feet.
Natta just misses with a punch to the body.
Mercer shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Natta as he jumps to the side.
Natta throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Natta has taken the fight to the clinch.

Natta decides to pull guard.
Natta has Mercer pulled in close to control his posture.
Natta has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Mercer sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Natta controlling the position.
Natta trying to keep a closed guard but Mercer is proving a slippery customer.
Mercer trying to control but Natta is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Natta throws a lazy right hand but Mercer sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mercer tries to counter by closing the distance.
Mercer fails with a takedown attempt.
Natta is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Mercer.
Mercer steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Natta.
Natta throws a jab but it's blocked by Mercer.
Mercer is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Mercer.
Natta tries to buck Mercer off but Mercer is having none of it.
Marco Natta is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mercer has knee on belly and moves into mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Natta tries to lock up and control but Mercer gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Poor strikes thrown by Mercer there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Natta working to try and regain half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Natta tries to lock up and control but Mercer gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marco Natta showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Natta, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:26
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:27
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marco Natta!
Marco Natta decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.