PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jason Melendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kyle Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Melendez
vs
Henderson

186 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Win Nutritional

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jason Melendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kyle Henderson!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Alyssa Summers and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melendez tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.
Jason Melendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Melendez doesn't manage to clinch there - Henderson circles away.

Melendez clinches.
Melendez lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Kyle Henderson has been cut.
Henderson managing to block the knees to the body from Melendez.
Henderson tries to pull guard but Melendez holds him up against the cage and eventually Henderson drops back down to his feet.
Melendez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Henderson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Melendez smiles and moves away.
Melendez tries to clinch but Henderson moves out of range.
Melendez wants to clinch.
Horrible takedown by Henderson or perhaps it was just good defense by Melendez which made him look bad.
Jason Melendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kyle Henderson.
Henderson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Melendez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Henderson tries to clinch up but Melendez circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Melendez is refusing to be controlled, as Henderson sits in half guard.
Melendez is trying to stand up here but Henderson is controlling him well.
Henderson content to control rather than advance.
Melendez pushes Henderson off looking to stand but Henderson dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henderson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Melendez is trying to get back to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Melendez clinches but Henderson breaks the clinch

so Henderson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Melendez wants to hit a switch here but Henderson passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Melendez there!

Henderson is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Melendez darts in trying to clinch

and Henderson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Henderson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Henderson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Henderson circles away from the clinch attempt

and Henderson counters with a single leg into guard. Melendez didn't expect that.
Henderson should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Melendez is breathing heavily.
Henderson lands a couple of elbows.
Henderson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Henderson won't allow Melendez to get back to his feet.
Melendez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henderson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Melendez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Melendez looking to control.
Henderson passes into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Henderson gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Henderson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Melendez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kyle Henderson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kyle Henderson's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Melendez tries to clinch

and Henderson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Melendez keeps moving.
Henderson won't allow Melendez to get back to his feet.
Melendez controls Henderson momentarily but Henderson frees himself.
Henderson stops Melendez from standing up.
Henderson content to stall in guard here.
Henderson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez trying to keep a closed guard but Henderson is proving a slippery customer.

Henderson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Melendez tries to clinch

and Henderson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Melendez tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Melendez connects with a nasty looking knee right to Henderson's face.
Henderson looking for a takedown.
Henderson looking to slow down the pace here.
Melendez tries a knee to the head but Henderson blocks it.
Melendez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Henderson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Melendez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Henderson walks away with a smile on his face. Melendez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Melendez wants to clinch but Henderson slips to the side

and Henderson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Melendez's guard now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez wants to stand and escape but Henderson is having none of it.
Henderson sitting in guard here, content to control.
Henderson won't allow Melendez to get back to his feet.
Henderson wants to control from the top but Melendez keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson controlling from the top position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Melendez tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Henderson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Melendez!
Melendez tries to buck Henderson off but he can't manage it.
Melendez throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Melendez tries to reverse the position but Henderson maintains control.
Kyle Henderson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Henderson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Melendez wants to control but Henderson is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melendez wants to get back to his feet.

Henderson get's back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No luck for Henderson with that takedown attempt.
Melendez tries to clinch

and Henderson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Henderson.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Melendez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kyle Henderson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kyle Henderson's cut.
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!

Henderson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Melendez!
Melendez is working to get back to half guard.
Melendez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Melendez is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Henderson controlling his opponent.
Melendez wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henderson content just to control the position here.

Henderson stands up from mount. Strange move.
Melendez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Henderson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Henderson is taking a breather. Melendez says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez tries to kick Henderson off but Henderson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Henderson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Melendez is trying to stand.
Henderson trying to control the pace.
Melendez pushes Henderson off looking to stand but Henderson dives back in and keeps control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson not doing much here.
Henderson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Henderson stops Melendez from getting back to his feet.
Henderson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Henderson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Melendez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Despite being in the dominant position, Kyle Henderson just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Melendez closes the distance looking to clinch

and Henderson counters with a shoot takedown. Melendez fights it but they end up in guard.
Henderson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Melendez is keeping the position for now.
Melendez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kyle Henderson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kyle Henderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Henderson 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 26:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kyle Henderson!