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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mertis Falandas (ranked 968 p4p, 1433 weight class) and Everett Covington (ranked 143 p4p, 208 weight class). Falandas's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Feed the Machine. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!
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| 185 cm
28
170
15 - 11 - 1 |
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177 cm
37
174
17 - 10 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 1, fighting out of New York, Mertis Falandas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Everett Covington!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Falandas tries to close the distance and clinch but Covington swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Covington keeps the fight on the outside.
Falandas closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Falandas prevents a body shot from Covington.
Covington takes a shot to the head.
Covington lands with a right to the head.
Falandas stalling in the clinch but Covington improves position.
A head punch on the inside from Falandas fails to land.
Covington has Falandas pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Covington pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Falandas tumbling to the mat - Covington dives into Falandas's guard.
Falandas seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Covington showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Covington looking to pass the guard.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Falandas looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Covington trying to control the position from guard on top but Falandas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Falandas is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Covington must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Covington working some strikes from top position.
Falandas can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Covington controls the pace.
Covington postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Falandas is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Falandas is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Falandas looking for a sweep. Not yet Falandas, not yet.
Covington trying to control the position from guard on top but Falandas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Covington stays in close to Falandas's body and controls the position.
Covington pushes down on Falandas's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Falandas is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Covington pulls his head out easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Covington trying to control from half guard but Falandas is working away.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Covington tries to pass to full mount but Falandas defends it.
Covington is trying to control. Falandas wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Covington looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Falandas looking for a kimura from the bottom but Covington passes into side control!
Falandas takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Covington taking a breather here.
Covington wants to control but Falandas is keeping him busy.
The referee asks Covington politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Covington prefers to stall for the moment though.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Falandas gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Covington controlling the pace for now.
Falandas can't escape the position.
Covington scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Covington lands a couple of good shots and Falandas has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Covington trying to control momentarily.
Falandas tries to escape but Covington has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Covington wants to control but Falandas is keeping busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Covington controlling well, preventing Falandas from escaping the position.
Covington biding his time, looking for the opening.
Falandas is trying to break free.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Everett Covington dominated that round.
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.
Covington swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Falandas feints and then cracks Covington's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Covington down.
Covington avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Falandas lands a nice shot that snaps Covington's head back.
Covington moves into the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Falandas scores with a nice short uppercut.
Covington misses with a hook to the ribs.
Falandas lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Falandas blocks a body shot from Covington.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Covington tries to work over Falandas's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Falandas throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Covingtons head.
Covington goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Covington misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A knee to the head by Falandas.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Falandas makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Falandas misses with a punch to the body.
Covington tries to score a body lock takedown but Falandas shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Falandas is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Covington misses with a body punch.
Falandas misses with a hook to the ribs.
Covington being controlled against the cage.
Covington is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Falandas can't fight it off and eventually Covington manages to take the fight to the floor. Falandas looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Covington trying to control but Falandas is working from the bottom.
Everett Covington has got the better of the ground game so far.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Covington looking to sit in guard and control but Falandas gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Falandas looking to pass the guard.
Covington has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Falandas has passed into side control.
Falandas advances to full mount.
Covington felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Covington tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Covington sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Covington has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Falandas is working away from the top position though.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Falandas is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Falandas is looking for a kimura here.
Falandas looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Covington is looking for a sweep. Falandas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Falandas is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Covington has managed to free his arm - good work.
Covington slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Covington is trying to keep Falandas in close.
Falandas drops back looking for a leg! Covington is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Covington manages to kick Falandas off! Falandas jumps back into Covington's guard.
Covington throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Falandas escapes and throws Covington's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Falandas wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Covington, who protects the arm well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Covington is trying to improve his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Mertis Falandas dominated that second round.
That's time! Falandas's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!
Covington misses with a looping right.
Falandas lands with a thumping leg kick.
Falandas keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Covington shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Falandas defends it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Falandas keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Covington.
Falandas is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Falandas lands a lovely overhand right.
Falandas avoids the body shot from Covington.
Falandas seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Covington looks to score with a jab to the body but Falandas is just out of range.
Mertis Falandas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Falandas tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Covington was well out of range. Poor timing from Falandas.
Covington takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Covington thows a left - swing and a miss!
Covington keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Covington tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Falandas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Covington swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Falandas on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Covington rushes Falandas and presses him up against the cage.
Falandas just leaning against Covington, taking a breather.
Covington managing to block the knees to the body from Falandas.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Falandas struggles to land a body shot inside as Covington controls his hands.
A knee to the head by Falandas.
Covington is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Falandas pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Mertis Falandas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Everett Covington.
Falandas tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Covington's elbow.
Mertis Falandas has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Covington breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Covington swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Falandas moves out of range of the strikes.
Covington ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Falandas moves away.
Falandas is looking to clinch.
Nice body punch from Falandas.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Covington takes one on the button.
Falandas works Covington's body with a nice hook.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Covington looks to score with a jab to the body but Falandas is just out of range.
Falandas moves into the clinch.
Covington misses with an elbow strike.
Covington blocks a body shot from Falandas.
Covington gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Falandas manages to get to full guard.
Falandas looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Covington looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Falandas throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Covington is stalling in the full guard.
Covington avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Covington controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Covington passes Falandas's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mertis Falandas.
I think Falandas has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mertis Falandas!
During a confident post fight interview, Mertis Falandas thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Everett Covington spoke after the fight, saying 'Aw crap!'.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
34% |
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