PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Big Ray Usa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Drake Melfred (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Big Ray Usa has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Ray Usa
vs
Melfred

195 cm
27
135 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

175 cm
21
153 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Big Ray Usa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Drake Melfred!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Ackerman and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Usa misses with a takedown attempt

and Melfred counters with a nice double leg into side control. Usa won't be happy with that.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
You can see the frustration on Usa's face as Melfred controls the position.
Melfred has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Usa!
Usa tries to lock up and control but Melfred gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Usa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Usa bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Melfred is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Melfred connects with a nice short shot to Usa's temple.
Melfred not doing much here.
Usa on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Usa tries to get out of the position.
Usa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Melfred.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melfred passes to full mount!
Usa tries to hold on but Melfred postures up.
Melfred controlling his opponent.
Usa wants to hold on but Melfred pushes him away.
Usa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Melfred avoids the attempt from Usa to control.
Melfred thowing shots but they're missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melfred controlling from the full mount.
Melfred looking to ground and pound but Usa is blocking nicely.
Usa tries to hold on but Melfred postures up.
Poor strikes thrown by Melfred there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Melfred works his way to his opponent's back.

Melfred is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Usa is really stuck here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melfred is persistently looking for the submission but Usa is defending it well.
Melfred has good solid back control here.
Usa tries to escape but Melfred has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melfred has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Melfred trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Usa doesn't escape.
Usa is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Melfred scores with strikes from the back.

Melfred is persistently looking for the submission but Usa is defending it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Usa wants to escape the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
What can Usa do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
You can see the frustration on Usa's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Melfred tightening his grip on Usa, looking for the choke.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Usa is trapped and Melfred is scoring with shots to the head and body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Drake Melfred dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Melfred scores a takedown into full mount!
Melfred looking to control but Usa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Usa wants to hold on but Melfred pushes him away.
Usa is trying to reverse the position but instead Melfred has taken his back - oops!
Usa is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
What can Usa do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Melfred is looking to control Usa but Usa is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Usa is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Melfred trying to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Usa covering up well under a series of strikes from Melfred.
Usa really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Usa is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Melfred misses with punches from the back.
Melfred trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Usa doesn't escape.
Drake Melfred has got the better of the ground game so far.
Let's hope that Melfred has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Melfred avoiding Usa 's attempts to control his hands.
Melfred trying to control momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Usa showing good submission defense here.
Melfred is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Usa staying busy and making it hard for Melfred to control.
Melfred is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

Melfred working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Melfred tries to get the hooks in deep but Usa pushed the leg off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melfred tightening his grip on Usa, looking for the choke.

Usa fending off the submission attempt from Melfred.
Melfred keeps control of the position as Usa tries to break free.
Melfred somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melfred thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

Melfred has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Usa has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Usa looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Melfred tightening his grip on Usa, looking for the choke.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Melfred is hanging on to Usa's back as he tries to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Drake Melfred showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Melfred stuffs the takedown attempt from Usa. Usa gets slowly back to his feet.
Big Ray Usa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Usa wants to get back to striking at distance but Melfred won't allow it.
Melfred scores a nice knee to the body.
Usa fails to pull guard.

Melfred tightens his grip and picks Usa up, before dumping him to the ground. Usa manages to land in guard.
Usa wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Melfred is now in half guard.
Melfred trying to control from half guard but Usa is working away.
Melfred might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Usa kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Melfred stands up from half guard.

Melfred moves into the clinch.

Melfred pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Melfred throws a head kick that half lands.
Melfred shoots in for a takedown but Usa shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Melfred shoots in looking for a takedown. Usa tries to sprawl out of it but Melfred keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Usa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Usa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Melfred's waist but Melfred gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Usa off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Big Ray Usa. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Usa misses with a takedown

and Melfred counters with a single leg into guard. Usa didn't expect that.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Usa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Melfred passes Usa's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Melfred trying to control the action but Usa is working from the bottom.
Usa knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Melfred on the ground.
Usa is trying to maintain the position but Melfred is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Melfred.
Usa is trying to stand.
Melfred passes to full mount!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Melfred working for a submission but Usa is keeping him at bay.
Usa is squirming around, avoiding Melfred's attempts to control the action.
Melfred avoids the attempt from Usa to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melfred controlling his opponent.
Melfred has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Melfred's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Melfred with good strikes from the mount here!
Melfred wants to control the pace but Usa is squirming around nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Melfred blocks Usa's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Drake Melfred comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Melfred has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Drake Melfred!