PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Palmer Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikko Melamies (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mikko Melamies is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Ward
vs
Melamies

185 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
300 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Powder for your success

South Side Swagger
MMADNESS clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Palmer Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikko Melamies!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ward looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ward prevents Melamies from getting back to his feet.

Ward stands up from Melamies's guard - Ward perhaps looking for a knockout.
Melamies doesn't manage to clinch there - Ward circles away.
Melamies moves in looking to clinch but Ward pushes him off.
Ward throws a one two combo.
Melamies is looking to clinch but Ward is avoiding it.
Ward throws a right and a left that both miss.

Ward shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Ward slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melamies tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melamies is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Ward trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Melamies doesn't escape.
Melamies trying to get back to his feet but Ward is in full control for now.
Melamies is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Melamies looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ward really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Melamies.
Melamies has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
I would not like to be Melamies right now.
Melamies controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ward is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Ward seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Melamies for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melamies has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Ward has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Melamies's body.
Melamies controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Ward could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Palmer Ward dominated that 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.

Melamies has closed the distance and engaged Ward in a clinch.
Melamies goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ward prevents it.
Ward managing to block the knees to the body from Melamies.
Ward goes for a takedown attempt but Melamies pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ward shoots in for a takedown but Melamies shows good takedown defense.
Melamies tries to clinch but Ward is having none of it.

Ward gets the takedown into side control.

Ward decides to stand back up. Ward steps back and let's Melamies get back to his feet.
Ward throws a head kick that misses.
Melamies tries to clinch up but Ward circles away and keeps his distance.
Ward shoots for a double leg takedown but Melamies sprawls well. He's pushed Ward's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Palmer Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Melamies moves in looking to clinch but Ward pushes him off.
Melamies tries to close the distance and clinch but Ward swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Melamies tries to clinch up.
Ward swats away the attempt to clinch by Melamies.
No luck for Melamies with that takedown attempt.

Ward scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ward prevents Melamies from escaping the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Melamies to see if he's OK.
Melamies is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Ward staying calm.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Ward shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ward showed some decent athleticism there.
Melamies looks like he's trying to stand up.
Melamies is looking to get back to is feet but Ward passes into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melamies wants to get back to his feet but Ward is dominant here and he's now got Melamies's back!
Melamies is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Ward content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melamies's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Ward controlling the position easily from mount.
Melamies is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Ward controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Palmer Ward just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Melamies tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ward swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ward shoots in for a takedown but Melamies shows good takedown defense.
Melamies doesn't manage to clinch there - Ward circles away.
Palmer Ward is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Melamies stuffs the takedown.
Melamies tries to clinch up.

Ward darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Melamies is trying to stand.

Melamies makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Melamies fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ward misses with a takedown attempt - Melamies sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Palmer Ward dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ward.
Melamies wants to get back to his feet but Ward drags him back down.

Ward stands up.

Ward scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Ward decides to stand back up. Ward steps back and let's Melamies get back to his feet.
Ward moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Ward swats away the attempt to clinch by Melamies.
Ward swats away the attempt to clinch by Melamies.

Ward scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Melamies tries to kick Ward off but Ward keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Melamies makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Melamies shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nice takedown defense from Ward. No joy for Melamies on that attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ward.
Melamies tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ward paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Ward looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Melamies is looking to stand up but Ward isn't so interested in that idea.

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

Ward decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Melamies tries to kick Ward off but Ward keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melamies wants to stand back up but Ward manages to pass into side control.

Ward stands up.
Nice sprawl there from Melamies as Ward shoots in.
Melamies tries to clinch there but Ward circles away.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ward.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ward prevents Melamies from escaping the position.
Melamies prevents Ward from improving position.
Melamies is letting Ward control him for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward decides to stand back up. Ward steps back and let's Melamies get back to his feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Ward!
Melamies wants to clinch.

Ward shoots in and bounces Melamies off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Ward prevents Melamies from getting back to his feet.
Ward might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ward stays in close to Melamies's body and controls the position.
Melamies wants to stand and escape but Ward is having none of it.

Ward stands and steps away. Melamies gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melamies wants to clinch up but Ward keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Melamies looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Melamies tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ward paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Melamies tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ward lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Ward keeps the fight on the outside.
Melamies slips a jab and a cross from Ward.

Ward looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Melamies!
Melamies squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Ward controlling the position easily from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ward won't let Melamies get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Palmer Ward showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ward, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Palmer Ward!