PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Neddy Merrill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Puzycki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Neddy Merrill could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to David Puzycki's chin.

Merrill
vs
Puzycki

165 cm
24
140 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

171 cm
23
140 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Powerful

Mohito Fightwear

Héritage!
Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Neddy Merrill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, David Puzycki!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Daniel Bishop and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merrill takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Merrill misses with a looping right.
Merrill misses with a hook to the body
and Puzycki counters with a straight right hand.
Merrill doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Puzycki counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Merrill getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Merrill throws a right and a left that Puzycki avoids nicely.
We've been hearing reports that Merrill has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Merrill throws a body punch but Puzycki moves out of range.
Merrill fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merrill throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Puzycki.
Puzycki looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Merrill closes this distance looking for a takedown but Puzycki circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neddy Merrill. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A big right from Merrill misses.
Merrill shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Puzycki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merrill ducks right into an uppercut from Puzycki.
Puzycki uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Merrill.
Merrill wants to clinch up but Puzycki keeps it at a distance.
A nice side step and Puzycki releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Merrill throws a hook but Puzycki blocks it.
Neddy Merrill seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Puzycki lands with a shot to the body.
Merrill misses with a low kick as Puzycki jumps back.
Puzycki now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
A jab from Puzycki does it's job there.
Merrill misses with a hook to the body
and Puzycki connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Puzycki avoids the body shot from Merrill.
David Puzycki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Puzycki checks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merrill wants to slow Puzycki down by chopping away at his legs.
Merrill throws a nice looking combination but Puzycki bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Puzycki appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Puzycki has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Puzycki with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Puzycki tries to sprawl but Merrill drives through with a takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Puzycki is trying to get back to full guard.
Puzycki is concentrating on defense, preventing Merrill from advancing position.
Merrill misses with a head shot. Puzycki uses the momentum to regain guard.

Puzycki looking for a guillotine here but Merrill defends easily.
Merrill seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puzycki looking for a sweep. Not yet Puzycki, not yet.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Merrill throws a big elbow that misses.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Nice shot by Puzycki.
Merrill swinging wildly here.

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.
Puzycki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Merrill.
Puzycki moves out of range as Merrill throws a body kick.
Puzycki lands a jab to Merrill's midsection.
Merrill misses with an uppercut
and Puzycki counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Merrill tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Puzycki defends well and Merrill ends up having to push Puzycki into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Puzycki lands an overhand right.
Puzycki connects with a right hand. Merrill shakes it off.
Puzycki stuffs the takedown attempt from Merrill. Merrill gets slowly back to his feet.
Puzycki doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Puzycki throws a body punch but Merrill moves out of range.
Merrill loads up on a big right hand but Puzycki slips the punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Puzycki dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Merrill scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Puzycki throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Merrill throws a body punch but Puzycki moves out of range.
Merrill misses with a hook
letting Puzycki counter with a right hand.
Merrill throws a poor cross that misses
and Puzycki counters with a straight right hand.
Merrill with a lazy takedown attempt
and Puzycki counters with a stiff right hand.
Merrill looks to land a left hand but Puzycki moved out of range nicely.
Puzycki punishes Merrill's body with a nice straight punch.
Puzycki connects with a body shot that sends Merrill's belly button to the back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Merrill shoots in but no luck this time.
A nice side step and Puzycki releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Puzycki lands a nice shot to the body.
Puzycki ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merrill misses with a wild combination.
Merrill fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neddy Merrill. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Merrill throws out a loose jab but Puzycki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Puzycki is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Merrill with a body shot.
Merrill shoots for a takedown but Puzycki saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A nice side step and Puzycki releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Puzycki fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Puzycki digs a good body shot into Merrill's ribs.
Puzycki has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Merrill throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Puzycki's waist but Puzycki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Merrill off to one side.
A countering left hand to the body from Puzycki misses.
Puzycki changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Merrill shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Puzycki as he avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merrill doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Puzycki counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Puzycki punishes Merrill's body with a nice straight punch.
David Puzycki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Merrill tries to clinch but Puzycki moves out of range.
Merrill looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A countering left hand to the body from Puzycki misses.
Merrill misses the jab.
Puzycki works Merrill's body with a nice hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Merrill takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Merrill closes the distance looking to clinch
and Puzycki counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puzycki connects with a jab.
Merrill throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Puzycki now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Merrill throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Puzycki counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Puzycki throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Merrill misses with a hook
and Puzycki counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Merrill loads up on a big right hand but Puzycki slips the punch.
Puzycki ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Puzycki lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Merrill at a distance.
Merrill dives in and grabs Puzycki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Puzycki pushes down on Merrill's head and hops out.
Puzycki throws a shot to the body.
Puzycki punishes Merrill's body with a nice straight punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puzycki dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
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!

Merrill shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Puzycki manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Puzycki uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Puzycki ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Merrill misses with a hook
letting Puzycki counter with a right hand.
Merrill shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Puzycki as he jumps to the side.
Puzycki stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Puzycki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Puzycki throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Merrill throws a leg kick that is checked
and Puzycki counters with a nice body shot.
Puzycki is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Merrill rather than just go for the knockout.
Puzycki swats away the attempt to clinch by Merrill.
Merrill looks to land a right hand but Puzycki moved out of range.
Merrill tries to clinch up but Puzycki circles away and keeps his distance.
Merrill misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Puzycki counters with a nice body shot.
A shot to the liver by Merrill. Beautiful body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merrill gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Puzycki lands a body shot.
Merrill fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puzycki dips to his left and cracks Merrill with an uppercut!
Merrill shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Puzycki pinned against the cage. Puzycki gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Merrill misses with a low kick as Puzycki jumps back.
Merrill attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Puzycki let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Merrill is looking to score with low kicks.
Merrill ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Puzycki moves away.
Puzycki is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Merrill with a body shot.
Merrill has a takedown stuffed.
Puzycki let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Puzycki works Merrill's body with a nice hook.
Neddy Merrill has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merrill fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Puzycki checks it well.
A countering left hand to the body from Puzycki misses.
Merrill fails with the takedown
and Puzycki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Neddy Merrill. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Merrill moves to clinch but Puzycki breaks away
and Puzycki counters with a right hand to the body.
Puzycki lands a head shot.
Puzycki scores with a hook to the body. Merrill takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Puzycki digs a good body shot into Merrill's ribs.
Merrill fails with a takedown attempt.
A countering left hand to the body from Puzycki misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merrill tries to clinch
enabling Puzycki to counter with a crisp jab.
Merrill throws a leg kick but Puzycki sees it coming and moves out of range.
Merrill tries to land a leg kick but Puzycki saw it coming and moves away.
Puzycki ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Puzycki scores with a jab to the body.
Merrill misses the jab.
Puzycki lands a jab to Merrill's midsection.
Puzycki keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Merrill shoots for a takedown but Puzycki saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merrill tries to clinch
and Puzycki counters with a nice body shot.
Merrill fails with the takedown
and Puzycki counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Puzycki scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Puzycki scores with a punch to the head.
David Puzycki is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Puzycki wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Puzycki jabs Merrill to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Puzycki ducks under a wild hook from Merrill.
Puzycki throws a shot to the body.
Merrill misses with a hook to the body
and Merrill takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Merrill throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Puzycki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Puzycki winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Puzycki!
After the fight, David Puzycki was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.