PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Darius Merrill (ranked 24191 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matheus Pereirinha (ranked 7235 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Merrill
vs
Pereirinha

179 cm
24
279 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

191 cm
22
240 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Darius Merrill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matheus Pereirinha!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Micheangelo Fripello and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pereirinha with a poor takedown
and Merrill cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pereirinha shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Merrill stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Merrill wants it to stay on the feet.
Darius Merrill has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matheus Pereirinha.

Merrill instigates a clinch.
Pereirinha creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Merrill is trying to push Pereirinha away but Pereirinha has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Merrill breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pereirinha looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Merrill is fending him off so far but Pereirinha persists. Nope, Merrill circles away and we're back to standing.
A quick step to the side and Merrill tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pereirinha closes the distance and clinches.

Merrill breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Pereirinha clinches.
Merrill is trying to break the clinch but Pereirinha has him pressed against the cage.
Merrill could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Merrill breaks the clinch.
Pereirinha darts in looking for a takedown but Merrill gets double underhooks and turns Pereirinha into the cage.

Pereirinha gets tackled into the cage by Merrill. Merrill maintains the clinch.
Pereirinha jumps guard but Merrill stands there with Pereirinha around his waist. Pereirinha gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Merrill escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pereirinha closes this distance looking for a takedown but Merrill circles away.
Pereirinha gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Merrill counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Merrill avoids the body shot from Pereirinha.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pereirinha has his takedown stuffed
enabling Merrill to counter with a crisp jab.
Pereirinha swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Pereirinha pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Pereirinha closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Merrill breaks the clinch.

Merrill clinches up with Pereirinha and pushes him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Merrill can't break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pereirinha drops down looking for an ankle pick but Merrill pulls his leg out and moves away.
Merrill stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Merrill wants it to stay on the feet.
Pereirinha looks winded!

Pereirinha closes the distance and pushes Merrill back into the cage.
Pereirinha keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Merrill's efforts to push away.
Merrill has had enough of the clinch but Pereirinha keeps him there for the moment.

Merrill breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Pereirinha moves into the clinch.
Pereirinha is trying to break free.

Pereirinha breaks the clinch.
Pereirinha with a lazy takedown attempt

and Merrill counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Merrill gets to his feet - Pereirinha follows without any prompting.

Merrill throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Pereirinha tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Merrill is in Pereirinha's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

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

Merrill stands and steps away. Pereirinha gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Pereirinha takes the fight into the clinch.

Merrill pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Merrill closes the distance and pushes Pereirinha back into the cage.

Merrill manages to break the clinch.
Pereirinha tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Merrill defends well and Pereirinha ends up having to push Merrill into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Merrill is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Pereirinha.

Merrill pushes Pereirinha up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darius Merrill dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pereirinha misses with a wild body shot.
Merrill is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pereirinha can do to turn this around?

Pereirinha tries to keep at a distance but Merrill has taken the fight into the clinch.
Darius Merrill has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Pereirinha is trying to maintain a safe position but Merrill gets an underhook and turns Pereirinha into the cage.

Pereirinha pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Merrill closes the distance and clinches.
Merrill is trying to break the clinch but Pereirinha is controlling him.
Merrill wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pereirinha has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merrill landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Pereirinha is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Merrill is keeping busy.
Merrill working hard to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Merrill breaks from the clinch.
Matheus Pereirinha seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pereirinha changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Merrill tries to avoid it but Pereirinha manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Merrill to the ground. Merrill escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Merrill throwing a counter right hand but Pereirinha manages to avoid it.

Merrill darts in and clinches Pereirinha up against the cage.
Merrill wants to get back to striking at distance but Pereirinha won't allow it.
Merrill is trying to push Pereirinha away but Pereirinha has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Pereirinha drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Merrill gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Pereirinha throws a knee to the head but misses.
Merrill throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Pereirinha is working for takedown but Merrill is calmly controlling the position for now.
Darius Merrill has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matheus Pereirinha.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merrill looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
The referee calls for Merrill to work.
Merrill tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Merrill is trying to break free.
Pereirinha has Merrill pressed against the cage, preventing Merrill from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Merrill lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Merrill dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Pereirinha is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Merrill is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pereirinha changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Merrill fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Pereirinha gets a clinch.
Merrill is trying to force a seperation but Pereirinha has the dominant position.
Merrill is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pereirinha is defending well for now.

Pereirinha pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Pereirinha tries to pull guard but Merrill won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pereirinha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Merrill avoids it.
Pereirinha wants to stall.
Stalling in the clinch from Merrill.

Merrill manages to break the clinch.

Merrill drives through and clinches with Pereirinha against the cage.
Merrill is looking to break free of the clinch but Pereirinha has double underhooks.
Pereirinha tries to pull guard but Merrill forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pereirinha is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Merrill gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Pereirinha avoiding damage as Merrill throws knees to the body.

Merrill manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darius Merrill dominated that second round.
That's time! Merrill's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Merrill stuffs the takedown.
Merrill wants to clinch
and Pereirinha counters with a thumping low kick.

Merrill has taken the fight to the clinch.
Merrill wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pereirinha has him pressed against the cage.

Merrill escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Merrill avoids the head kick by Pereirinha.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pereirinha clinches.
Pereirinha blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Pereirinha breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Pereirinha has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Merrill breaks from the clinch.

Pereirinha forces Merrill back against the cage and clinches.

Pereirinha escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pereirinha throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Darius Merrill has been cut.

Pereirinha fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Merrill, pushing him back against the cage.
Merrill is trying to push Pereirinha away but Pereirinha has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Pereirinha breaks the clinch.

Merrill closes the distance and clinches.
Pereirinha landing knees to the body.
Pereirinha is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Merrill is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Merrill takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Pereirinha wants to get back to striking at distance but Merrill won't allow it.

Merrill breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Pereirinha fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Merrill, pushing him back against the cage.
Pereirinha tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Merrill looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Merrill's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pereirinha is trying hard to land a takedown here. Merrill sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Merrill is looking to counter the offense by Pereirinha and move into the clinch.
Darius Merrill has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matheus Pereirinha.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pereirinha shoots in and drives through. Merrill sprawls well.
Pereirinha takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Merrill sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Pereirinha clinches up against the cage.
Merrill stalling.
Pereirinha drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Merrill gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Merrill tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Pereirinha avoids it.

Pereirinha pulls guard.
Merrill wants to stand but Pereirinha is controlling his posture from full guard.

Merrill gets to his feet. Pereirinha looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Merrill clinches.
Merrill wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Merrill is looking to break free of the clinch but Pereirinha has double underhooks.
Pereirinha keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Merrill's efforts to push away.
Merrill is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Merrill holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pereirinha tries to pull guard but Merrill holds him up against the cage and eventually Pereirinha drops back down to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matheus Pereirinha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Merrill has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darius Merrill!