PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alessandro Nunes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Melanie Powers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alessandro Nunes has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Nunes
vs
Powers

179 cm
22
162 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
21
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alessandro Nunes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Melanie Powers!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Bruno Hogan and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nunes shoots in for a takedown but Powers shows good takedown defense.
A nice leg kick lands there from Nunes.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Powers.

Powers is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Nunes has escaped the position, nice work there.
Powers controlling the position.
Powers fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Powers advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powers postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Nunes looks a forlorn figure.
Powers tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Powers lands a nice shot to the head.
Powers controlling the pace for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Powers lands a big elbow.

Powers looking to secure an arm triangle but Nunes defends it well.
Powers controlling his opponent.
Powers unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powers looking to control and managing it successfully.
Powers has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Powers looking for a guillotine from mount but Nunes is having none of it.
Nunes is trying to stand up.
Powers controlling from the full mount.

That's four 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.
Let's hope that Powers 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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Melanie Powers just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Nunes moves into range and clinches up with Powers.
Nunes tries to land a knee to the head but Powers blocks with his arms.
Nunes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Powers blocks it with crossed arms.
Nunes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Powers blocks it with crossed arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melanie Powers dominated that round.
That's time! Nunes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Powers blocks a head kick by Nunes.
A right-left combo lands from Nunes.
Powers throws a right hand that Nunes ducks under and follows up with a left that Nunes also avoids with ease.
Nunes throws a series of punches but Powers avoids them all with ease.
A head kick misses from Nunes.
Nunes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Powers counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Powers stays in close to Nunes's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Powers advances position into side control!
Powers is breathing heavily.
Nunes prevents Powers from improving position.
Nunes struggling a bit here.
Powers controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Powers throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Check out the look on Powers's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Powers tries to advance to mount but Nunes denies him.

Powers decides to stand up, so the ref orders Nunes to his feet.
Powers has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Nunes closes the distance but Powers moves to the side

and Powers counters by clinching up.
Powers is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Nunes is keeping busy.
Nunes throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nunes is trying to break free.
Nunes tries a knee to the head but Powers blocks it.
Nunes tries a knee to the head but Powers blocks it.
Nunes tries a knee to the head but Powers blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nunes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Nunes lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Nunes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Powers wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Nunes tries to break the clinch but Powers is controlling the position.
Nunes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Nunes tries to land a knee to the head but Powers blocks with his arms.
Nunes lands a hook that snaps the head of Powers backwards.
Nunes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Powers pulls his leg out and moves away.

Powers scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Powers controlling the position.

Powers is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Nunes knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Powers is putting a hurting on Nunes here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Powers decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Nunes lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Powers circles away from the clinch attempt.
Alessandro Nunes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nunes tries a head kick but it misses.
Powers scores with a three punch combo!
Powers dodges the punch combination from Nunes.
Powers avoids the head kick by Nunes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nunes throws a combination that misses

and Powers counters by clinching up.
Nunes wants to stall.
Nunes is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Powers gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alessandro Nunes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Powers breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Powers lands a head shot.

Powers fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Nunes, pushing him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melanie Powers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Nunes tries a head kick but it misses.
Nunes throws a head kick that misses.
Nunes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nunes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nunes fails to land with a series of punches.

Powers feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Powers postures up and lands a big shot to Nunes's brow.

Powers gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Powers wants to clinch up but Nunes keeps it at a distance.

Powers drives through with a takedown into guard.
Powers seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nunes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nunes wants to stand and escape but Powers is having none of it.
Nunes keeping moving, preventing Powers from controlling successfully.
Powers pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nunes is keeping the position for now.
Melanie Powers has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nunes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nunes wants to stand and escape but Powers is having none of it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nunes throws a head kick that misses

and Powers decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Nunes's guard.
Powers looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Powers wants to stand but Nunes is controlling his posture from full guard.
Nunes looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Powers gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Nunes is fighting off a takedown attempt but Powers is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Nunes to the mat. Nunes regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Powers is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Powers decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Nunes, up you get!
Nunes tries for a takedown but Powers circles away easily

and Powers counters with a nice double leg into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Powers controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Powers lands a couple of elbows.

Powers decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Nunes, up you get!

Powers closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Nunes to the mat! Nunes manages to get full guard.
Powers sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Nunes's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Powers lands with a punch from half guard.
Nunes is trying to maintain the position but Powers is very close to passing his half guard.
Nunes is looking to get back to is feet but Powers passes into side control.
Nunes sneaks back into half guard.
Powers is controlling the pace.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Melanie Powers comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Powers winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 26:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 26:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Melanie Powers!