PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcel Merrill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leon Lindhaus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcel Merrill has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Merrill
vs
Lindhaus

188 cm
24
178 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

172 cm
22
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Marcel Merrill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Leon Lindhaus!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Sam Margolis and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merrill avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Merrill shoots in for a takedown but Lindhaus shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Lindhaus instigates a clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Lindhaus - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Lindhaus throws an elbow but it misses.

Merrill successfully pulls guard.
Lindhaus looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Merrill controls Lindhaus momentarily but Lindhaus frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lindhaus wants to stand but Merrill is controlling his posture from full guard.
Lindhaus looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lindhaus trying to control the position from guard on top but Merrill is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Merrill avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Merrill looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Lindhaus has picked Merrill up and slammed him! Merrill can't keep hold of the triangle and Lindhaus manages to pass to side control!
Merrill defending against the ground and pound.

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.
Merrill seems a little lost for a moment, as Lindhaus dominates the positioning.
Merrill wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Lindhaus has control of an arm but Merrill manages to advance to Lindhaus's back!

Merrill patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Merrill is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Lindhaus is trying to get back to his feet but Merrill has full control of the position and if anything, Lindhaus has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Merrill has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Lindhaus is trying escape back to his feet. He turns into his opponent's guard and eventually finds his way back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merrill pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Lindhaus gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Merrill tries to pull guard but Lindhaus forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Lindhaus pulls Merrill into guard.
Lindhaus controls Merrill momentarily but Merrill frees himself.
Lindhaus is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Merrill is controlling him.
Merrill not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Merrill will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lindhaus pulls Merrill in close to prevent any damage.
Lindhaus wants to sweep here but Merrill controlling him for the moment.
Lindhaus wants to stand but Merrill is controlling the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Merrill takes one to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Lindhaus dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Lindhaus closes the distance and clinches.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Lindhaus breaks from the clinch.

Lindhaus closes the distance and clinches.
Merrill tries to pull guard but Lindhaus forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Lindhaus takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Lindhaus successfully pulls guard.

Lindhaus looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Merrill has picked Lindhaus up and slammed him! Lindhaus can't keep hold of the triangle and Merrill manages to pass to side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lindhaus tries to improve position but can't.
Leon Lindhaus has got the better of the ground game so far.
Merrill controlling from side mount.
Merrill tries to advance to mount but Lindhaus denies him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merrill tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Lindhaus is trying to control Merrill's posture but Merrill avoids it.
Merrill wants to control but Lindhaus is keeping him busy.
Lindhaus is looking for a sweep.
Merrill is looking to take a break and control but Lindhaus is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Lindhaus is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.

Merrill wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Lindhaus, who protects the arm well.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Lindhaus is looking to regain half guard here but Merrill keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Merrill dodges the punch combination from Lindhaus.

Lindhaus gets tackled into the cage by Merrill. Merrill maintains the clinch.
Merrill tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lindhaus just stands there and leans against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Lindhaus.

It looks like Marcel Merrill has been cut.
Merrill jumps guard but Lindhaus turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcel Merrill. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lindhaus looking to slow down the pace here.
Merrill jumps guard but Lindhaus stands there with Merrill around his waist. Merrill gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Merrill tries to pull guard but Lindhaus won't allow it.
Merrill tries to pull guard but Lindhaus won't allow it.
Merrill tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lindhaus smiles and moves away.
Lindhaus wants to clinch up but Merrill keeps it at a distance.

Lindhaus closes the distance and clinches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Lindhaus breaks from the clinch.
Lindhaus tries to clinch but Merrill moves out of range.
Lindhaus catches Merrill with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Lindhaus showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Marcel Merrill's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Lindhaus tries to clinch there but Merrill circles away.

Lindhaus takes the fight into the clinch.

Lindhaus manages to break the clinch.

Lindhaus closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Merrill's guard.

Merrill has his feet on Lindhaus's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Lindhaus tries to clinch but Merrill is having none of it.
Lindhaus tries to clinch up.
Merrill will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lindhaus wants to clinch up but Merrill keeps it at a distance.

Lindhaus moves into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Merrill wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merrill is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Lindhaus to keep the fight standing.
Lindhaus tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lindhaus lands with a light punch inside.
Merrill jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Lindhaus walks away with a smile on his face. Merrill gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcel Merrill. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lindhaus closes the distance and pushes Merrill back into the cage.
Merrill tries to pull guard but Lindhaus forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Lindhaus leaning his opponent against the cage.
Lindhaus effectively controlling the action here.
Lindhaus receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
The crowd are getting on Lindhaus's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merrill tries to pull guard but Lindhaus holds him up against the cage and eventually Merrill drops back down to his feet.
Merrill jumps guard but Lindhaus stands there with Merrill around his waist. Merrill gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Merrill pulls guard.
Merrill is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lindhaus is controlling him.
Lindhaus looking to pass the guard.
Lindhaus postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lindhaus is looking to work some ground and pound but Merrill has wrist control.
Lindhaus missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Merrill is trying to keep Lindhaus in close.

Lindhaus got a little sloppy there for a moment and Merrill has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lindhaus has managed to get both his arms back between Merrill's legs - danger averted.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Lindhaus wants to control from the top but Merrill keeps moving.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Lindhaus tries to clinch but Merrill moves out of range.
It looked like Merrill was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Lindhaus throws a combination. Merrill tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Lindhaus shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Lindhaus was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Merrill throws Lindhaus to one side and escapes!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Merrill shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lindhaus pinned against the cage. Lindhaus gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Leon Lindhaus is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Lindhaus closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Merrill drags the fight down to the ground.
Lindhaus has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Lindhaus gets to his feet - Merrill follows without any prompting.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leon Lindhaus comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lindhaus winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leon Lindhaus!