PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Melendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yang Tao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melendez comes to the cage accompanied by El Coo Cooi . Tao has chosen Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting as his entrance music. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Melendez
vs
Tao

165 cm
28
169 lbs
15 - 7 - 1

175 cm
26
170 lbs
15 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Syndicate Nutrition (DUS)

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 15 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Xavier Melendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Yang Tao!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Damien Edna and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melendez tries to work over Tao's front leg with a kick but Tao checks it.
Tao blocks a head kick by Melendez.
Tao misses with an uppercut.
Tao tries to clinch there but Melendez circles away.
An inside leg kick lands from Melendez.
Melendez throws a body punch but Tao moves out of range.
Melendez scores with a decent looking hook.
Tao jabs Melendez right on the nose. Melendez blinks but takes it well.
Melendez thows a body shot but no joy.
Tao scoring well with a low kick there.
Melendez has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Tao.
Tao scoring well with a low kick there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tao misses with a kick to the body
and Melendez counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Melendez blocks the body kick.
Yang Tao is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Melendez tries to land a body kick
and Tao counters with a nice body kick.
Tao throws a quick inside leg kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Tao.
Melendez comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Melendez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tao throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Melendez.
Melendez looks to land a body kick but Tao moved away.
Melendez looks to throw a body kick
and Tao counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Xavier Melendez has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Melendez clinches up with Tao and pushes him back against the cage.
Tao misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Melendez.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tao throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Melendez throws a punch but it's blocked by Tao.
Tao missing with knees to the body.
Tao tries to break the clinch but Melendez is controlling the position.
Tao tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Melendez is trying to force a seperation but Tao has the dominant position.
Melendez blocks an elbow strike.
A head punch on the inside from Melendez fails to land.
Tao misses with an elbow over the top.
Melendez avoiding damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tao misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Melendez.
Tao is pressed up against the cage. Melendez has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Tao down to the mat. Tao avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Melendez throws a solid leg kick but Tao takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Melendez.
Tao throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Melendez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Melendez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tao.
Nice jab there from Tao.
Melendez moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Melendez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tao.
Melendez throws a leg kick
and Tao counters with a low kick, right behind Melendez 's knee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melendez throws a head kick that misses.
Melendez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tao.
Tao lands a jab to the nose.
Melendez wants to slow Tao down by chopping away at his legs.
Melendez buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tao throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Melendez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tao moves away.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tao misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tao works Melendez's body with a nice hook.
Tao takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yang Tao dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Xavier Melendez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Melendez tries a head kick but it misses.
Tao connects with an inside leg kick.
Tao scoring well with a low kick there.
Tao looks to score with a jab to the body but Melendez is just out of range.
Tao with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Xavier Melendez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tao throws a leg kick
and Tao takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tao thows a leg kick but Melendez checks it
and Tao takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A punch combination from Melendez misses.
Tao ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Good exchange - Melendez coming out on top.
A low kick from Melendez is predictable there
and Tao counters with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Melendez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tao tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Xavier Melendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Tao.
Tao throws a head kick but Melendez moves out of range.
Melendez scores with a leg kick.
Melendez is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Tao fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Melendez.
Tao tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tao throws a chopping leg kick but Melendez manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tao checks the leg kick nicely there.
Melendez throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Melendez.
Left hook, right uppercut from Melendez.
Tao throws a body kick that misses
and Melendez counters with an inside leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Melendez throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Tao's head.
Melendez shoots in looking for a takedown but Tao manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Melendez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Melendez does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Melendez throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Tao fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Melendez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tao throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Melendez counters with a thumping low kick.
Good exchange - Tao coming out on top.
Tao blocks a leg kick.
Tao throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Melendez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tao misses with a leg kick.
Melendez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tao chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Melendez throws a sloppy head kick and Tao moves out of range easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tao thuds his shin into the meat of Melendez's side.
Tao throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tao connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Both fighters circling a little - Tao finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tao swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tao ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Melendez moves away.
Tao blocks a head kick by Melendez.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tao scoring well with a low kick there.
Melendez looks to score with a jab to the body but Tao is just out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Yang Tao will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Xavier Melendez's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Tao getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A telegraphed right hand from Melendez misses the target.
Tao throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Melendez.
Melendez will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Tao clobbers Melendez with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Melendez tries a head kick but it misses.
Melendez gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Tao counters with a right hand to the body.
A bone on bone clash there as Melendez blocks the leg kick.
Melendez throws a solid leg kick but Tao takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Melendez.
Tao throws a wild body kick that Melendez sees coming a mile off.
Tao throws a sloppy head kick
and Melendez counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Melendez scores with a nice body kick.
Melendez misses with an attempted mid kick.
Tao takes a swing at Melendez's ribcage but misses.
Tao catches Melendez with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Tao.
Tao goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Tao blocks a head kick by Melendez.
Melendez throws a leg kick but Tao sees it coming and moves out of range.
Nice uppercut there from Melendez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Tao connects with a leg kick. Melendez looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Tao circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tao tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Melendez misses with a leg kick
and Tao counters with a lovely straight right hand!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Melendez has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Tao.
Melendez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Melendez slips under a jab.
Melendez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tao defends it nicely.
Yang Tao is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Melendez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Tao napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tao wants to control but Melendez postures up.
Melendez working the strikes but Tao uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Tao keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Melendez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Melendez is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Melendez preventing the sweep.
Xavier Melendez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tao working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Melendez.
Tao is controlling Melendez's posture.
Tao is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Melendez throws a strike but Tao rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Melendez looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Tao has picked Melendez up and slammed him! Melendez can't keep hold of the triangle and Tao manages to pass to side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
Yang Tao comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tao 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yang Tao!
During a confident post fight interview, Yang Tao thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.