PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Danjie Mercado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wei Shen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mercado comes into the arena with Pagsubok blaring out of the sound system. Shen has chosen For Faith as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mercado
vs
Shen

168 cm
22
147 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

170 cm
23
145 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Danjie Mercado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Wei Shen!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shen avoids the head kick by Mercado.
Mercado looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shen is fending him off so far but Mercado persists. Nope, Shen circles away and we're back to standing.
Shen tries to clinch but Mercado moves out of range.
Mercado changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Shen tries to avoid it but Mercado manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Shen to the ground. Shen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mercado swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Shen tries to clinch up but Mercado circles away and keeps his distance.

Shen gets caught flat footed, as Mercado shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Mercado stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mercado trying to control the position from guard on top but Shen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mercado tries to free his leg and advance position but Shen is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado is working hard here to advance position.
Mercado content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Shen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Mercado is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Shen is looking to stand up but Mercado isn't so interested in that idea.
We've been hearing good reports from Mercado's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Mercado missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercado throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mercado stands up over Shen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mercado looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Shen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mercado works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mercado works his way into side control.
Shen parries the strikes from Mercado easily there. Mercado is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Shen to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Mercado's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Mercado throws an elbow but Shen slips to the side and avoids it well.
Mercado is putting a hurting on Shen here, landing some big shots from side control.
Shen takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Mercado scoring with punches from side control.
Mercado is chipping away with strikes.
Mercado scoring with punches from side control.
Shen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mercado. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shen is not content to let Mercado control the position.
Mercado lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercado lands a decent elbow from side control.
Mercado working the ground and pound from side control.
Shen is working to avoid the ground and pound but Mercado connects with a decent elbow.
Mercado is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Shen's shoulder. That is not cool.
Mercado tries to score with some ground and pound. Shen controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Mercado is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Shen has escaped the position, nice work there.
Check out the look on Mercado's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

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

Danjie Mercado dominated that 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.

Mercado fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mercado misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mercado shoots in for a takedown but Shen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danjie Mercado. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mercado misses with a kick to the body

and Shen counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Mercado!
Mercado can't do much from the bottom here.
Shen wants to stand but Mercado has his arm trapped.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Danjie Mercado overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mercado lands strikes from half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mercado in particular looking to stall.
Mercado not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mercado throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Shen to regain full guard.
Mercado pushing down on Shen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Mercado working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Shen's thigh. Shen counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Mercado working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercado throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mercado has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Mercado passes Shen's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Mercado wants to work for an arm triangle but Shen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
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!
Mercado not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mercado lands a nice short elbow.
Mercado works his way into side control.
Mercado is trying to ground and pound but Shen uses the momentary lack of control by Mercado to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mercado is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Shen doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Mercado.
Mercado takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mercado maintaining the dominant position here and is working for a kimura. He's locked it up! Shen could be in real trouble here! He's trying to wriggle out but Mercado has cracked it and Shen is screaming in pain - he's tapped out! Great finish by Mercado!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:19 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Danjie Mercado!
Danjie Mercado made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'Yeah I guess I came here to whoop that a**'.