PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sam Bob (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Freddie Mercury (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Bob
vs
Mercury

170 cm
24
167 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

175 cm
24
168 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Sam Bob!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Freddie Mercury!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Colin Fotheringham and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bob tries to clinch but Mercury moves out of range.
Bob showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mercury.
Mercury tries to clinch up.
Bob shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mercury pinned against the cage. Mercury gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mercury tries for a takedown but Bob circles away easily
and Bob counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Mercury keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bob shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mercury decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bob's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sam Bob. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mercury working some strikes from top position.
Mercury throws and elbow that misses. Bob uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mercury's guard. Nice move by Bob!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mercury looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Bob passes into side control.
Bob working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercury prevents Bob from improving position.
Mercury is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Bob's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Bob blocks the strikes from Mercury.
Mercury tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Bob has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Mercury tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two 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.
Bob wants to control the pace but Mercury is squirming around nicely.
Bob landing shots from mount.
Mercury tries to lock up and control but Bob gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mercury working to try and regain half guard.
Bob wants to control but instead Mercury manages to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercury regains full guard. Nicely done.
Bob knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mercury on the ground.
Bob is fighting to break Mercury's control of his arms but Mercury is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Bob stops Mercury from standing up.
Bob postures up.

Mercury is looking for a triangle but Bob pushes his legs off easily.
Bob is breathing heavily.
Mercury is trying to control the position but Bob postures up.

That's four 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.
Mercury wants to sweep but no luck.

Mercury working for a triangle but Bob defends it easily.
Mercury is looking to sweep but instead, Bob has passed into half guard.
Mercury on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Freddie Mercury 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.

Mercury misses with a takedown
and Bob counters with a head kick.
Bob throws a head kick that misses.
Mercury throws a head kick that misses
and Bob counters with a left and a right that stings Mercury.

Mercury looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Bob!
Bob tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mercury pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Bob is desperately trying to improve his position but Mercury has a good base and remains in mount.
Mercury controlling from the full mount.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Mercury looking to secure an arm triangle but Bob defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bob keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Bob taking shots to the head.
Bob working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mercury scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Bob?
Mercury is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Mercury looking to control and managing it successfully.
Mercury landing punches.
Mercury punishing his opponent with strikes.
Bob is looking to improve his position but Mercury isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercury postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Bob looks a forlorn figure.
Mercury controlling the pace for now.
Mercury raining down shots from the mount!
Mercury controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercury's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Mercury punishing his opponent with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Freddie Mercury showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Mercury lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Bob at a distance.
Bob shoots for a double leg takedown but Mercury sprawls well. He's pushed Bob's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Mercury shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Mercury 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.
Mercury advances position into side control!
Freddie Mercury has got the better of the ground game so far.

Mercury decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bob to his feet.
Mercury connects with a nice looking jab.

Mercury has taken the fight to the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bob fails to pull guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mercury jumps guard.

Mercury had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Bob is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Mercury Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Bob's back instead.
Mercury is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Mercury lands punches and elbows.

Mercury is persistently looking for the submission but Bob is defending it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercury lands a shot to the body.
Mercury has the hooks in. Bob is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Mercury biding his time, controlling Bob.
Mercury scores with punches from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Mercury is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Bob up.
What can Bob do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Bob is trying to stand back up.

That's four 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.
Mercury is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Mercury controls the action.
Freddie Mercury is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Freddie Mercury comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mercury has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 26:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 26:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Freddie Mercury!