PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Melenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cro Cop (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Melenko
vs
Cop

200 cm
20
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
235 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vladimir Melenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cro Cop!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Fedor Mirinova and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cop throws a series of punches but Melenko moves out of range.
Cop throws a sloppy head kick and Melenko moves out of range easily.
Cop swinging wilding here.
A head kick misses from Cop.
Cop scores with a head kick.

It looks like Vladimir Melenko has been cut.
Melenko fails with a takedown attempt.
Cop throws a sloppy head kick and Melenko moves out of range easily.
Melenko throws and low kick but Cop moves out of range easily.
Melenko fails to land the takedown.
A head kick misses from Cop.
Cop tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
No luck for Melenko with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vladimir Melenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cop misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cop looks gassed!

Melenko drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Cop tries to escape but Melenko is in control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melenko in side control, throwing shots but Cop defends.
Melenko wants to stand but Cop is controlling his arm.
Cop can't do much from the bottom here.
Melenko throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Melenko tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Melenko misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Cop is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Melenko asserts his dominance and retains side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cop throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melenko gets a takedown into half guard.
Melenko trying to control from half guard but Cop is working away.
Melenko tries to stand but can't do so whilst Cop controls his leg.
Melenko is looking to take a break and control but Cop is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cop kicks off Melenko and gets to his feet.

Melenko closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Melenko is working for takedown but Cop is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cop wants to get back to striking at distance but Melenko won't allow it.
Melenko is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cop wants to break free but Melenko has control.
Cop tries to pull guard but Melenko won't allow it.
Melenko avoiding damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cro Cop will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vladimir Melenko's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Cop lands a head kick!
Cop tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Melenko forces Cop back against the cage and clinches.
Cop can't break the clinch.
Melenko throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Melenko pulls guard successfully.
Melenko controls Cop momentarily but Cop frees himself.
Melenko controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Melenko kicks Cop off and gets to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melenko shoots in for a takedown but Cop shows good takedown defense.
Cop misses with a head kick.

Melenko closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Cop is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Melenko has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Cop struggling a bit here.
Melenko looking to control but instead Cop has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Melenko frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cop holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Melenko tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Cop manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by Cop, under a barage of strikes from Melenko.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melenko not doing much here.
Melenko wants to stand up but Cop has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Melenko tries to stand and escape but Cop actually recovers to full guard.

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.
Cop is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Melenko is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Melenko looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Melenko wants to control from the top but Cop keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladimir Melenko dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Vladimir Melenko's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Cop throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cop throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Melenko shoots in for a takedown but Cop shows good takedown defense.
Cop misses with a head kick.
Melenko looks for a takedown but Cop sprawls well.
Cop tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Melenko clinches with his opponent.
Cop has had enough of the clinch but Melenko keeps him there for the moment.

Melenko drags the fight down to the ground.
Melenko is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melenko looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Cop puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melenko is trying to control but can't.
Melenko has a hand on Cop's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Cop takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Melenko is looking to get to half guard.
Melenko is working hard here to advance position.

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.
Cop sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Cop get's back to his feet.
Vladimir Melenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Melenko moves into the clinch.
Cop is trying to break the clinch but Melenko has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cop has had enough of the clinch but Melenko keeps him there for the moment.
Melenko leaning against his opponent.
Melenko keeps control of Cop as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Melenko has had enough of the clinch but Cop keeps him there for the moment.

Cop breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Melenko looks for a takedown but Cop sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vladimir Melenko. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Melenko fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cop, pushing him back against the cage.
Melenko throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Melenko on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Cop wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Melenko has him pressed against the cage.
Melenko fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Cop wants to break free but Melenko has control.
Melenko blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Cop breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Melenko shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Melenko content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melenko wants to pass the guard but Cop is keeping the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cop can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cop is trying to keep Melenko in close.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cop is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vladimir Melenko showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Melenko 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vladimir Melenko!