PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Merchant (ranked 3702 p4p, 4929 weight class) and Leonardo Varo (ranked 204 p4p, 234 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Daniel Merchant has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Daniel Merchant seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Merchant
vs
Varo

175 cm
25
135
1 - 0 - 0

168 cm
19
135
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Furnace Performance 🔥
Silverguard Outfitters 🛡

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Daniel Merchant!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Leonardo Varo!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Jeff Smith and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Varo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Varo moves into range and connects with a jab.
Merchant misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Merchant throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Varo misses with a body shot.
Merchant lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Varo circles away quickly and effectively.

Varo clinches up with Merchant and pushes him back against the cage.
Merchant is trying to push Varo away but Varo has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A nice right hand lands inside from Varo.
Varo jumps guard but Merchant turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Varo lands a left hand.
Merchant wants to break the clinch but can't.

Varo pulls guard successfully.

Varo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Merchant is aware though and is defending well.
Merchant has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Varo is proving hard to escape from.
Varo is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Varo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Merchant is trying to stand back up but Varo is controlling him
Varo is looking to stall here but Merchant recovers full guard.
Varo trying to control but Merchant is working from the bottom.
Merchant is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Varo is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merchant working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Varo.
We've been hearing good reports from Merchant'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.
Varo lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Merchant is rocked!
Varo gets to his feet and stands over Merchant, holding his ankles. He dives in with a big left hand that connects! Merchant felt that one! Varo unloads more punches and elbows and this one is over! The ref has dived in to save Merchant from any more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Leonardo Varo!
Leonardo Varo is the new bantamweight champion!
Leonardo Varo seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.