PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rizer Mcmelon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Enrico Vargas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Enrico Vargas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mcmelon
vs
Vargas

180 cm
28
170 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

188 cm
24
179 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Experienced

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rizer Mcmelon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Enrico Vargas!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vargas gets in close and instigates a clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Vargas.
Vargas gets underhooks to prevent Mcmelon's takedown attempt.

Vargas breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vargas wants to clinch.

Vargas clinches.
Mcmelon jumps guard but Vargas turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Mcmelon can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rizer Mcmelon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vargas can't find room to land a body shot as Mcmelon controls the action.
Vargas misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mcmelon.
Vargas digs a right hand into Mcmelon's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Mcmelon's gas tank.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vargas pushes Mcmelon back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Mcmelon is breathing heavily.
Mcmelon tries to pull guard but Vargas won't allow it.
Mcmelon prevents a body shot from Vargas.
Vargas tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mcmelon avoids it.
Vargas works on Mcmelon's body with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vargas tries to land knees in the clinch but Mcmelon avoids the damage to the body.

Vargas gets control of Mcmelon's arms and successfully pulls guard. Vargas will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Vargas has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mcmelon forces his way into half guard.
Vargas has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mcmelon is working away from the top position though.
Vargas gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcmelon wants to control from the top but Vargas keeps moving.
Mcmelon wants to stand but Vargas is controlling his posture from full guard.

Vargas pushes Mcmelon off and scrambles back to his feet.
Vargas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vargas tries to clinch up.

Vargas clinches up with Mcmelon and pushes him back against the cage.

Vargas manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mcmelon closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Vargas to the mat! Vargas manages to get full guard.
Vargas has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Vargas wants to get back to his feet but Mcmelon is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Vargas seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Mcmelon advances position into side control!
Mcmelon trying to control the action but Vargas is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mcmelon decides to stand back up.
Vargas closes the distance but Mcmelon moves to the side

and Mcmelon counters with a single leg into guard. Vargas didn't expect that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vargas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mcmelon is controlling him.
Vargas is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mcmelon working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Vargas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mcmelon is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enrico Vargas dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Vargas throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Mcmelon closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Mcmelon tries to pass the half guard into mount. Vargas knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rizer Mcmelon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mcmelon is keen to just control but Vargas is a slippery customer.
Mcmelon stalling away here and it's allowed Vargas to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Mcmelon forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vargas keeping control of the position.
Vargas gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vargas keeping moving, preventing Mcmelon from controlling successfully.
Mcmelon with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vargas keeping full guard, as Mcmelon tries to pass.
Mcmelon postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mcmelon working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Mcmelon trying to control but Vargas is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vargas not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mcmelon is looking to stand up but Vargas won't let him.
Mcmelon with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vargas keeping moving, preventing Mcmelon from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Vargas tries to close the distance and clinch but Mcmelon swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vargas tries to clinch there but Mcmelon circles away.

Mcmelon clinches with his opponent.
Mcmelon managing to block the knees to the body from Vargas.
Vargas trying to land knees to the body.
Vargas digs a right hand underneath Mcmelon's ribcage. Mcmelon let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Vargas pushes Mcmelon back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vargas tries to land knees in the clinch but Mcmelon avoids the damage to the body.
Vargas unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Knees to the body from Vargas.
Vargas tries to throw a body punch but Mcmelon avoids it by throwing Vargas back against the cage.
Vargas gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Vargas lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Mcmelon.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Vargas obliges.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Vargas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Vargas closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Vargas not doing much here.
Mcmelon on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vargas is controlling the pace.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Enrico Vargas wasn't active enough on the ground.
Vargas tries to clinch up but Mcmelon circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enrico Vargas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Vargas has managed to clinch.
Enrico Vargas seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Mcmelon goes for a takedown attempt but Vargas pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Vargas tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mcmelon swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mcmelon circles away from the clinch attempt

and Mcmelon counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mcmelon.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mcmelon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vargas swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Vargas is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Vargas misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mcmelon.
Vargas digs a right hand underneath Mcmelon's ribcage. Mcmelon let out a lung full of air as it connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vargas misses with a body punch.

Vargas breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vargas tries to clinch up but Mcmelon circles away and keeps his distance.
Mcmelon on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Vargas is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Enrico Vargas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mcmelon keeps the fight on the outside.

Vargas instigates a clinch.
Vargas goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Vargas missing with knees to the body.
Vargas lands a nice shot to the body.
Vargas lands a body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vargas is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Mcmelon has Vargas pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Vargas manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Vargas drags the fight down to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Vargas controlling Mcmelon's posture.

Mcmelon drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mcmelon jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mcmelon being controlled here momentarily.
Vargas keeping moving, preventing Mcmelon from controlling successfully.
Mcmelon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Vargas is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vargas is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Enrico Vargas wasn't active enough on the ground.

Mcmelon darts in and clinches Vargas up against the cage.
Vargas tries to work over Mcmelon's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Mcmelon jumps guard but Vargas turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rizer Mcmelon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vargas scores with a hook to the body.
Vargas works on Mcmelon's body with a couple of short punches.
Vargas missing with knees to the body.
Nice body punch from Vargas.
Vargas lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Mcmelon blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vargas tries to land knees in the clinch but Mcmelon avoids the damage to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Vargas.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Vargas breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Vargas closes the distance and clinches.
Mcmelon fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A short left from Vargas.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Vargas.
Vargas lands an elbow just above Mcmelon 's eye.
Vargas landing knees to the body.

Mcmelon is fighting off a takedown attempt but Vargas is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Mcmelon to the mat. Mcmelon regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mcmelon working a defensive guard here.
Vargas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vargas controlling from the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Enrico Vargas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Vargas 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Enrico Vargas!
A victorious Enrico Vargas thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.