PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rusty James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Travis Mercer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mercer has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Rusty James has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

James
vs
Mercer

185 cm
23
210 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

192 cm
22
220 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Finnish Elite Supplements (q144 $12!!)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rusty James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Travis Mercer!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Damien Edna and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James misses with a double jab.
Mercer has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from James finds it's way round the side to connect with Mercer's head.
James scores with a hook to the body. Mercer takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
James throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Mercer stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Mercer looks gassed!
James misses with a looping left.
Mercer takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mercer.
James misses with a looping left.
James swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
James swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mercer uses good head movement to avoid the hook from James.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from James misses.
James misses with a low kick as Mercer jumps back.
Mercer moves out of range of the strikes.
A jab from James finds it's way through Mercer's defenses.

It looks like Travis Mercer has been cut.
James is looking to slow Mercer down with leg kicks.
James waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mercer.
James misses with a few strikes there.
James connects with a good right hand that stumbles Mercer. Mercer circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
James connects with a nice looking jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
James misses with a straight left.
Rusty James is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James misses with a low kick.
James throws a low kick but Mercer avoids it.
James misses with a looping left.
Rusty James seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
James lands a jab to the head.
James throws a shot from downtown. Mercer moves away and avoids it.
James throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mercer displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as James throws out the jab.
James throws out a loose jab but Mercer uses good head movement to avoid it.
The crowd cheers as James lands an impressive looking overhand right. Mercer doesn't seem phased though.
The fighters circle momentarily. James darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Mercer is rocked!
James fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mercer manages to avoid it.
A chopping leg kick lands by James.
James is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Mercer takes a jab right on the kisser.
James scoring well with a low kick there.
James misses with a body kick.
James is looking to land body kicks.
James throws a quick inside leg kick.
Mercer uses good head movement to avoid the hook from James.
James dips to his left and cracks Mercer with an uppercut!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James cracks Mercer with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
James dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mercer. That did some damage!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mercer takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Mercer blocks a head kick by James.
A slow jab from James misses its intended target.
James with a body punch. A glancing blow.

James drops Mercer with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Mercer looks back up at him and smiles so James waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
Mercer is still on wobbly legs! Can James finish him?
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
James misses the jab.
Mercer seems to have recovered his senses.

James feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Mercer sprawling to the canvas! Mercer rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can James finish him?!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rusty James dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Travis Mercer's cut.
That's time! James's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

James misses the shot to the body.
James throws an overhand right from the outside, which connects and sends Mercer stumbling backwards into the cage! Mercer bounces back off the cage towards James, who cracks him with a two punch combination that drops him to his knees! James lands two more shots before the referee has chance to intervene - what a finish! James celebrates with his corner as the crowd cheer loudly.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:12 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Rusty James!