PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Merlin Avila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Barry Dylan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Barry Dylan enters the cage!

Avila
vs
Dylan

199 cm
19
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
20
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Merlin Avila!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Barry Dylan!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Sano and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dylan has his takedown stuffed
and Avila counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Avila has Dylan up against the cage in a clinch.
Avila gets underhooks to prevent Dylan's takedown attempt.
Dylan can't get the takedown.
Merlin Avila has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barry Dylan.

Dylan manages to pull guard.
Dylan looking for a sweep. Not yet Dylan, not yet.
Avila sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Avila seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Dylan for as long as he can get away with.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dylan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Avila tries to stand but Dylan is controlling from the bottom.
Avila landing some decent shots from guard.
Avila lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Avila lands a couple of digs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Avila stands up from Dylan's guard - Avila perhaps looking for a knockout.

Dylan rushes Avila and presses him up against the cage.
Dylan controlling the action here for a moment.
Dylan tries to pull guard but Avila forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Dylan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Avila shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nice takedown defense from Avila. No joy for Dylan on that attempt.
Dylan shoots in and drives through. Avila sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Avila stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Avila wants it to stay on the feet.
Dylan looks winded!
Dylan throws a head kick but Avila moves out of range.
Avila wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Avila really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Avila gets the takedown into side control.
The referee asks Avila politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Avila prefers to stall for the moment though.

Avila stands up.

Avila decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Dylan is trying to stand back up but Avila is controlling him
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Avila in particular looking to stall.
Avila wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Avila is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Avila continues to stall.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
More hug and hope from Avila.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Dylan fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Avila scores with a takedown into Dylan's guard.
Avila trying to stand up but can't free himself from Dylan's guard.
Avila will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Avila preventing the sweep.
Avila working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Dylan's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Avila stands up and waves to Dylan to follow him.
Dylan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dylan attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

Avila moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Avila gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Dylan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Avila controls the pace.

Avila decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Avila fails with the takedown.
Avila is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dylan can do to turn this around?
Dylan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Avila but Avila pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Dylan is trying hard to land a takedown here. Avila sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Dylan is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Dylan or perhaps it was just good defense by Avila, which made it look bad.
Merlin Avila has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barry Dylan.
Avila fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Dylan drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Avila defends it well.
A head kick by Avila misses
and Dylan counters with a one-two to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Dylan is defended easily by Avila.

Avila decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Avila seems to be working for a kimura but Dylan defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dylan is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Avila wants to work for an arm triangle but Dylan is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Avila seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

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.
Dylan is trying to maintain the position but Avila is very close to passing his half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Dylan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Avila keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Dylan tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Merlin Avila dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Avila dives in and scores a takedown into Dylan's guard.
Dylan is wriggling around but Avila manages to pass to half guard.

Avila controlling the pace.
Dylan on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Dylan wants to get back to full guard but Avila has mounted him!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Avila fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Dylan is trying to escape the mount.

Dylan defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Avila.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Avila stands up from mount. Strange move.
Dylan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Avila.
Dylan goes for a double leg but Avila avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Avila continues to drive forward.
Dylan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Avila throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Dylan was covering up waiting for the punch and Avila finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Dylan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Avila is one step ahead there.
Avila is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dylan wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Avila is now in half guard.
Avila wants to stand up but Dylan is controlling the position.
Avila looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Avila slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Avila looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dylan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Dylan is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Avila pulls his head out easily.

Avila gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Dylan darts in and clinches Avila up against the cage.
Avila tries a body shot but Dylan blocks it.
Dylan tries to land knees in the clinch but Avila avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Avila jumps guard and drags Dylan to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Avila kicks Dylan off and gets to his feet.
Avila throws a head kick that misses.
Avila shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dylan sprawls well. Dylan wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Avila gets slowly back to his feet.
Dylan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Avila is fending him off so far but Dylan persists. Nope, Avila circles away and we're back to standing.

Avila shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Dylan manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Dylan is trying to push Avila off with his feet but Avila grabs hold of one of the legs and drops back looking for a submission! He's cranking on one of Dylan's ankles and Dylan is forced to tap! This one is aaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Ankle Lock). Merlin Avila!