PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mark Merel (ranked 512 p4p, 69 weight class) and Philip Farmery (ranked 981 p4p, 130 weight class). Farmery has chosen Bad Wolves-Zombie as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Merel
vs
Farmery

191 cm
32
190 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

189 cm
32
188 lbs
22 - 6 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
Pit Bull Development

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Merel!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Philip Farmery!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paulsen Ambrosius and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merel avoids a punch combination nicely.
Merel throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Merel thows a left - swing and a miss!
Farmery looks to throw the jab but Merel is out of range.
Merel connects with a looping right hand.
Merel slips under a jab from Farmery.
Philip Farmery seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Farmery misses the shot to the body.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Farmery 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.
Merel throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Merel defending well as Farmery loads up on a big left hand.
Merel's jab looks to have found its range, popping Farmery under the eye.
Farmery shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Farmery rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Merel counters with a right hand to the body.
Merel fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Farmery pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Merel lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Merel scores with a crisp jab that stopped Farmery in his tracks.
Merel has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Farmery throws a body kick that misses
and Merel counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Farmery looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Farmery shoots in and drives through. Merel sprawls well.
Farmery fails to land the takedown.
Mark Merel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Philip Farmery.
Farmery connects with a body shot.
The fighters circle momentarily. Farmery darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Merel misses with a wild body shot.
Farmery scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Farmery takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Merel is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Merel showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Farmery.
Farmery throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Merel.
Merel misses with an uppercut.
Farmery looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Farmery takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Farmery enables Merel to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Farmery manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Farmery looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Merel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Farmery is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Farmery is controlling Merel's posture.
Merel trying to control the position from guard on top but Farmery is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Merel is really struggling to control Farmery but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Merel slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Farmery controls Merel momentarily but Merel frees himself.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Merel not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Farmery blocks a jab.
Merel blocks the body kick.
Farmery throws a nice looking combination but Merel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Farmery fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Merel avoids it really well and circles away.

Merel closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Farmery's guard.
Farmery manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Merel manages to get himself to full guard.

Farmery in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Merel looking for a sweep. Not yet Merel, not yet.
Farmery scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Merel looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Farmery has picked Merel up and slammed him! Merel can't keep hold of the triangle and Farmery manages to pass to side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Merel can't do much from the bottom here.
Merel dodges the ground and pound from Farmery.
Merel gets back to half guard.
Farmery looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Farmery thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Merel gets full guard.
Farmery in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Merel has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Merel looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Merel 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.

Farmery dives in for a single leg takedown but Merel sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A counter left hand to the body from Merel misses its target.
Farmery swinging wildly here.
Farmery moves out of range of the strikes.
Merel changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Farmery tries to avoid it but Merel manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Farmery to the ground. Farmery escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Farmery connects with a crisp jab.
Merel shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Farmery looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Farmery throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Merel slips a straight right by Farmery.
Farmery has a takedown stuffed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Farmery shoots in looking for a takedown. Merel tries to sprawl out of it but Farmery keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Merel manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mark Merel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Philip Farmery.
Farmery throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Merel takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Merel lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Farmery backs up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merel shoots in but Farmery avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Merel looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Merel shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Merel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Merel trying to control the action but Farmery is working from the bottom.
Merel is pressing down on Farmery's thigh, looking to free his foot. Farmery is holding on for now.
Merel working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merel seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Farmery does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Farmery moves into full guard.
Merel postures up.
Merel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Merel trying to control but Farmery is working from the bottom.
Farmery looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merel trying to control but Farmery is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Farmery throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Merel's waist but Merel gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Farmery off to one side.

Merel gets the takedown into side control.
Farmery tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Merel wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Merel trying to control the position but Farmery is working away.
Farmery tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Merel wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merel slows the pace down.
Merel trying to control the action but Farmery is working from the bottom.
Merel throws a strike aimed at the side of Farmery's head but Farmery avoids it well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Merel working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Farmery is trying to control Merel's posture but Merel avoids it.

Farmery wants to improve his position, back to half guard but Merel has ideas of his own. He's got hold of Farmery's far side arm and it looks like he's got an Americana. Ohh! Ohhhh! OOOOOOOOOH! A human being's arm is not meant to bend like that! Farmery is tapping like a morse code operator on the Titanic! SOS SOS! He's out of here! Great win for Merel!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Mark Merel!
Mark Merel retains his middleweight title!
Our winner, Mark Merel, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.