PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chris Mercado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rasheed Willis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Mercado
vs
Willis

190 cm
26
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Mercado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rasheed Willis!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Franklyn Lucas and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Willis moves to clinch but Mercado breaks away
and Mercado counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Willis is looking to clinch.
Mercado works over Willis's head and body with a nice combination.
Willis rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mercado moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mercado changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Mercado cracks Willis with a good jab.

Willis closes the distance and clinches.
Mercado blocks a punch to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mercado lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Willis struggles to land a body shot inside as Mercado controls his hands.
Mercado looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Mercado blocking some punches.
Mercado blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado looking to stall.
Mercado blocking some punches.
Mercado softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Mercado is pushing Willis up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Willis can't find room to land a body shot as Mercado controls the action.
Willis tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Mercado's elbow.
Willis prevents Mercado from breaking the clinch.
Willis is working Mercado over against the cage.
Mercado lands a body shot in the clinch.
Mercado lands an uppercut.
Willis working aggressively here.
A right hook to the body lands for Willis.
Willis misses with some punches.
Mercado wants to get back to striking at distance but Willis won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Willis is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Mercado is keeping busy.
A hook to the body from Mercado.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mercado prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mercado lands with a left to the head.
Willis is looking for a takedown.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Nice body punch from Mercado.
Mercado is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Chris Mercado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rasheed Willis.
Mercado looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Mercado is trying to break free.
Willis swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Willis manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Mercado throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercado preventing the sweep.
Mercado with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mercado wants to control from the top but Willis keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mercado throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Willis works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Willis is on top in guard.

Willis drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Willis jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mercado looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Willis trying to control but Mercado is working from the bottom.
Willis slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Willis throwing strikes but missing.

Willis drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Willis jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mercado has control of Willis's left arm, preventing Willis from doing any damage.
Willis is looking to work some ground and pound but Mercado has wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mercado keeping moving, preventing Willis from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Chris Mercado will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mercado connects with a looping right hand.
Mercado throws a one two combo.
Mercado works the jab nicely.
Willis throws a right and a left that Mercado avoids nicely.
Willis misses with a looping left.
Mercado lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A swing and a miss from Mercado.
Mercado connects with a looping right hand.
Mercado scores with a body shot.
Mercado scores with a nice strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercado tests Willis's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mercado connects with a good right hand that stumbles Willis. Willis circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Mercado gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Willis missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Willis stopping the sweep attempt from Mercado.
Willis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mercado is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercado is adopting a defensive guard.
Willis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Willis throws a big elbow that misses.
Willis trying to control the position from guard on top but Mercado is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Willis controlling from the top position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mercado scores with a crisp jab that stopped Willis in his tracks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Willis takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Willis moves in looking to clinch but Mercado pushes him off.
Willis takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Willis doesn't manage to clinch there - Mercado circles away.

Willis scores with a takedown into Mercado's guard.
Mercado utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Willis has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mercado keeping moving, preventing Willis from controlling successfully.
Rasheed Willis has got the better of the ground game so far.
Willis forces his way into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercado wants to control but Willis is keeping busy.
Willis is trying to control the action in half guard but Mercado is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Willis not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mercado is looking for a sweep. Willis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mercado on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mercado tries to get out of the position.
Mercado is in trouble now - Willis has advanced to mount!
Mercado knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Willis on the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Willis jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Mercado manages to avoid the submission attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Willis working the ground and pound but Mercado is defending the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rasheed Willis will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Willis darts in and clinches Mercado up against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Mercado.
Mercado letting Willis take a breather here.
Mercado tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Willis's elbow.
Willis has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mercado is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mercado tries to work over Willis's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Willis tries to work over Mercado's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Mercado's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Rasheed Willis seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Willis has a couple of punches blocked by Mercado.
Willis tries to land knees in the clinch but Mercado avoids the damage to the body.
Mercado lands a hook to the side of the head.
Willis misses with a punch to the body.
Mercado prevents a body shot from Willis.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willis swings away with an uppercut that misses.
The referee calls for Mercado to work.
Mercado pushes Willis back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mercado can't break the clinch.
Mercado tries to break the clinch but Willis is controlling the position.
Willis swings wildly with an uppercut but Mercado uses good head movement to avoid it.
Willis's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Mercado tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mercado prevents a takedown attempt there.
Willis goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Willis is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mercado pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Chris Mercado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rasheed Willis.
Mercado lands a left hand.
Mercado lands a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Willis.
Willis blocks a body shot from Mercado.
A short uppercut from Mercado.
Willis doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mercado leaning against his opponent.
Mercado can't break the clinch.
Willis misses with a punch to the body.
Willis throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Willis is looking to take this one to the mat.
Willis tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mercado has a couple of punches blocked by Willis.
Mercado has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Willis has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Mercado avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Mercado pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mercado throws a right and a left that both miss.

Willis darts in and clinches Mercado up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercado looking to slow down the pace here.
Mercado blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mercado will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Willis up against the cage.
Willis trying to land knees to the body.
Mercado looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Willis misses with some punches.
Mercado wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Willis has a couple of punches blocked by Mercado.
Willis scores with a shot to the side of Mercado's head.
Mercado wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Willis fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Willis is trying to drag Mercado to the mat but Mercado just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Willis misses with a punch on the inside.
Willis swings wildly with an uppercut but Mercado uses good head movement to avoid it.
Willis keeps control of Mercado as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Willis pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Mercado lands a right hand.
Mercado lands with a left to the head.
Willis misses with a short punch on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mercado pushes Willis back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Willis scores with a nice hook to the head.
Willis doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Willis has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mercado is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Chris Mercado.
I think Mercado 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 30:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Chris Mercado!
A victorious Chris Mercado thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.