PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Florian Mir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Meka Herron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Florian Mir has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Mir
vs
Herron

205 cm
22
255 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

191 cm
21
244 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Florian Mir!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Meka Herron!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Sergei Dronov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Herron feints and then cracks Mir's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Mir down.
A head kick misses from Herron.
Herron misses with a head kick.
Herron throws a sloppy head kick and Mir moves out of range easily.
Mir fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Herron misses with a hook.
Herron scoring well with a low kick there.
Mir misses with a head kick.
Mir throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Herron's waist but Herron gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mir off to one side.
Mir dives in and grabs Herron's left leg, looking for a takedown. Herron pushes down on Mir's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Florian Mir. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mir.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir shoots in for a takedown but Herron shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Herron throws a hook but Mir blocks it.
Mir displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Herron throws out the jab.
Herron scores with a push kick.
Mir fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mir throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Mir clinches up with Herron and pushes him back against the cage.
Herron gets underhooks to prevent Mir's takedown attempt.
Herron gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Mir.
Mir tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herron lands a shoulder strike.
Mir is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Herron pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Mir has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Herron is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mir is breathing heavily.
Herron prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mir wants a takedown but no success here.
Mir drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Herron gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Herron wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mir being controlled against the cage.
Herron wants to get back to striking at distance but Mir won't allow it.
Mir looking for a takedown.

Herron breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Herron lands a lovely overhand right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herron tries to move into range but Mir moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Herron throws a head kick that half lands.
Herron tries to close the distance and clinch but Mir swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Herron misses the shot to the body.
Mir moves out of range as Herron throws a body kick.
Herron wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Herron.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mir. Herron does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Herron. No joy for Mir on that attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herron closes the distance looking to clinch

and Mir counters with a shoot takedown. Herron fights it but they end up in guard.
Herron is trying to control the position but Mir postures up.
Herron 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.
Herron keeping moving, preventing Mir from controlling successfully.
Herron is wriggling around but Mir manages to pass to half guard.
Mir is keen to just control but Herron is a slippery customer.
Mir not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Meka Herron dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Herron defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mir.
Herron will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mir is defended easily by Herron.
Nice takedown defense from Herron. No joy for Mir on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Florian Mir. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mir feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Herron is trying to keep Mir in close.

Herron is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mir is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mir wants to control from the top but Herron keeps moving.
Mir sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Herron keeping moving, preventing Mir from controlling successfully.
Mir is stalling in the full guard.

Florian Mir has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Herron fails to land the takedown.
Mir tries to score a power double leg takedown but Herron sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mir somewhat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mir fails with the takedown
and Herron counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mir with a poor takedown
and Herron makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Mir misses with a kick to the body.
Herron throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Herron gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Mir counters with a nice double leg into side control. Herron won't be happy with that.
Herron tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mir controls the position from side control.
Mir's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Florian Mir.
Herron tries to clinch there but Mir circles away.
Mir tries for a takedown but Herron circles away easily
and Herron counters with an outside leg kick.
Mir looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Meka Herron seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A head kick misses from Herron.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Herron, right into the meat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Florian Mir dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Herron looks to land a right hand but Mir moved out of range.
Florian Mir is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Herron looks to clinch
enabling Mir to counter with a crisp jab.
Mir misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mir gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Herron counters with a good, hard body kick but Mir shrugs it off.
Mir fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Herron manages to avoid it.
Mir fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Herron avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Florian Mir. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mir takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herron clinches but Mir breaks the clinch

and Mir counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Herron is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Herron seems keen to control Mir's posture.
Herron keeping full guard, as Mir tries to pass.
Mir pushes down on Herron's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Mir is keen to just control but Herron is a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mir takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Herron is positioning himself well to prevent Mir advancing to mount.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Herron is staying active underneath Mir, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mir goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A head kick misses from Herron.
Mir doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Herron counters with a nice leg kick.

Mir shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mir was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mir trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herron tries to hold on but Mir postures up.
Mir takes Herron's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Herron is in trouble.
Herron tries to escape the position.
Herron takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Herron is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Florian Mir overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mir is trying to control but Herron is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Mir controlling from mount.
Herron is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mir controlling from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Florian Mir showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mir has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Florian Mir!