PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paul Meyer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mirsad Vranic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Meyer
vs
Vranic

158 cm
27
145 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

167 cm
20
143 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Paul Meyer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mirsad Vranic!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Ian Loll and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Meyer shoots in and gets a takedown into Vranic's guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Meyer trying to move into half guard but instead Vranic has managed to sweep!

Meyer throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Vranic must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Meyer striking off his back but it's not causing Vranic any problems.

Meyer has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Vranic can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Meyer looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Vranic has picked Meyer up and slammed him! Meyer can't keep hold of the triangle and Vranic manages to pass to side control!
Meyer gets back to half guard.
Meyer is looking to improve his position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Meyer manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meyer looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Vranic puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Meyer is looking to improve his position.
Meyer is working hard here to advance position.
Vranic thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Meyer's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meyer tries to get to full guard but Vranic has control of the leg.
Meyer trying to control from the bottom.
Vranic prevents Meyer from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vranic is working for a submission of some sort.
Meyer regains full guard. Nicely done.
Vranic scoring with some ground and pound.
Vranic stopping the sweep attempt from Meyer.

Vranic got a little sloppy there for a moment and Meyer has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vranic has managed to get both his arms back between Meyer's legs - danger averted.
Meyer wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Vranic puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Meyer looking for a kimura from the bottom but Vranic passes into side control!
Meyer manages to get back to half guard.
Meyer tries to roll over but Vranic keeps him under control.
Meyer trying to control from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Meyer is looking for a sweep. Vranic is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Meyer dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Meyer on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Vranic stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Vranic wants it to stay on the feet.
Vranic tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Vranic throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Meyer closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Meyer tries for a takedown but Vranic circles away easily
and Vranic counters with a thumping low kick.
A low kick from Meyer is predictable there
and Vranic counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Vranic throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Meyer fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Meyer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vranic bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Meyer misses with an uppercut
letting Vranic counter with a right hand.
Meyer misses with a takedown attempt
and Vranic counters with an outside leg kick.
Meyer misses with a takedown attempt
and Vranic counters with a thumping low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meyer shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Vranic as he avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Meyer shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Vranic as he jumps to the side.
Vranic scores with a kick to the body.
Meyer shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Meyer fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Vranic avoids it really well and circles away.
Meyer shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Vranic pinned against the cage. Vranic gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Meyer with a poor takedown
and Vranic counters with a straight right hand.
Vranic leaves Meyer with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Vranic chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Meyer dodges the punch combination from Vranic.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meyer tries for a takedown but Vranic circles away easily
and Vranic counters with a head kick.
Vranic scores with a body shot.
Vranic fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Meyer looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Vranic throws a quick inside leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vranic tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Meyer takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Mirsad Vranic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Vranic explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Vranic fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Meyer will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Meyer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nice shot lands for Vranic.
Meyer takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meyer shoots for a takedown but Vranic saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Vranic bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Vranic defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Meyer.
Meyer dives in and grabs Vranic's left leg, looking for a takedown. Vranic pushes down on Meyer's head and hops out.
Vranic fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Vranic connects with a crisp jab.
Vranic lands with a nice body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Vranic. That's going to slow Meyer down.
Vranic comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Meyer has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Vranic.
Vranic misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Meyer.
Paul Meyer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A cross from Vranic lands.
Vranic thumps Meyer with a low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meyer finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Meyer drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vranic keeping moving, preventing Meyer from controlling successfully.
Paul Meyer overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Meyer won't allow Vranic to sweep him here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Meyer accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Meyer throws an elbow that misses. Vranic uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Meyer's guard. Nice move by Vranic!

Meyer has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Vranic is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Meyer.

Vranic is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Meyer has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mirsad Vranic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A solid leg kick lands there for Vranic.
Meyer looks for a takedown but Vranic sprawls well.
Nice sprawl there from Vranic as Meyer shoots in.
Meyer dives in and grabs Vranic's left leg, looking for a takedown. Vranic pushes down on Meyer's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Meyer. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vranic connects with a solid leg kick.
Meyer tries for a takedown but Vranic circles away easily
and Vranic counters with a nice body shot.
Meyer shoots in for a takedown but Vranic shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Vranic has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A chopping leg kick lands by Vranic.
A lazy left from Vranic finds it's target.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Meyer shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Vranic's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meyer stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vranic swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Vranic thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Vranic is on top in guard.
Vranic trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Meyer working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Vranic.
Vranic stopping the sweep attempt from Meyer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vranic is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Vranic trying to control the position from guard on top but Meyer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Meyer is trying to control the position but Vranic postures up.
Meyer manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Meyer thowing shots but they're missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Meyer jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Vranic is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Vranic and Meyer has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Meyer is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Vranic knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Vranic tries to bench press Meyer off him but Meyer keeps the position.
Vranic regains half guard, as Meyer was trying to land strikes.

Meyer is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vranic tries to get to full guard but Meyer has control of the leg.
Meyer trying to pass the guard but Vranic defending well.
Vranic trying to control from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meyer wants to free his trapped foot but Vranic is holding on for dear life with his legs.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Paul Meyer.
I think Meyer has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!