PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Danjie Mercado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mercado's entrance music is Pagsubok. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Mercado
vs
Richards

168 cm
31
147 lbs
20 - 9 - 0

170 cm
25
146 lbs
18 - 11 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 20 - 9 - 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 18 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sean Richards!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Micheangelo Fripello and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Richards misses with a combination

and Mercado counters with a shoot takedown. Richards fights it but they end up in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mercado wants to control from the top but Richards keeps moving.
Mercado stopping the sweep attempt from Richards.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mercado stands and throws Richards's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Richards tries to buck Mercado off but Mercado is having none of it.
Richards is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Mercado lands a decent elbow from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Richards is working to avoid the ground and pound but Mercado connects with a decent elbow.
Mercado tries to score with some ground and pound. Richards controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
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.
Richards avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Mercado.

Mercado tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Mercado has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Richards wants to control but Mercado postures up.
Richards regains half guard there - taking advantage of Mercado's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Mercado not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Mercado seems to be looking for submissions.
Mercado trying to control from half guard but Richards is working away.
Richards is in trouble now - Mercado has advanced to mount!
Mercado throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards tries to lock up and control but Mercado gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Richards is looking to improve his position but Mercado isn't that keen on the idea.
Richards is squirming around, avoiding Mercado's attempts to control the action.
Mercado landing punches.

Mercado swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Richards is now in Mercado's guard. A big mistake from Mercado there, giving up the dominant position!
Mercado managing to control the position.
Richards trying to control but Mercado is working from the bottom.
Mercado looking for a sweep. Not yet Mercado, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards advances position into side control!
Mercado is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Mercado is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Elite Strikers, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Richards slows the pace down in half guard.
Mercado tries to roll over but Richards keeps him under control.
Richards wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mercado keeps working.
Richards perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Richards trying to mount his opponent but Mercado defends it.
Mercado slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mercado working a defensive guard here.
Mercado lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Richards preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mercado looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danjie Mercado dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Richards loads up on a big right hand but Mercado slips the punch.
Jab from Richards.
Richards throws out a powerful jab.
Richards misses with a jab, cross combination.
Richards tries to clinch up.
Mercado shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Richards but Richards pushes him off and we're back to square one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Richards throws a shot to the body.
Mercado tries for a takedown but Richards sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Richards throws a head kick that misses

so Mercado counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mercado makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mercado's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Mercado throwing strikes from guard but Richards blocks nicely.
Richards is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mercado trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Mercado postures up.
Richards keeping full guard, as Mercado tries to pass.
Mercado trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Mercado pushing down on Richards's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Richards felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercado missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mercado is trying to control the action in half guard but Richards is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Richards trying to control from the bottom.
Richards is not content to let Mercado control the position.

Richards actively working from the bottom here.
Mercado lands with a punch from half guard.
Richards keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mercado working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Richards is looking to improve his position.
Mercado is just content to waste time from the top position. Richards takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercado trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Mercado postures up.
Mercado pushing down on Richards's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Richards gets back to full guard.
Mercado trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Mercado is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Richards can do to turn this around?
Richards pulls Mercado in close to prevent any damage.
Mercado distracts Richards with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mercado trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Richards keeping full guard, as Mercado tries to pass.
Richards avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mercado postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Richards working a defensive guard here.
Mercado trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Mercado throws a big elbow that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mercado controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Mercado throwing strikes from guard but Richards blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danjie Mercado dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Richards swinging wildly here.
Mercado attempts a counter takedown but Richards avoids it well and moves away.
Richards blocks a jab.
Mercado uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Richards.
Mercado attempts a counter takedown but Richards avoids it well and moves away.

Mercado closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Richards trying to hold on to Mercado's head to control him but Mercado postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mercado winds up and cracks Richards with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Richards tries to get to full guard but Mercado has control of the leg.
Richards is trying to maintain the position but Mercado is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Mercado looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Mercado is pressing down on Richards's thigh, looking to free his foot. Richards is holding on for now.
Mercado thows a huge punch but Richards dodges it nicely.
Mercado sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Richards works his way to full guard. Good work.
Mercado postures up in Richards's guard and throws a big left but Richards blocks it.
Mercado throws an elbow that misses. Richards uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mercado's guard. Nice move by Richards!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but Mercado is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mercado working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Richards has passed into half guard!
Mercado wants to get back to full guard.
Richards is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mercado is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Richards pulls his head out easily.
Mercado is staying active underneath Richards, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mercado has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Richards is working away from the top position though.

Mercado looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Mercado is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Richards pulls his head out easily.
Mercado is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Richards's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Richards's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mercado is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Richards has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Mercado throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Richards covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Mercado misses with a punch to the head.

Mercado is looking for the choke from the back position but Richards is controlling his hands well.

Mercado is persistently looking for the submission but Richards is defending it well.

Mercado looking to break Richards's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Richards remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Mercado will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Sean Richards has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mercado controlling well, preventing Richards from escaping the position.
Richards manages to reverse the position and now he's in Mercado's guard. Nice work there by Richards.

And that's the end of the fight!
Danjie Mercado showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mercado, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Danjie Mercado!
Danjie Mercado took some time post fight to say the following; 'Where you at Bruce "Stove Pipe" Armstrong?! Let's get it on man! Champ vs Champ let's go! Eric put this thing together man! '.