PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Melartin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Clipse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melartin comes to the cage accompanied by Pennywise- Homesick . Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Melartin
vs
Clipse

168 cm
21
142 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

170 cm
26
142 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rafael Melartin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Clipse!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Colin Fotheringham and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Clipse looks to clinch
and Melartin counters with a straight right hand.
Clipse wants to clinch.
Clipse throws a head kick but Melartin moves out of range.
Melartin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

It looks like Paul Clipse has been cut.
Clipse on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Clipse tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Melartin counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Clipse wants to clinch
and Melartin counters with a left to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clipse lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Clipse tries to clinch up
and Melartin counters with a nice uppercut.
Melartin is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Clipse.
Clipse tries to clinch but Melartin moves away
and Melartin counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Melartin lands a slapping body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melartin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Melartin swats away the attempt to clinch by Clipse.
Clipse on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Clipse closes the distance looking to clinch
and Melartin counters with a left to the body.
Good standup being displayed there by Melartin as he connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melartin tries to bum rush Clipse with a series of wild strikes but Clipse uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Melartin throws a right and a left that Clipse avoids nicely.
Clipse wants to clinch but Melartin slips to the side
and Melartin counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Clipse looks to clinch
and Melartin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Clipse closes the distance but Melartin moves to the side
and Melartin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Melartin misses with a body shot.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Clipse closes the distance but Melartin moves to the side
and Melartin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melartin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Clipse sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Clipse moves away from the strike by Melartin.
Clipse misses with an uppercut
and Melartin counters with a nice uppercut.
Clipse throws a push kick but Melartin slaps the foot to one side.
A good leg kick by Clipse.
Clipse fails with an attempt to clinch.
Clipse avoids the body shot from Melartin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Melartin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Paul Clipse's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Clipse throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Melartin throws out a loose jab but Clipse uses good head movement to avoid it.
Clipse darts in trying to clinch
and Melartin counters with a left to the body.
Melartin thows a left - swing and a miss!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melartin keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Melartin jabs at Clipse's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clipse takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Melartin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Melartin throws a hook but Clipse avoids it easily.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Clipse in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Melartin misses with a straight left.
Clipse gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Melartin.
Clipse tries to clinch but Melartin moves away
and Melartin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Melartin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Clipse moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Melartin lands a glancing blow to the side of Clipse's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clipse feints and then cracks Melartin's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Melartin down.
Paul Clipse is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Melartin avoids the body shot from Clipse.
Melartin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Clipse counters with a big head kick but Melartin shrugs it off.
Clipse moves to clinch but Melartin breaks away
and Melartin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Melartin jabs Clipse right on the nose. Clipse blinks but takes it well.
Nice defenses there by Clipse.
Melartin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clipse tries to close the distance and clinch but Melartin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Melartin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Clipse was well out of range. Poor timing from Melartin.
Melartin misses with a right hand
and Clipse counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Clipse keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rafael Melartin is winning the standup battle so far.
Clipse tries to clinch up
and Melartin counters with a stiff right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A slow jab from Melartin misses its intended target.
Melartin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Clipse takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Clipse wants to clinch but Melartin slips to the side
and Melartin counters with a nice body shot.
Clipse tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Melartin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Melartin takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Clipse showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Paul Clipse's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Clipse tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Clipse throws a head kick that misses.
Melartin swinging wildly here.
Clipse tries to close the distance and clinch up but Melartin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melartin avoids the head kick by Clipse.
Melartin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Melartin connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melartin keeps the fight on the outside.
Clipse tries to clinch but Melartin moves away
and Melartin counters with a stiff right hand.
Clipse blocks a jab.
Clipse throws a push kick but Melartin slaps the foot to one side.
Clipse tries to clinch up
and Melartin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Clipse has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
A combination from Melartin does no damage.

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.
Melartin scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Clipse closes the distance looking to clinch
and Melartin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Clipse closes the distance but Melartin moves to the side
and Melartin counters with a nice body shot.
Melartin misses with a right hand
and Clipse finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clipse wants to clinch up but Melartin keeps it at a distance.
Clipse uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Melartin.
Clipse tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Melartin counters with a series of strikes. Clipse will be more careful next time no doubt.
Clipse tries to clinch but Melartin moves away
and Clipse takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Melartin scores with a nice head shot.
Clipse closes the distance but Melartin moves to the side
and Melartin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clipse wants to clinch but Melartin slips to the side
and Melartin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Clipse closes the distance but Melartin moves to the side
and Melartin counters with a straight right hand.
Clipse throws a head kick that misses.
A lazy left from Melartin finds it's target.
Clipse tries to clinch up but Melartin circles away and keeps his distance.
Melartin cracks Clipse with a good jab.
Melartin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Clipse manages to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Melartin clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Paul Clipse's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Melartin misses with a wild body shot.
Melartin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Clipse was well out of range. Poor timing from Melartin.
Melartin dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Clipse tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Melartin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Melartin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Clipse manages to avoid it.
Melartin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clipse closes the distance but Melartin moves to the side
and Melartin counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melartin sizes up Clipse with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Clipse dodges the punch combination from Melartin.
Clipse moves to clinch but Melartin breaks away
and Melartin counters with a nice uppercut.
Clipse throws a wild body kick that Melartin sees coming a mile off.
Melartin looks to score with a jab to the body but Clipse is just out of range.
Melartin throws a right hand that misses
and Clipse counters with a leg kick.
Clipse wants to clinch but Melartin slips to the side
and Melartin makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Melartin misses the target.
Clipse wants to clinch but Melartin slips to the side
letting Melartin counter with a right hand.
Clipse tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Melartin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Clipse misses with a low kick.
Clipse uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Melartin.
Melartin stalks Clipse and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Clipse's face. Clipse staggers backwards, shaken.
Clipse darts in trying to clinch
and Melartin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clipse avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Melartin throws a poor cross that misses

and Clipse holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Clipse throws a head punch that misses.
Clipse has Melartin pressed against the cage, preventing Melartin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Clipse makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Clipse lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Rafael Melartin has been cut.
Clipse is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Melartin is defending well for now.
Clipse tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Melartin avoids it.
Clipse tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clipse misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Clipse pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Melartin as Clipse tries to tie him up.
Clipse pushes off an throws an elbow but Melartin leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Clipse comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Nice elbow from Clipse.
Melartin wants to stall.
Clipse pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Clipse misses with the head strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Clipse just misses with a elbow thrown towards Melartin's brow.
Clipse scores with a shot to the side of Melartin's head.
Clipse creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Melartin's defenses.
Melartin takes an elbow to the forehead.
Melartin blocks an elbow strike from Clipse.
Clipse keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Melartin's efforts to push away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Rafael Melartin will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Melartin lands with a shot to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Melartin misses the target.
Melartin misses with a left hand
and Clipse counters with a good, hard body kick but Melartin shrugs it off.
Melartin scores with a jab.
Clipse tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Melartin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Melartin misses with a hook to the body
and Clipse counters with an outside leg kick.
Clipse wants to clinch up but Melartin keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clipse tries to clinch but Melartin is having none of it.
Clipse tries to clinch but Melartin is having none of it.
Nice body punch from Melartin.
Clipse throws a leg kick that misses.
Melartin throws out a powerful jab.
Clipse looks to clinch
and Clipse takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Clipse throws an off balance right hand
and Melartin counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clipse wants to clinch but Melartin slips to the side
and Melartin counters with a straight right hand.

Clipse instigates a clinch.
Clipse lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Clipse comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Melartin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Melartin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Clipse lands an elbow inside that Melartin shrugs off.

Rafael Melartin's cut is getting worse.
Clipse lands an elbow that stopped Melartin in his tracks for a moment.

Melartin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Clipse misses with an uppercut. Melartin saw that one coming.
Melartin cracks a nice hook into Clipse's ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clipse fails with an attempt to clinch.
Melartin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rafael Melartin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Clipse tries to clinch
and Melartin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Melartin paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Clipse tries to clinch
and Melartin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Paul Clipse seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Melartin scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Melartin cracks Clipse with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

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.
Melartin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Clipse moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Clipse tries to clinch up
and Melartin counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Clipse defending well as Melartin loads up on a big left hand.
Melartin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Clipse counters with a low kick, right behind Melartin 's knee.
Paul Clipse has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Melartin fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Clipse looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Paul Clipse.
I think Melartin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 48:47
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 48:48
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 47:48

The fight is ruled a draw!