PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Melvin Pham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hammer Fist (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Pham
vs
Fist

190 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Melvin Pham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Hammer Fist!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Skip Squint and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fist tries for a takedown but Pham circles away easily

and Pham counters with a nice double leg into guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Pham decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Fist tried to score with a low kick but Pham checks it.
Fist shoots in looking for a takedown but Pham manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fist's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pham is defended easily by Fist.
Fist with a poor takedown

and Pham counters by moving into the clinch.
Melvin Pham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hammer Fist.
Fist tries to pull guard but Pham forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Fist is working for takedown but Pham is calmly controlling the position for now.
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!
Pham has had enough of the clinch but Fist keeps him there for the moment.

Pham gets control of Fist's arms and successfully pulls guard. Pham will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Pham has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Fist has passed into side control.
Pham wants to control but Fist postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fist looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Pham regains half guard.
Fist is looking to stall here but Pham recovers full guard.
Pham pulls Fist in close to his closed guard and prevents Fist from doing any damage or advancing position.
Fist must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fist prevents Pham from getting back to his feet.
Fist trying to control but Pham is working from the bottom.
Fist wants to get up but he can't break Pham's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Pham keeping moving, preventing Fist from controlling successfully.

Hammer Fist has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Pham closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Pham wants to pass to mount but Fist is defending the position.
Fist tries to roll over but Pham keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fist is trying to control but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pham is looking to take a break and control but Fist is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Pham is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Fist is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Pham pulls his head out easily.
Fist tries to kick Pham off but Pham keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Fist is trying to get back to full guard.
Pham is looking to take a break and control but Fist is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fist is trying to control but can't.
Pham controlling the pace.
Pham prevents Fist from standing back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Melvin Pham wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Pham shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Pham is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Fist has managed to free his arm - good work.
Pham is breathing heavily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pham wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fist keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melvin Pham dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pham rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fist moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Fist misses with a takedown attempt - Pham sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Fist fails with the takedown

and Pham counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Fist!
Fist wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Pham.
Pham trying to control but Fist is having none of it.
Fist is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Fist is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pham controlling from mount.
Fist is squirming around, avoiding Pham's attempts to control the action.
Fist working to try and regain half guard.
Pham controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fist avoids a series of strikes thrown by Pham.
Fist tries to reverse the position but Pham maintains control.
Pham can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Fist is looking to escape.
Fist gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pham is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fist moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Fist looking to control.
Pham stopping the sweep attempt from Fist.

Fist is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fist is looking to stand back up but Pham counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Fist.

Pham decides to return to a standing position.

Fist shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Fist was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Pham is squirming around, avoiding Fist's attempts to control the action.
Fist avoids the attempt from Pham to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pham keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Melvin Pham will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Fist gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Pham counters by clinching up.
Fist wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Fist is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Pham lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Pham tries to circle away but Fist has him pinned against the cage.
Pham changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Fist fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pham.
Fist shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pham sprawls well. Pham wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Fist gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fist with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pham counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pham.
Melvin Pham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hammer Fist.
Fist tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pham really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pham pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fist is keeping the position for now.
Fist wants to sweep here but Pham controlling him for the moment.
Pham trying to control the position from guard on top but Fist is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fist wants to control but Pham passes easily into half guard.
Pham is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fist wants to control but Pham is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Pham trying to control from half guard but Fist is working away.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Fist wants to control but Pham is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Fist shoots in for a takedown but Pham shows good takedown defense.
Fist shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Pham defends it nicely.
Fist shoots and misses

and Pham counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Fist takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Fist tries to kick Pham off in order to stand up. Pham Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fist is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Pham is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Fist throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Pham thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Pham controlling his opponent.
Pham raining down hammerfists from mount.
Pham has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Fist's face.
Fist throwing hammer fists to the chest of Pham. What's that going to do exactly?
Pham manages to capitalize on a mistake by Fist to take his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fist tries to break free.
Pham struggling to keep hold of the position.
Pham biding his time, controlling Fist.
Fist covering up well and avoiding damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pham throwing wild punches that miss their target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Melvin Pham showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pham, 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight for Melvin Pham!
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight for Melvin Pham!
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight for Melvin Pham!

Melvin Pham wins by unanimous decision!