PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Injun Merlin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and agapito batongbakal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Merlin kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Ladies and Gentlemen. agapito batongbakal has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Injun Merlin's chin.

Merlin
vs
batongbakal

185 cm
23
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

169 cm
24
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Injun Merlin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, agapito batongbakal!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merlin moves in looking to clinch but batongbakal pushes him off.
Merlin throws a head kick but batongbakal moves out of range.
batongbakal misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Merlin.
batongbakal attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Merlin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
batongbakal throws a looping overhand right but Merlin ducks down to avoid it.
Merlin tries to score with a low kick but batongbakal moves his leg out of the way.
Merlin dives in and grabs batongbakal's left leg, looking for a takedown. batongbakal pushes down on Merlin's head and hops out.
A shot to the liver by Merlin. Beautiful body shot.
Merlin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Injun Merlin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A decent looking cross lands there for Merlin.
Merlin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Merlin shoots in but batongbakal avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merlin looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
batongbakal displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Merlin.
Merlin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Merlin displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
batongbakal needs to keep his hands up - Merlin had a free shot at his head there.
batongbakal throws a lazy right hand but Merlin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
batongbakal misses the jab.
Merlin tries a head kick but it misses.
Merlin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Injun Merlin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Merlin is breathing heavily.
Merlin punishes batongbakal's body with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
batongbakal defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Merlin.
Merlin shoots in for a takedown but batongbakal shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
batongbakal misses with a straight left.
Nice sprawl there from batongbakal as Merlin shoots in.
batongbakal tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Merlin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
batongbakal is looking to clinch but Merlin is avoiding it.

batongbakal moves into the clinch.

batongbakal manages to break the clinch.
Merlin is trying hard to land a takedown here. batongbakal sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Merlin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as batongbakal throws out the jab.
Merlin shoots in looking for a takedown. batongbakal tries to sprawl out of it but Merlin keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. batongbakal manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
batongbakal misses with a hook.
Merlin takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

It looks like Injun Merlin has been cut.
batongbakal throws a hook to the side of Merlin's head but Merlin sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
batongbakal tries to clinch but Merlin moves out of range.
Merlin keeps the fight on the outside.
batongbakal blocks the body kick.
Nice takedown defense from batongbakal. No joy for Merlin on that attempt.

batongbakal clinches up with Merlin and pushes him back against the cage.
batongbakal stalling against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

batongbakal breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Merlin fails with a takedown attempt.
Merlin throws a head kick that misses.
batongbakal avoids a kick to the body.
Merlin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
batongbakal looks to land a combination but Merlin avoids it well.
batongbakal is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
batongbakal throws a nice looking combination but Merlin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Merlin fails to land the takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Merlin misses with a body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but agapito batongbakal will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Injun Merlin's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

batongbakal avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Merlin misses with a takedown attempt - batongbakal sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Merlin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from batongbakal.

Merlin shoots in and bounces batongbakal off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Merlin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Merlin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Merlin wanted to stand there but batongbakal had control of the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merlin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. batongbakal is keeping the position for now.
Merlin is working hard here to advance position.
batongbakal keeping moving, preventing Merlin from controlling successfully.
Merlin 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.

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.
Merlin is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Merlin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Merlin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Merlin trying to control the action but batongbakal is working from the bottom.
Merlin trying to control the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Merlin throwing shots but batongbakal is blocking nicely.

Merlin is working for a kimura but batongbakal is defending it quite comfortably.
Merlin is trying to control. batongbakal wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

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.
Merlin works his way into full mount!
Merlin working batongbakal over with strikes here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
batongbakal takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Merlin pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Injun Merlin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Injun Merlin's cut.
That's time! Merlin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Merlin tries to clinch
and batongbakal counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Merlin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Merlin throws a right and a left that batongbakal avoids nicely.
Merlin has his takedown stuffed

and batongbakal counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by batongbakal.

batongbakal's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Injun Merlin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Merlin swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by batongbakal.
The fight stays on the outside here - Merlin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Merlin bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Merlin.

Merlin is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. batongbakal knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
batongbakal takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merlin tries to advance to mount but can't.

Merlin in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... batongbakal is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Injun Merlin!