PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dexter Mercier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and German Salbiev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Mercier
vs
Salbiev

182 cm
22
176 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

185 cm
25
177 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter striker
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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dexter Mercier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, German Salbiev!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksandr Martynov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mercier jabs Salbiev right on the nose. Salbiev blinks but takes it well.
Salbiev fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mercier connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Salbiev's hands.
Mercier stalks Salbiev and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Salbiev's face. Salbiev staggers backwards, shaken.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mercier darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Salbiev fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Salbiev misses with a hook. Mercier ducked under it nicely.
Mercier lands a right hook to the body.
Mercier lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Mercier.
Salbiev misses with an uppercut
and Mercier cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercier jabs Salbiev to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Salbiev fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Mercier avoids it really well and circles away.
Dexter Mercier has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of German Salbiev.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Mercier!
Mercier scores with a jab. Salbiev acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Salbiev tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mercier sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Salbiev somewhat.
Donk. Mercier catches Salbiev right on the button with a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercier lands with a straight right. Salbiev didn't see that one coming.
Mercier connects with the punch.
Mercier with a jab.
Salbiev throws a shot from downtown. Mercier moves away and avoids it.
Salbiev takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Mercier moves forwards but Salbiev connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Salbiev walks into a stiff left hand from Mercier.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mercier connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salbiev misses with a two punch combination.
Mercier scores with a nice right hand.
Dexter Mercier is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mercier feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Salbievs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Mercier works the jab nicely.
A left lands for Mercier.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Salbiev pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mercier displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Mercier listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Mercier digs a good hook to Salbiev's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mercier darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Mercier keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Mercier works the jab nicely.
Mercier connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Salbiev falls off balance throwing a combination
and Mercier counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mercier scores with a one two! Salbiev had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Salbiev falls off balance throwing a combination
and Salbiev takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dexter Mercier dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mercier lands a nice shot to the body.
Salbiev throws an off balance right hand
and Mercier connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Salbiev walks into a jab.
Salbiev's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Mercier connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Salbiev scrambles back to his feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Mercier!
Mercier uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Salbiev.

Salbiev looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Mercier!
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Mercier tries to lock up and control but Salbiev gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mercier's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercier trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mercier holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Salbiev tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
BOOM! Salbiev connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Mercier just holding on.
Mercier is trying to escape the mount.
Mercier tries to lock up and control but Salbiev gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Salbiev tries to control but Mercier wriggling away.
Mercier can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salbiev looking to land elbow strikes but Mercier uses the position to regain half guard.
Salbiev misses with a head shot. Mercier uses the momentum to regain guard.
Mercier on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mercier tries to get out of the position.
Salbiev throws a strike but Mercier rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Mercier looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salbiev wants to get back to his feet but Mercier passes into half guard.
Mercier content to control rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercier's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

We're going to have a standup here because Dexter Mercier wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Mercier connects with a right hand. Salbiev shakes it off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dexter Mercier dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Salbiev drops his hands momentarily and Mercier takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mercier bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Salbiev throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Mercier counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Salbiev throws a poor cross that misses
and Mercier makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Salbiev misses with a left hand
and Mercier counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Salbiev misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Salbiev misses the shot to the body.
Salbiev jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Some wild striking there from Mercier.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salbiev looks to land a combination but Mercier avoids it well.
Salbiev looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mercier stuffs the takedown attempt from Salbiev. Salbiev gets slowly back to his feet.
Salbiev tries to move into range but Mercier moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Salbiev drops his hands momentarily and Mercier takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mercier connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Salbiev's hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercier jabs at Salbiev's body.
Salbiev throws a left and a right that both miss
and Mercier counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Salbiev misses with a takedown attempt - Mercier sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Dexter Mercier has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of German Salbiev.
Mercier moves out of range as Salbiev strikes.
A cross from Mercier lands.
Mercier slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Jab, jab by Mercier - just one landing.
Salbiev gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Mercier.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercier displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Salbiev.
Mercier takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
German Salbiev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Salbiev takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Salbiev looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Salbiev swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Mercier.
Salbiev lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Salbiev has a takedown stuffed.
Dexter Mercier is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercier lands with an overhand left.
Mercier cracks a nice hook into Salbiev's ribs.
Mercier slips under a jab from Salbiev.
Salbiev throws out a loose jab but Mercier uses good head movement to avoid it.
Salbiev drops his hands momentarily and Mercier takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mercier lands a head shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mercier looks to land a combination. Salbiev sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Salbiev takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dexter Mercier showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mercier 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dexter Mercier!