PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chris Meredith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesse Acardi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Meredith might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Four Kicks. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Meredith
vs
Acardi

180 cm
18
153 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

177 cm
20
150 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Chris Meredith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jesse Acardi!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Dillan Fox and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meredith tries to close the distance and clinch but Acardi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Acardi will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Meredith tries to clinch but Acardi moves out of range.
Meredith tries to clinch but Acardi moves out of range.
Meredith moves in looking to clinch but Acardi pushes him off.
Acardi swats away the attempt to clinch by Meredith.
The fight stays on the outside here - Meredith looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Acardi swats away the attempt to clinch by Meredith.
Meredith doesn't manage to clinch there - Acardi circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Meredith looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Meredith scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Meredith wants to stand up but Acardi has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Meredith is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Acardi has managed to free his arm - good work.
Acardi is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meredith throwing shots but Acardi is blocking nicely.
Acardi misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Meredith seems to be working for a kimura but Acardi defends the submission attempt.
Acardi works his way to full guard. Good work.

Meredith postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Acardi is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Meredith, into his guard.
Meredith is breathing heavily.

Meredith has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Acardi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Acardi tries to free his leg and advance position but Meredith is retaining full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Acardi trying to control the position from guard on top but Meredith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Meredith throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Acardi escapes and throws Meredith's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Acardi tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Meredith is being controlled here.

Acardi is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Meredith has escaped the position, nice work there.
Acardi works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Meredith is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Meredith has hold of Acardi's hands but Acardi slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Meredith looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Acardi is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meredith on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Meredith works his way to full guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Acardi preventing the sweep.
Acardi trying to control but Meredith is working from the bottom.
Acardi is looking to work some ground and pound but Meredith has wrist control.

Meredith escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Acardi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Acardi postures up.

Meredith escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Acardi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Meredith looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

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.
Acardi distracts Meredith with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Acardi trying to control but Meredith is working from the bottom.

Meredith looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Meredith wants to sweep but no luck.

Meredith throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Acardi distracts Meredith with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Meredith working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Acardi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Acardi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Acardi makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Meredith 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.

Acardi darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Meredith moves into full guard.

Meredith has an active guard here but Acardi has managed to pass into half guard.
Acardi drops an elbow to the side of Meredith's head.

Meredith is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Acardi pulls his head out easily.
Acardi is trying to control. Meredith wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Meredith actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Acardi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Acardi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Meredith is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Acardi scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Acardi seems to be looking for submissions.
Acardi winds up and cracks Meredith with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Acardi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Acardi shoots in but Meredith avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Meredith tries to clinch but Acardi is having none of it.
Meredith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Acardi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Meredith tries to close the distance and clinch but Acardi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Chris Meredith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Acardi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Meredith circles away.

Meredith scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Acardi makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Acardi.
Meredith tries to free his leg and advance position but Acardi is retaining full guard.
Meredith wants to get up but he can't break Acardi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Acardi has his foot on Meredith's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Meredith works his way back into a safe position though.

Meredith thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Meredith stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Acardi tries for a takedown but Meredith sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Chris Meredith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jesse Acardi.

Acardi shoots in and bounces Meredith off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Meredith keeping moving, preventing Acardi from controlling successfully.

Meredith is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Acardi won't allow Meredith to sweep him here.
Acardi wants to pass the guard but Meredith is keeping the position.
Acardi chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Meredith has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Acardi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Meredith working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Acardi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Acardi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Acardi prevents Meredith from getting back to his feet.
Meredith looking for a sweep. Not yet Meredith, not yet.
Acardi scoring with some ground and pound.
Acardi scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Meredith looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Acardi throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Meredith is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Acardi blocks an elbow strike.
Meredith with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Acardi has Meredith pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Acardi pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Meredith tumbling to the mat - Acardi dives into Meredith's guard.
Acardi sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Meredith's guard.
Nice strikes from Acardi there.

Meredith looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Meredith is trying to stand back up but Acardi is controlling him
Acardi lands with a punch from half guard.
Acardi scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Meredith is trying to control but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Acardi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Meredith doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Acardi.
Acardi is pressing down on Meredith's thigh, looking to free his foot. Meredith is holding on for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Acardi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Meredith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Meredith. No joy for Acardi on that attempt.
Meredith lands with a kick to the temple. Acardi shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Meredith closes the distance and pushes Acardi back into the cage.
Meredith looking to throw knees to the head but Acardi is blocking nicely.

Meredith decides to pull guard.
Acardi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Meredith looking for a guillotine here but Acardi defends easily.

Meredith looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Meredith working for submissions but it's allowed Acardi to get to half guard.
Meredith is looking for a sweep. Acardi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Acardi looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Meredith has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Acardi is working away from the top position though.
Meredith is trying to get back to full guard.
Acardi works his way into full mount!
Meredith is wriggling around trying to escape.
Meredith is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Jesse Acardi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Acardi is landing with some decent strikes but Meredith is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Acardi prevents Meredith from getting the reversal.

Acardi with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Acardi working Meredith over with strikes here.
Acardi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Meredith hang on?
Meredith wants to hold on but Acardi pushes him away.
Meredith is wriggling around trying to escape.

Acardi has control of Meredith's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Meredith regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Meredith is working to get back to half guard.
Acardi pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Meredith can't escape the position.
Acardi working the ground and pound effectively.
Meredith is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Acardi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Meredith hang on?
Meredith is looking to improve his position but Acardi isn't that keen on the idea.
Acardi is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Meredith sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Acardi moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Meredith.
Meredith is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Acardi slips a nice elbow through Meredith's hands, connecting with Meredith's forehead.
Meredith throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Acardi drops an elbow to the side of Meredith's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Acardi is trying to control. Meredith wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Acardi winds up and cracks Meredith with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Meredith slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Acardi distracts Meredith with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Meredith had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Acardi is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Meredith Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Acardi's back instead.

Acardi is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Meredith gets his way!
Meredith doesn't have the hooks in and Acardi manages to turn into his guard.
Acardi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Meredith works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Meredith working for a triangle but Acardi defends it easily.

Meredith looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Meredith showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Meredith 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Meredith!