PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shaemus Melroy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johny Bravo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melroy comes to the cage accompanied by Hell Yeah. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Melroy
vs
Bravo

191 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shaemus Melroy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Johny Bravo!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Hugh Johnson and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Bravo misses its intended target.
Bravo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Melroy circles away.

Melroy has closed the distance and engaged Bravo in a clinch.
Melroy stalling against the cage.
Melroy is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Bravo looking for a takedown.
Bravo tries to pull guard but Melroy won't allow it.
Shaemus Melroy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johny Bravo.
Melroy lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Johny Bravo has been cut.
Melroy looking for a takedown.
Bravo tries to break the clinch but Melroy is controlling the position.
Melroy lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Melroy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Melroy tries for a takedown but Bravo circles away easily

and Bravo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Melroy won't be happy with that.
Melroy is trying to control Bravo's posture but Bravo avoids it.
Melroy is looking for a sweep.
Bravo lands a few punches from side control.
Melroy is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bravo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bravo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Melroy regains half guard.
Melroy is breathing heavily.
Melroy trying to control from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bravo trying to control from half guard but Melroy is working away.
Melroy trying to control but Bravo postures up.
Bravo scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Bravo winds up and cracks Melroy with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bravo prevents Melroy from improving his position.
Bravo trying to mount his opponent but Melroy defends it.

Bravo postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Melroy to stand up.
Bravo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bravo throws a head kick but Melroy moves out of range.
Bravo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Bravo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Bravo is trying to break the clinch but Melroy has him pressed against the cage.
Bravo is trying to break free.
Bravo looking for a takedown.
Bravo tries for a takedown but Melroy manages to get underhooks.
Melroy keeps control of Bravo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Bravo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melroy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bravo tries to close the distance and clinch but Melroy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bravo chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Melroy can pounce on him.
Bravo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bravo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bravo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Melroy looks for the body kick but Bravo saw that one coming.
Bravo wants to clinch

and Melroy counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Melroy.
The is referee keeping an eye on Melroy - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Melroy.
Melroy prevents Bravo from breaking the clinch.

Bravo pulls Melroy into guard.
Bravo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bravo is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Melroy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melroy slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Melroy tries to free his leg and advance position but Bravo is retaining full guard.
Melroy won't allow Bravo to sweep him here.
Bravo keeping moving, preventing Melroy from controlling successfully.
Bravo wants to stand up but Melroy is controlling him.
Melroy looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bravo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bravo shoots in looking for a takedown. Melroy tries to sprawl out of it but Bravo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Melroy manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johny Bravo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Johny Bravo's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Melroy bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Bravo's head.
Melroy circles away from the clinch attempt

and Melroy counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Melroy wants to control from the top but Bravo keeps moving.
Bravo wants to stand and escape but Melroy is having none of it.
Melroy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Melroy wants to stand but Bravo is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bravo is trying to control the position but Melroy postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bravo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Melroy manages to get himself to full guard.
Bravo scoring with punches to the head and body.
Bravo would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Melroy 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.
Melroy trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Melroy throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Bravo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Melroy is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bravo lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Bravo.
Bravo keeps the fight on the outside.
Melroy looks for a takedown but Bravo sprawls well.
Bravo tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Melroy counters by moving into the clinch.
Melroy keeps control of Bravo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Melroy just leaning against Bravo, taking a breather.
Bravo has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Melroy avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Melroy is pressed up against the cage. Bravo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Melroy down to the mat. Melroy avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bravo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Melroy on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Melroy closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Melroy lands strikes from half guard.
Melroy missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Melroy trying to pass the guard but Bravo defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Melroy in particular looking to stall.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melroy trying to pass the guard but Bravo defending well.
Bravo wants to get back to his feet.
Bravo tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Bravo is staying active underneath Melroy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Melroy shoots in but no luck this time.
Melroy avoids the head kick by Bravo.
Shaemus Melroy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Melroy takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Bravo pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bravo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Melroy will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shaemus Melroy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Melroy fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bravo closes the distance but Melroy moves to the side

and Melroy counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Melroy stands up and waves to Bravo to follow him.
Bravo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Melroy throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bravo.
Bravo misses with a head kick.
Melroy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bravo is fending him off so far but Melroy persists. Nope, Bravo circles away and we're back to standing.
A combination from Melroy does no damage.
Melroy circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shaemus Melroy dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Johny Bravo's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Melroy looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Bravo!
Bravo can't escape the position.
Bravo taking shots to the head.
A nice elbow there by Melroy.
Bravo blocking the ground and pound.
Shaemus Melroy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Melroy throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Bravo because Melroy loaded up on that one.
Bravo wants to control but Melroy is having none of it.
Bravo swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Melroy misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bravo is squirming around, avoiding Melroy's attempts to control the action.
Bravo working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melroy landing strikes from the mount and Bravo is in trouble!
Bravo gets back to half guard.
Bravo is not content to let Melroy control the position.

Melroy seems to be working for a kimura but Bravo defends the submission attempt.
Bravo has hold of Melroy's hands but Melroy slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Bravo wants to get back to his feet.
Bravo is looking to control Melroy's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Bravo avoid being mounted?
Melroy is pressing down on Bravo's thigh, looking to free his foot. Bravo is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Melroy winds up and cracks Bravo with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Melroy sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bravo defending well though.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bravo fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bravo is looking to clinch but Melroy is avoiding it.
A head kick misses from Bravo.
Bravo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bravo lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Bravo wants to clinch up but Melroy keeps it at a distance.
A combination from Bravo does no damage.
Bravo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Melroy has Bravo up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melroy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bravo wants to clinch

and Melroy counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Melroy wants to stall.
Melroy goes for a takedown attempt but Bravo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Bravo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Melroy's waist but Melroy gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bravo off to one side.
Melroy shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bravo as he avoids it easily.
Bravo connects with a solid leg kick.
Bravo doesn't manage to clinch there - Melroy circles away.
Bravo looks to land a body kick but Melroy moved away.

That's four 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.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bravo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bravo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Melroy.
Melroy shoots in and drives through. Bravo sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shaemus Melroy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bravo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Melroy wants to land a leg kick but Bravo is out of range.

Bravo clinches.
Melroy is pushing Bravo up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Bravo is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Bravo drags the fight down to the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Melroy postures up.

Bravo had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Melroy is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Bravo Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Melroy's back instead.
Melroy is covering up but some of the strikes from Bravo are getting through and doing damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shaemus Melroy showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Melroy 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shaemus Melroy!