PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Fabio Melo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rya Koc (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fabio Melo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Melo
vs
Koc

191 cm
22
177 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

185 cm
26
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Fabio Melo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rya Koc!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Daniel Cesar and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koc lands with a right hand.

Melo gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Koc to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Koc wants to control from the top but Melo keeps moving.
Koc working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Melo 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.
Melo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Koc throws a big right hand that misses.
Koc missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Melo looking for a guillotine here but Koc defends easily.

Koc stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Melo tries for a takedown but Koc sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo fakes the leg kick and cracks Koc in the body.
Horrible takedown by Melo or perhaps it was just good defense by Koc which made him look bad.
Koc tries for a takedown but Melo circles away easily

and Melo moves into the clinch.
Koc looks gassed!
Melo gets underhooks to prevent Koc's takedown attempt.
Koc looking for a takedown.
Fabio Melo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rya Koc.
Melo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Melo prevents the takedown attempt.

Melo drags the fight down to the ground.
Koc stands up out of Melo's guard for a moment - Melo manages to land a nice upkick.
Koc throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Melo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Koc preventing the sweep.
Melo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Koc on the ground.
Koc is looking to work some ground and pound but Melo has wrist control.
Melo wants to stand but Koc is controlling the position.
Melo 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.
Melo is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melo looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Melo shoots for a takedown but Koc saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Melo misses with a takedown attempt - Koc sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Koc throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Melo sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Melo doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Koc counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Koc missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Melo makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Melo.
Koc lands a couple of digs.
Koc with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koc throws a big right hand that misses.
Koc throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Melo trying to keep a closed guard but Koc is proving a slippery customer.
Koc loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Melo throws a head kick but Koc moves out of range.
Melo tries for a takedown but Koc sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Koc looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Melo looking for submissions off his back.

Melo actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melo is trying to stand up here but Koc is controlling him well.
Melo punching from the bottom.
Koc looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Melo with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Koc has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Melo flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Koc prevents Melo from standing back up.
Koc missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Melo fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Melo wants to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Koc closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Koc lands in his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rya Koc dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Koc clinches up with Melo and pushes him back against the cage.
Melo prevents a takedown attempt there.
Koc is trying to break the clinch but Melo is controlling him.

Koc has Melo pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Koc pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Melo tumbling to the mat - Koc dives into Melo's guard.
Koc throws a big right hand that misses.
Melo 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.
Melo is trying to keep Koc in close.
Koc thows a big elbow that misses.

Melo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Melo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Melo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Koc trying to control but Melo is working from the bottom.
Melo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melo throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Melo managing to control the position.
Koc postures up.

That's two 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Melo has his takedown stuffed

and Koc counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Melo!
Melo keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Rya Koc has got the better of the ground game so far.
Koc punching from mount but Melo doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Melo is squirming around, avoiding Koc's attempts to control the action.

Koc jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Melo is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Melo and Koc has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Melo manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Koc looking for submissions off his back.
Melo is keen to just control but Koc is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koc tries to get to full guard but Melo has control of the leg.
Koc scores with a few weak punches.
Melo tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Koc.
Koc is trying to control but can't.
Koc works his way to full guard. Good work.
Koc keeping moving, preventing Melo from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Koc circles away from the clinch attempt.
Melo tries to clinch up.
Koc displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Melo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Melo shoots for a takedown but Koc saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fabio Melo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Melo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Melo gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Koc to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Koc with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Koc is looking to work some ground and pound but Melo has wrist control.
Koc throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Melo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Koc is looking to work some ground and pound but Melo has wrist control.

Melo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Melo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rya Koc showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Koc gets a takedown into half guard.
Melo wants to control but Koc is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Koc lands a nice short elbow.
Koc throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Melo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Koc.
Melo is looking to improve his position.

Melo actively working from the bottom here.
Melo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Melo controls Koc momentarily but Koc frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo wants to get back to his feet but Koc is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Koc trying to control but Melo is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Melo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Koc defends it nicely.
Koc misses with a takedown attempt

and Melo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Koc is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Koc working for a triangle but Melo defends it easily.
Koc trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Melo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Koc has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Melo has managed to get both his arms back between Koc's legs - danger averted.

Melo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Koc 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 avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Koc is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koc looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Koc swinging wildly here.
Melo has a takedown stuffed.
Koc circles away from the clinch attempt.
Melo wants to clinch up but Koc keeps it at a distance.
Melo throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rya Koc seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Melo scores a takedown into full mount!
Melo avoids the attempt from Koc to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koc is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Melo is staying active.
Melo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Koc wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Melo.
Koc is in all sorts of trouble here.

Melo is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Koc to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Koc shrugs it off.
Koc tries to hold on but Melo postures up.
Koc is looking to improve his position but Melo isn't that keen on the idea.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fabio Melo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Koc has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rya Koc!