PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rocky Mercurius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ara Virta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mercurius comes to the cage accompanied by Amplifier - The Wave. On his way into the cage it seems that Rocky Mercurius has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Rocky Mercurius seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Mercurius
vs
Virta

181 cm
28
180 lbs
17 - 4 - 0

174 cm
27
184 lbs
18 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Perkele!
[WOT] GR Design - Top quality, from $10 to $150 !

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rocky Mercurius!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ara Virta!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mercurius wants to clinch up but Virta keeps it at a distance.
Mercurius throws a chopping leg kick but Virta manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Mercurius avoids the body shot from Virta.
Virta checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Mercurius throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Virta clinches up against the cage.
A short right from Virta.
Mercurius blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mercurius lands a shoulder strike.
Virta landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Mercurius misses with the head strike.
Virta working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Mercurius blocks an uppercut.
Mercurius is leaning against Virta and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Virta takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Virta lands an elbow that stopped Mercurius in his tracks for a moment.
Virta misses with a punch on the inside.
Mercurius misses with a punch on the inside.
Mercurius lands a nice uppercut.
Mercurius misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercurius avoiding damage as Virta throws knees to the body.
Virta misses with a hook to the ribs.
Virta displaying some good clinch control by pressing Mercurius up against the cage.
Virta misses with a hook from the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Virta.
Mercurius lands a nice uppercut.
Virta throws a head punch that misses.
Mercurius misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Virta lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Mercurius blocking some punches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mercurius tries to pull guard but Virta won't allow it.
Mercurius throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Virtas head.
Mercurius lands with a left to the head.
Virta swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Mercurius has Virta pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Virta manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Virta blocks an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercurius wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rocky Mercurius. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mercurius tries to work over Virta's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Virta lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Mercurius is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Virta is keeping busy.
Virta tries to stall but Mercurius uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Virta prevents a body shot from Mercurius.
Virta makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Virta lands an uppercut.
Mercurius misses with a punch to the body.
Virta can't find room to land a body shot as Mercurius controls the action.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Virta just misses with a elbow thrown towards Mercurius's brow.
Virta creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mercurius's defenses.

It looks like Rocky Mercurius has been cut.
Mercurius misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mercurius tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Virta misses with a short punch on the inside.
Virta has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Virta missing with knees to the body.
Mercurius is trying to maintain a safe position but Virta gets an underhook and turns Mercurius into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virta is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Virta blocks a body shot from Mercurius.
Mercurius blocks an uppercut.
Virta gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Mercurius takes a shot to the head.
Mercurius misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mercurius misses with a hook to the ribs.

Virta gets a trip takedown into half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Virta perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Mercurius is looking to improve his position.
Virta seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mercurius does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Virta is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ara Virta.
Virta misses with a few strikes there.
Mercurius takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Virta is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mercurius misses with a wild body shot.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mercurius blocks a jab.
Virta comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Mercurius feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Virta's calf.
Mercurius looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Mercurius closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Virta lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mercurius backwards.
Mercurius misses with a body punch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mercurius tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Virta's elbow.
Mercurius gets through Virta's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Mercurius takes a knee to the side of the body.
Virta lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ara Virta dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rocky Mercurius's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Virta shoots in looking for a takedown but Mercurius manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Virta's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mercurius fails to land with a series of punches.
Mercurius checks a low kick from Virta.
Mercurius misses with a low kick.
Virta misses with a hook.
A slow jab from Virta misses its intended target.

Virta clinches up with Mercurius and pushes him back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Mercurius can't find room to land a body shot as Virta controls the action.
Virta lands with a right to the head.
Ara Virta seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Mercurius can't find room to land a body shot as Virta controls the action.
Virta scores with a shoulder strike.
Mercurius misses with the head strike.
Mercurius avoiding damage as Virta throws knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Mercurius lands a nice shot to the body.
A right handed body shot lands from Mercurius.
Mercurius misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercurius goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A hook to the body from Mercurius.
Mercurius tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Mercurius being controlled against the cage.
Mercurius works on Virta's body with a couple of short punches.
Virta pushes off an throws an elbow but Mercurius leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Mercurius misses with a punch on the inside.
Virta misses with a punch on the inside.
Mercurius lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Virta.
Mercurius misses with the head strike.
Virta trying to stall but Mercurius improves his position.
Virta is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Mercurius has denied him.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Virta.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercurius digs a right hand underneath Virta's ribcage. Virta let out a lung full of air as it connected.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mercurius doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mercurius lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Virta dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Virta.
Virta is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Mercurius digs a right hand underneath Virta's ribcage. Virta let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Mercurius lands a left hand.
Virta swings wildly with an uppercut but Mercurius uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mercurius lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Virta.
Virta tries a body shot but Mercurius blocks it.
Virta misses with a punch on the inside.
Virta misses with an elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Virta tries a body shot but Mercurius blocks it.
Mercurius struggles to land a body shot inside as Virta controls his hands.
Mercurius tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mercurius prevents a body shot from Virta.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Virta misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Mercurius tries to score a body lock takedown but Virta shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Virta taking a breather.
Mercurius blocks an elbow strike.
Mercurius goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Virta misses with a punch to the body.
Virta takes a shot to the head.
Come on Virta - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Virta lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Mercurius tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Virta's elbow.
Virta taking a breather.
Mercurius misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virta is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Virta blocks a body shot from Mercurius.
Virta lands with a short shot to the head.
Mercurius lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
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!
Virta doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Mercurius tries a body shot but Virta blocks it.
Good body shot from Mercurius.
Virta swings wildly with an uppercut but Mercurius uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mercurius throws a head punch that misses.
Virta takes a shot to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mercurius tries a body shot but Virta blocks it.
Virta blocks a body shot from Mercurius.
Virta blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mercurius tries to score a body lock takedown but Virta shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Virta throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mercuriuss head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Mercurius dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rocky Mercurius's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Virta throws a sloppy body shot
and Mercurius counters with a stiff right hand.
Mercurius scores with a leg kick.
Virta keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
A chopping leg kick lands by Mercurius.
Mercurius avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Virta looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Virta blocks the body kick.

Mercurius gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Virta to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Virta wants to control from the top but Mercurius keeps moving.
Mercurius looking for a sweep. Not yet Mercurius, not yet.
Virta looking to sit in guard and control but Mercurius gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercurius content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Virta wants to hit a switch here but Mercurius passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Virta there!
Virta is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Virta tries to hold on but Mercurius pushes him away.
Mercurius unloads with some shots from mount but Virta bucks and avoids them well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Virta keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Virta is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Virta is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Virta tries to reverse the position but Mercurius maintains control.
Mercurius landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercurius with the ground and pound from mount.
Mercurius lands with some strikes.
Mercurius lands with some strikes.
Mercurius working the ground and pound effectively.
Mercurius controlling from mount.
Virta is trying to escape the mount.
Mercurius tries to control but Virta wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virta is trying desperately to improve position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mercurius throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Mercurius working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Virta looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Mercurius! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Rocky Mercurius!
Rocky Mercurius retains his welterweight title!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Rocky Mercurius made sure he mentioned Down Under - Supplements.160Q Video Proof, along with how happy he was to win his fight.