PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hipolito Mercer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Murilo Fadda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hipolito Mercer has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Mercer
vs
Fadda

189 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 2 - 1

185 cm
19
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hipolito Mercer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Murilo Fadda!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Edson Gomes and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fadda misses with a takedown

and Mercer counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Mercer.

Fadda gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Mercer is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mercer looks like he's trying to stand up.
Fadda is looking to advance position but Mercer won't allow it.
Mercer trying to control but Fadda postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fadda prevents Mercer from improving his position.
Fadda tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mercer knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Fadda is looking for a kimura but Mercer is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Fadda to get the leverage.
Mercer tries to get to full guard but Fadda has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fadda wants to pass the guard but Mercer is defending well.

Fadda is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Mercer looking for submissions off his back.

Fadda is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Mercer is just riding it out for now. Fadda eventually gives up the hold.

Fadda is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Mercer has managed to free his arm - good work.
Fadda is trying to control the action in half guard but Mercer is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fadda is working for a kimura but Mercer is defending it quite comfortably.

Fadda is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Mercer manages to get to full guard.
Mercer is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Mercer trying to control the position.
Mercer keeping moving, preventing Fadda from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Fadda is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Fadda would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Fadda looks winded!
Fadda postures up.
Mercer keeping full guard, as Fadda tries to pass.
Fadda is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Mercer is trying to keep Fadda in close.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Hipolito Mercer.
Fadda fails with the takedown

and Mercer counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mercer ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Mercer no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Mercer controls Fadda momentarily but Fadda frees himself.
Fadda forces his way into half guard.
Mercer is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fadda tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Mercer trying to control here.
Mercer knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Fadda on the ground.
Mercer is refusing to be controlled, as Fadda sits in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Fadda is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Mercer has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Murilo Fadda 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.

Mercer gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Mercer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fadda fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Mercer darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Fadda trying to control but Mercer postures up.
Mercer controlling the action here.
Mercer seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mercer is keen to just control but Fadda is a slippery customer.
Fadda tries to roll over but Mercer keeps him under control.
Fadda works his way to full guard. Good work.
Fadda wants to sweep but no luck.

Fadda looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Fadda is breathing heavily.
Fadda is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mercer distracts Fadda with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mercer advances to half guard.
Mercer performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Fadda is pressing down on Mercer's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mercer stays in close to Fadda's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercer trying to control but Fadda is working from the bottom.
Mercer sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mercer tries to stand but Fadda is controlling from the bottom.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mercer postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Fadda can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mercer controls the pace.
Mercer has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Hipolito Mercer.
Fadda shoots in and drives through. Mercer sprawls well.
Fadda fails with the takedown

and Mercer counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hipolito Mercer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Murilo Fadda.
Mercer wants to control from the top but Fadda keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mercer won't allow Fadda to sweep him here.
Fadda keeping moving, preventing Mercer from controlling successfully.
Mercer pushing down on Fadda's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Mercer with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Hipolito Mercer just wasn't active enough.
Fadda shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mercer counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Mercer controlling from the top position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Mercer'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.

Fadda looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mercer is in close to Fadda's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Mercer wants to get up but he can't break Fadda's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Fadda is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mercer defends well.
Mercer looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mercer trying to control the position from guard on top but Fadda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Fadda is looking for a triangle but Mercer pushes his legs off easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fadda not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mercer is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hipolito Mercer dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Mercer rushes Fadda and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Mercer is trying to trip Fadda. He has hold of a leg but Fadda is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Mercer persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Fadda keeping full guard, as Mercer tries to pass.
Fadda trying to keep a closed guard but Mercer is proving a slippery customer.
Mercer wants to control from the top but Fadda keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Fadda working a defensive guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Hipolito Mercer just wasn't active enough.

Fadda changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Mercer looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fadda takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fadda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mercer keeps working.

Fadda tries for a kimura but Mercer is defending well.
Mercer is looking to regain half guard here but Fadda keeps moving and retains side control.
Mercer prevents Fadda from improving position.

Fadda is trying to get an arm triangle but Mercer is defending well.
Mercer is trying to get back to half guard.
Fadda is looking to take a break and control but Mercer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fadda tries to advance to mount but Mercer instead regains half guard.
Mercer wants to get back to full guard.
Mercer is looking to escape.

Fadda is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mercer defends it well.
Mercer slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mercer looking to control.
Fadda slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fadda is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Mercer is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Mercer struggling a bit here.

Fadda working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Mercer can't do much from the bottom here.

Fadda thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Mercer tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Fadda wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Hipolito Mercer overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mercer gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Fadda is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Mercer wants to control but Fadda is keeping busy.

Fadda is working for a kimura but Mercer is defending it quite comfortably.
Fadda tries to stand but can't do so whilst Mercer controls his leg.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mercer trying to control but Fadda postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Murilo Fadda.
I think Fadda has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Murilo Fadda!