PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcel Merrill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gordon Kage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gordon Kage has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Merrill
vs
Kage

188 cm
24
178 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

179 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid 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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Marcel Merrill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Gordon Kage!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Sam Margolis and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kage fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kage throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kage will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Merrill takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kage misses with a wild combination.
Kage tries to close the distance and clinch up but Merrill swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Merrill is looking for a counter combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kage falls off balance throwing a combination

and Merrill counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Merrill.

Merrill jumps guard.
Kage wants to get up but he can't break Merrill's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kage wants to stand and escape but instead Merrill has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merrill controls from within his opponent's guard.
Merrill has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Merrill.
Kage wants to get back to his feet but Merrill is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Merrill sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Merrill stops Kage from standing up.
Merrill passes into half guard.
Merrill looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Kage is trying to stand up here but Merrill is controlling him well.
Merrill is controlling the pace.
Merrill seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Kage for as long as he can get away with.
Kage is trying to stand up here but Merrill is controlling him well.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Merrill showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kage.
Gordon Kage is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kage lands an overhand right.
Merrill has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Merrill there as he acknowledges the shot.
Kage moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A combination from Kage does no damage.
Merrill attempts a counter takedown but Kage avoids it well and moves away.
Kage misses with a series of wild punches.
Kage looks winded!
Kage throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Merrill.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merrill walks into a stiff left hand from Kage.
Kage rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Merrill moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Merrill looks for a takedown but Kage sprawls well.
Merrill fails with a takedown attempt.

Merrill changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kage looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Kage tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gordon Kage dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Merrill misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Merrill has closed the distance and engaged Kage in a clinch.

Merrill pulls guard effortlessly.
Kage trying to stand up but can't free himself from Merrill's guard.

Merrill looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Merrill looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kage decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Merrill takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kage lands a nice shot that snaps Merrill's head back.
Kage fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
It looked like Merrill was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Kage misses with a few strikes there.
Gordon Kage seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kage misses with a wild combination.
Merrill is looking to counter the offense by Kage and move into the clinch.
Kage is breathing heavily.
A lazy left from Kage finds it's target.
Kage lands with a hook. Merrill tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Merrill slips a straight right by Kage.
Kage throws the left hand but Merrill avoids the punch easily.
Merrill feinted with a counter takedown.
Kage swinging wildly here.
Merrill seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kage swinging wildly here.

Merrill is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Kage's half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Merrill content to control rather than advance.
Marcel Merrill overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Merrill is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Kage sees it coming and defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merrill winds up and cracks Kage with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Merrill is controlling the pace.

Merrill is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

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.
Merrill seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Kage wants to stand back up but Merrill manages to pass into side control.
Kage is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Merrill scoring with punches from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gordon Kage showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kage throws a right hand that Merrill ducks under and follows up with a left that Merrill also avoids with ease.

Merrill closes the distance and clinches.

Merrill successfully pulls guard.
Kage has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Merrill is proving hard to escape from.
Merrill looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Merrill pushes Kage off and scrambles back to his feet.
Good shot there by Kage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice cross by Kage.
Kage looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A low kick from Kage is predictable there
enabling Merrill to counter with a crisp jab.
Kage takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kage scores with the left hand. Merrill knows he should have avoided that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kage swings for the body but Merrill moves out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Merrill is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kage to keep the fight standing.

Merrill decides to pull guard.

Merrill throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Kage really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Merrill. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kage wanted to stand there but Merrill had control of the position.

Kage decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Merrill, up you get!
Gordon Kage seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kage throws a series of punches but Merrill moves out of range.
Merrill appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
A head kick misses from Merrill.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merrill tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
As Merrill backs off Kage throws a huge counter combo but Merrill manages to avoid it all.
Kage throws a series of punches but Merrill moves out of range.
Merrill seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Merrill shoots in looking for a takedown but Kage manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Merrill's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kage throws a right hand that Merrill ducks under and follows up with a left that Merrill also avoids with ease.
Kage connects with a good right hand that stumbles Merrill. Merrill circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
No luck for Merrill with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcel Merrill. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Merrill throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kage's waist but Kage gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Merrill off to one side.
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!
Kage tries to clinch but Merrill is having none of it.
Kage throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kage swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Merrill looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Merrill stalling.
Kage is trying to stand.
Merrill takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Merrill is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kage doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Merrill.
Kage is trying to stand up here but Merrill is controlling him well.
Gordon Kage is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kage wants to control but Merrill is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Merrill takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Merrill seems to be working for a kimura but Kage defends the submission attempt.

Merrill is working for a submission of some sort.
Kage wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Gordon Kage.
I've got Kage winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gordon Kage!