PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Victor Melo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Malenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melo's entrance music is Who let the dogs out. A fine choice. Malenko has chosen Pé na Porta, Soco na Cara as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Melo
vs
Malenko

184 cm
21
218 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

188 cm
21
245 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Heavy handed

Win Nutritional
Win Nutritional

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Victor Melo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Diego Malenko!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Matheus Silva and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malenko fails to land the takedown.

Melo looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Malenko!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Malenko is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Melo goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Malenko turns into him and now he's in Melo's guard.
Malenko with a nice head shot there.
Melo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Malenko.
Malenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Melo is retaining full guard.
Malenko working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Malenko must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Melo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Malenko doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Malenko manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Malenko scoring with punches to the head and body.

It looks like Victor Melo has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malenko postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Malenko throwing strikes from guard but Melo blocks nicely.
Malenko tries to stand but Melo is controlling from the bottom.
Malenko looking to sit in guard and control but Melo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Malenko has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Melo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Melo thows a big elbow that misses.

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.
Malenko trying to control the position.
Melo stopping the sweep attempt from Malenko.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Melo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Melo shoots and misses

so Malenko counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Malenko looks gassed!
Melo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Malenko working some strikes from top position.
Malenko passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Malenko creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Melo sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melo dodges the ground and pound from Malenko.
Sloppy strikes there by Malenko.
Melo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Malenko wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Malenko wants to lay and pray for a moment but Melo keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Malenko throwing strikes but Melo manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Melo lands a nice forearm strike.

Melo is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Malenko has escaped the position, nice work there.
Malenko is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Melo's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malenko trying to control from the bottom.
Malenko is trying to stand.
Melo lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Melo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Malenko dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Victor Melo's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Malenko tries for a takedown but Melo circles away easily

and Melo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Malenko's guard.

Melo drops back, looking for a kneebar! Malenko looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Malenko looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Malenko!
Malenko works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Melo tries to escape but Malenko is in control.
Malenko working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Melo pushes Malenko away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Malenko gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Malenko working the ground and pound.

Malenko thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Melo could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Malenko tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malenko is chipping away with strikes.

Malenko swings around for an armbar but Melo sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Malenko's guard.

Melo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Melo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Melo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Malenko works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Melo lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

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.
Malenko managing to control the position.

Melo has gone for a leg lock! Malenko slips out almost immediately though and dives into Melo's guard.
Malenko trying to control but Melo is working from the bottom.

Malenko is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Melo has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Malenko is looking to defend but Melo has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Malenko! Melo pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Malenko taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Victor Melo!