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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Liam Mertens (ranked 3432 p4p, 3374 weight class) and Joe Joyce (ranked 448 p4p, 442 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.
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| 182 cm
25
200
2 - 0 - 0 |
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191 cm
25
190
1 - 1 - 0 |
BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big right hand |
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BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined |
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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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Liam Mertens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Joyce!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Dean Styles and John Kavanagh.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joyce throws a leg kick but Mertens sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Joyce misses with a hook. Mertens ducked under it nicely.
It looked like Mertens wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A big left from Joyce misses.
Joyce with a nice calf kick.
Joyce takes a swing at Mertens's ribcage but misses.
Mertens on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Joyce slips under a jab from Mertens.
Joyce cracks Mertens with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Joyce throws a shot from downtown. Mertens moves away and avoids it.
It looked like Mertens wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Mertens ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Joyce throws a jab when Mertens was well out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mertens throws a big shot that misses.
Mertens takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Joyce with a nice cross.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joyce scores with a punch to the head.
A leg kick checked by Mertens.
Mertens pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Joyce throws a low kick but Mertens moves out of range easily.
Mertens scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Joyce lands an overhand right.
Mertens missing with a left hand there. Joyce was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mertens definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Joyce throws a hook to the side of Mertens's head but Mertens sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Joyce throws out a loose jab but Mertens uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mertens steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Joyce.
It looked like Mertens wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A slow jab from Joyce misses its intended target.
Joyce throws out a loose jab but Mertens uses good head movement to avoid it.
Joyce connects with the punch.
Joyce throws a hook but Mertens blocks it.
Joyce has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Joyce thows a left - swing and a miss!
Joyce will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Joyce uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mertens.
Joyce keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mertens.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joyce lands a jab to the head.
Joyce throws a jab when Mertens was well out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mertens blocks a leg kick.
Joyce tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Mertens is able to avoid easily.
Mertens swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Mertens avoids the body shot from Joyce.
Joyce misses with a hook.
Mertens drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Mertens steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Joyce.
A big right from Mertens misses.
Joyce ducks under a wild hook from Mertens.
Jab from Mertens.
Joe Joyce seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mertens looks to land a right hand but Joyce moved out of range.
Mertens takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Mertens throws a hook to the side of Joyce's head but Joyce sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Joyce looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Mertens throws a hook to the side of Joyce's head but Joyce sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mertens moves out of range of the strikes.
A jab from Mertens misses.
It seemed like Joyce was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mertens is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Joyce connects with a jab.
Joyce throws a hook but Mertens blocks it.
Joyce throws a looping overhand right but Mertens ducks down to avoid it.
Mertens is looking for a counter combo.
Mertens takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Joyce attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Mertens's jab looks to have found its range, popping Joyce under the eye.
Mertens closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Mertens is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Joyce's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Joyce connects with a solid leg kick.
Mertens moves out of range as Joyce strikes.
Joyce fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Joyce scores with a jab to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mertens loads up on a big right hand but Joyce slips the punch.
Mertens throws a shot from downtown. Joyce moves away and avoids it.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mertens checks a low kick from Joyce.
Joyce bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A big left from Joyce misses.
Joyce looks to throw the jab but Mertens is out of range.
Mertens swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
The fighters circling - Joyce throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Mertens went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Mertens pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mertens scores with a body shot.
Joyce connects with a body shot.
Joyce misses with a looping left.
A slow jab from Mertens misses its intended target.
Joyce connects with the punch.
A slow jab from Mertens misses its intended target.
Joyce with a hook.
Joyce throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Joe Joyce dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.
Joyce misses with a looping left.
Joyce misses with a lunging right hand
and Mertens cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Joyce moves into range and connects with a jab.
Mertens on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
A big right from Joyce misses.
Joyce is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mertens.
A decent looking cross lands there for Joyce.
Mertens slips under a jab.
Joyce scores with a jab to the body.
Mertens avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mertens throws a big shot that misses.
Joyce appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Joyce lands with a straight right. Mertens didn't see that one coming.
Joyce misses with a right hand
enabling Mertens to counter with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Joyce throws a poor cross that misses
and Mertens connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Good leg kick by Joyce.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Mertens might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice leg kick from Joyce, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mertens bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Mertens takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Joyce has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mertens misses the jab.
Joyce swings widly with a right hand
and Mertens counters with a nice uppercut.
Joyce misses with a lunging right hand
and Mertens counters with a crisp right hand that drops Joyce! Mertens lets Joyce back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
Joyce is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Joyce is holding his hands too far apart here. Mertens throws a hard, straight punch right down the pipe and BOOM! Joyce is out! That punch landed square on the jaw - what a shot!
Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Liam Mertens!
A victorious Liam Mertens thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
68% |
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