PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Melbye (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melbye comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The Beast and the Harlot kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Matt Melbye enters the cage!

Miller
vs
Melbye

190 cm
25
218 lbs
4 - 4 - 1

183 cm
22
215 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
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 4 - 4 - 1, fighting out of New York, James Miller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Melbye!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Bruno Lombardi and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melbye displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Miller.
Miller stuffs the takedown.
Melbye slaps away a takedown attempt from Miller, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Melbye ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Miller throws a combination. Melbye tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Melbye will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Miller clinches up with Melbye and pushes him back against the cage.
Miller prevents Melbye from breaking the clinch.
Miller tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Miller. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Melbye wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Miller has him pressed against the cage.
Melbye can't break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Melbye's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Miller manages to break the clinch.

Miller gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Miller breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Melbye scores with a hook to the body. Miller takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Miller is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Melbye tries to score a power double leg takedown but Miller sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Melbye somewhat.
Melbye swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Melbye throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Miller counters with a one-two to the body.
Miller throws a series of punches but Melbye avoids them all with ease.
The fight stays on the outside here - Miller looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Miller looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Miller throws a combination that misses
and Melbye counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Miller keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Miller tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Melbye paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Melbye shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Miller counters with a nice uppercut.
Melbye looks gassed!
Miller throws a combination that misses
and Melbye counters with a straight right hand.

Miller closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Miller pulls guard effortlessly.
Miller wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Miller wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Miller manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Melbye manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Miller gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Miller drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Miller with a flurry of punches that miss.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Melbye looking to control.
Miller has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Miller accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Miller wants to control from the top but Melbye keeps moving.
Miller slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Miller wants to stand but Melbye is controlling his posture from full guard.
Melbye keeping moving, preventing Miller from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melbye working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Miller.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Miller has managed to clinch.
Miller lands with a left to the head.

Miller decides to pull guard.
Melbye won't allow Miller to sweep him here.
Miller pulls Melbye in to control the position.
Melbye trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Miller manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Miller working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Melbye wants to sweep here but Miller controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Miller dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Melbye circles away from the clinch attempt
and Miller takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Melbye throws a left and a right that both miss

and Miller counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Miller passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Melbye!
Melbye is in a horrible position here. Miller smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Melbye wants to control but Miller is having none of it.
Miller scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Melbye?
Melbye is breathing heavily.
Miller content just to control the position here.
Melbye is squirming around, avoiding Miller's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Miller working for a guillotine from mount but Melbye is in no mood to give up.
Miller is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Melbye can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
A nice elbow there by Miller.
Miller landing shots from mount.
Melbye is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Miller looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Miller lands with some strikes.
Melbye is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Miller with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Miller pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Miller punishing his opponent with strikes.
Miller has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Melbye's face.
A nice elbow there by Miller.
Miller working Melbye over with strikes here.
Miller lands a big shot there that rocks Melbye but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Miller scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Melbye is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James Miller overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Miller scoring with strikes but Melbye is staying in there.
Melbye tries to reverse the position but Miller maintains control.
Miller breaks from Melbye's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The referee warns Melbye that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Miller scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Melbye in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Miller looking to control but Melbye is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Miller lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Miller scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Melbye?
Miller breaks from Melbye's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Miller has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Melbye's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miller scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Melbye?
Miller working Melbye over with strikes here.
Melbye is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Miller lands a heavy elbow.
Melbye tries to reverse the position but Miller maintains control.
Melbye tries to hold on but Miller postures up.
Miller wants to control the pace but Melbye is squirming around nicely.
A nice elbow there by Miller.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Miller fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Miller in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Miller controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Miller dominated that second round.
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!

Miller bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Miller tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Melbye is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Melbye is not content to let Miller control the position.
Melbye controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Miller in particular looking to stall.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miller trying to control from Melbye's half guard. Melbye has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Miller working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Melbye's head.
Melbye looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Miller looking to pass the guard.
Melbye is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Miller works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Melbye is trying to maintain the position but Miller is very close to passing his half guard.
Miller looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Miller frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Miller lands with some strikes.
Miller is landing with some decent strikes but Melbye is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Miller controlling his opponent.
Miller lands a nice shot to the head.
Melbye is looking to improve his position but Miller isn't that keen on the idea.
A nice elbow there by Miller.
Miller lands a heavy elbow.
Melbye is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Miller cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miller with the ground and pound from mount.
Miller landing strikes from the mount.
Melbye tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Miller controlling his opponent.
Miller avoids the attempt from Melbye to control.
Melbye sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Melbye keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Melbye is trying to get back to full guard.
Miller thows a huge punch but Melbye dodges it nicely.
Melbye trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Miller content to control rather than advance.
Ground and pound from Miller.
Melbye tries to get to full guard but Miller has control of the leg.
James Miller is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A punch combination from Miller misses.
Matt Melbye has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Miller clinches up against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Miller - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
James Miller showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Miller has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:26
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:26
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Miller!