PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Erkki Merkki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gnaeus Maximilianus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Erkki Merkki has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Merkki
vs
Maximilianus

189 cm
22
184 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
179 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Nutrition King

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Erkki Merkki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gnaeus Maximilianus !
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merkki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Merkki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Merkki throws a leg kick but Maximilianus sees it coming and checks it nicely.
An inside leg kick lands from Merkki.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch but Maximilianus swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Merkki tries to clinch there but Maximilianus circles away.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maximilianus paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Merkki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maximilianus swats away the attempt to clinch by Merkki.
Merkki throws a low kick but it's checked well by Maximilianus .
Erkki Merkki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maximilianus keeps the fight on the outside.
Merkki tries to clinch up.

Merkki pushes Maximilianus up against the cage in a clinch.
The referee calls for Merkki to work.

Maximilianus manages to pull guard.
Merkki postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Merkki gets to his feet - Maximilianus follows without any prompting.
Merkki is looking to clinch.
Maximilianus keeps the fight on the outside.
Maximilianus circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maximilianus circles away from the clinch attempt.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maximilianus paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Good work by Maximilianus as he checks the leg kick.
Merkki is looking to clinch.
Merkki throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Merkki misses with a body kick.
Merkki is looking to land body kicks.

Merkki gets caught flat footed, as Maximilianus shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Maximilianus tries to free his leg and advance position but Merkki is retaining full guard.
Merkki wants to get back to his feet but Maximilianus is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Merkki uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Merkki is breathing heavily.
Merkki tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Maximilianus shoots in for a takedown but Merkki shows good takedown defense.
Maximilianus circles away from the clinch attempt.
Merkki tries to clinch up.
Maximilianus swats away the attempt to clinch by Merkki.

Merkki gets in close and instigates a clinch.

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.
Maximilianus wants a takedown.
Maximilianus fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Erkki Merkki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gnaeus Maximilianus .
Maximilianus wants to get back to striking at distance but Merkki won't allow it.

Maximilianus breaks from the clinch.
Maximilianus tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Merkki swivels and escapes.

Merkki closes the distance and clinches.
Merkki wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Merkki stalling the fight.
Maximilianus can't get the takedown.
Maximilianus should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Merkki can't find room to land a body shot as Maximilianus controls the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erkki Merkki dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Merkki is looking to clinch.
Maximilianus takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Merkki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Merkki tries to clinch but Maximilianus is having none of it.
Maximilianus shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Merkki as he avoids it easily.
Merkki throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

Merkki clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merkki is trying to break the clinch but Maximilianus has him pressed against the cage.
Merkki wants to break the clinch but can't.
Maximilianus changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Merkki fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Merkki is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merkki tries to clinch but Maximilianus moves out of range.
Maximilianus shoots in but no luck this time.
Erkki Merkki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gnaeus Maximilianus .
Maximilianus is breathing heavily.
Maximilianus keeps the fight on the outside.
Merkki tries to clinch but Maximilianus moves out of range.
Merkki tries to clinch up.
Merkki tries to clinch up.
Maximilianus looks for a takedown but Merkki sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maximilianus swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Merkki wants to clinch up but Maximilianus keeps it at a distance.
Merkki tries to clinch but Maximilianus moves out of range.
Maximilianus avoids a punch combination nicely.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch but Maximilianus swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Maximilianus looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maximilianus swats away the attempt to clinch by Merkki.
Merkki is looking to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Merkki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Merkki tries to clinch but Maximilianus moves out of range.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch but Maximilianus swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Merkki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Maximilianus looks for a takedown but Merkki sprawls well.
Merkki walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Maximilianus checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch but Maximilianus swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Merkki is looking to clinch but Maximilianus is avoiding it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maximilianus paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Maximilianus fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Merkki sprawls well initially but Maximilianus persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Erkki Merkki 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. This is the final round!

A kick lands to the mid section there for Merkki.
Maximilianus keeps the fight on the outside.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maximilianus swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Merkki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Merkki moves in looking to clinch but Maximilianus pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merkki wants to clinch up but Maximilianus keeps it at a distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Merkki wants to clinch up but Maximilianus keeps it at a distance.
Merkki pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maximilianus tries to score with a low kick but Merkki moves his leg out of the way.
Maximilianus fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Maximilianus keeps the fight on the outside.
Merkki tries to clinch but Maximilianus moves out of range.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maximilianus paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Merkki lands with a slapping head kick.
Merkki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maximilianus paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Maximilianus gets the takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merkki is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Maximilianus is controlling him well.

Merkki sneaks out the side door and pushes Maximilianus away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Merkki is looking to clinch but Maximilianus is avoiding it.
Maximilianus chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Merkki can pounce on him.
Maximilianus swats away the attempt to clinch by Merkki.
Merkki doesn't manage to clinch there - Maximilianus circles away.
Merkki tries to clinch up but Maximilianus circles away and keeps his distance.
Merkki tries to bum rush Maximilianus with a series of wild strikes but Maximilianus uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merkki is looking to clinch.
Maximilianus avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maximilianus avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Merkki gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Maximilianus wants to break the clinch but can't.

Maximilianus is trying to trip Merkki. He has hold of a leg but Merkki is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Maximilianus persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Merkki kicks Maximilianus off and gets to his feet.
Maximilianus avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Merkki scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A punch combination from Merkki misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merkki fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Maximilianus tries for a takedown but Merkki sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Merkki takes a swing at Maximilianus 's ribcage but misses.
Merkki lands with a nice body punch.
Merkki wants to clinch up but Maximilianus keeps it at a distance.
Merkki is looking to slow Maximilianus down with leg kicks.
Merkki fails in his attempt to clinch.
A low kick from Merkki misses

and Maximilianus counters with a takedown into side control.
Gnaeus Maximilianus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Merkki is trying to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Gnaeus Maximilianus .
I think Merkki 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Erkki Merkki!