PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jokke Mela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roberto Kopite (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mela comes into the arena with Da Rockwilder blaring out of the sound system. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mela
vs
Kopite

170 cm
27
144 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

198 cm
26
131 lbs
17 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Milwaukee's Best 159's - $45

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jokke Mela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Roberto Kopite!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mela slips a straight right by Kopite.
Kopite keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kopite moves away from the strike by Mela.
Mela throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kopite's waist but Kopite gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mela off to one side.
A telegraphed right hand from Kopite misses the target.
Kopite lands with a right hand.
Mela rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kopite moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kopite cracks Mela with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Good standup being displayed there by Kopite as he connects with a hook.
Mela throws a shot from downtown. Kopite moves away and avoids it.
Kopite throws a body punch but Mela moves out of range.
Mela tries to move into range but Kopite moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Mela looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kopite!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Mela wants to control but instead Kopite manages to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kopite is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kopite wants to control but Mela is keeping busy.

Mela is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's two 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.
Mela trying to control the action but Kopite is working from the bottom.
Mela passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Kopite!
Mela wants to control the pace but Kopite is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kopite avoids a series of strikes thrown by Mela.

Mela is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Kopite has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Kopite!
Mela wants to control but Kopite passes easily into half guard.

Kopite is looking for a kimura but Mela is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kopite to get the leverage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kopite is looking for a kimura but Mela is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kopite to get the leverage.

Mela actively working from the bottom here.

Kopite looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Mela manages to get to full guard.
Kopite really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mela. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mela controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jokke Mela will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mela shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kopite is trying to defend but Mela finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Kopite is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mela's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mela's back!

Kopite working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Kopite throws a series of strikes and Mela wriggles onto his back, so he's now mounted. He's in real trouble here.
Kopite is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kopite sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mela really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Mela holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Kopite tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Kopite fails to move to back control.
Mela is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mela really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kopite punching from mount but Mela doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Kopite looking to ground and pound but Mela is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kopite unloads with some shots from mount but Mela bucks and avoids them well.
Mela is working to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kopite goes for an armbar but Mela turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Mela.
Mela sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kopite's guard.
Mela wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kopite keeps working.

Mela is working for a kimura but Kopite is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mela in particular looking to stall.

Kopite actively working from the bottom here.

That's four 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.
Mela lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Mela throws a strike but Kopite avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Mela forces his way into half guard.
Mela trying to control the action but Kopite is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jokke Mela dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kopite misses with a lunging right hand
and Mela counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kopite thinking.
Kopite throws an overhand right that lands on Mela's shoulder, as Mela tries to avoid the shot.
Roberto Kopite seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mela connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Mela bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Kopite's head backwards.
Kopite throws a leg kick but Mela sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Kopite tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mela was well out of range. Poor timing from Kopite.
A left lands for Mela.
A swing and a miss from Kopite.

Mela shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kopite napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Kopite is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Kopite looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Jokke Mela overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kopite avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mela.
Mela is just content to waste time from the top position. Kopite takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Mela trying to control the position from guard on top but Kopite is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jokke Mela is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two 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.
Mela stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kopite swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Mela got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kopite has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mela has managed to get both his arms back between Kopite's legs - danger averted.
Mela slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jokke Mela just wasn't active enough.
Kopite on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Mela tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kopite swivels and escapes.
Mela throws a big shot that misses.
Kopite walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Kopite tries to clinch there but Mela circles away.
No joy there for Kopite, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mela connects with a single shot there.
Kopite throws a right and a left that Mela avoids nicely.
Mela shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Kopite eats them both and turns towards Mela to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Some wild striking there from Mela.
Mela lands with a good body shot.
Mela fails with a takedown attempt.
Mela defending well as Kopite loads up on a big left hand.
Roberto Kopite has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mela keeps the fight on the outside.
Kopite avoids the body shot from Mela.
Mela ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jokke Mela showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mela, 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... Jokke Mela!
Jokke Mela decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.