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wp 14 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the super heavyweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of New York, with a TWGC record of 47 wins and 24 losses; Xavier Merlin! And in the blue corner, fighting out of New York, with a TWGC record of 19 wins and 26 losses; Boris Balkan!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Chad Campbell and Eddie Farnsworth.
Let's get this grappling contest under way! Who will be victorious?
Merlin gets the takedown into side control. Score +4 for clean takedown past guard: Merlin (4) vs (0) Balkan
Merlin has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Balkan manages to get back to half guard.
Balkan looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Merlin prevents Balkan from improving his position.
Balkan wants to control but Merlin is keeping busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Balkan is refusing to be controlled, as Merlin sits in half guard.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Balkan tries to roll over but Merlin keeps him under control.
Balkan is looking to control Merlin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Balkan avoid being mounted?
Balkan moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merlin sitting in guard here, content to control.
Merlin stopping the sweep attempt from Balkan.
Balkan is looking for a triangle but Merlin pushes his legs off easily.
Merlin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Balkan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Balkan escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Merlin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balkan looking for a guillotine here but Merlin defends easily.
Merlin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Balkan looking for a guillotine here but Merlin defends easily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Balkan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merlin slips nicely into half guard.
Balkan gets back to full guard.
Merlin trying to control the position from guard on top but Balkan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Merlin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Balkan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Balkan working a defensive guard but Merlin passes into half guard.
Balkan is looking to improve his position.
Balkan is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Merlin jumps into side control! Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (7) vs (0) Balkan
Balkan is trying to improve his position.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Balkan tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Merlin presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount! Score +2 for reaching mount: Merlin (9) vs (0) Balkan
Balkan is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.
Balkan is desperately trying to improve his position but Merlin has a good base and remains in mount.
Balkan sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Balkan tries to roll over but Merlin keeps him under control.
Balkan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Balkan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Balkan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Balkan looking for submissions off his back.
Merlin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Balkan is looking to improve his position.
Balkan is trying to maintain the position but Merlin is very close to passing his half guard.
Balkan tries to get to full guard but Merlin has control of the leg.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Balkan trying to get back to full guard but Merlin takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount! Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (12) vs (0) Balkan
Balkan is desperately trying to improve his position but Merlin has a good base and remains in mount.
Merlin avoids the attempt from Balkan to control.
Balkan working to try and regain half guard.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Merlin takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Merlin trying to control but Balkan is having none of it.
Balkan is trying to escape the mount.
Balkan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Merlin controlling his opponent.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Balkan is working to get back to half guard.
Balkan slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Merlin trying to control from half guard but Balkan is working away.
Balkan is looking for a sweep. Merlin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Merlin keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Balkan trying to control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Balkan regains full guard. Nicely done.
Merlin content to stall in guard here.
Merlin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Merlin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Balkan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Merlin has managed to get both his arms back between Balkan's legs - danger averted.
Merlin is stalling in the full guard.
Balkan is looking for a triangle but Merlin pushes his legs off easily.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Balkan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Merlin stopping the sweep attempt from Balkan.
Balkan looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Merlin has picked Balkan up and slammed him! Balkan can't keep hold of the triangle and Merlin manages to pass to side control! Score +3 for passing guard: Merlin (15) vs (0) Balkan
Balkan manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Merlin content to control rather than advance.
Merlin seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Balkan for as long as he can get away with.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that's the end of the fight!
Merlin takes the fight on points by 15 to 0.
Xavier Merlin decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well. |
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