PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Samba De Oliveira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Melendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melendez has chosen World Destruction as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

De Oliveira
vs
Melendez

179 cm
18
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Samba De Oliveira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Melendez!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Matheus Silva and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melendez shoots in but no luck this time.
De Oliveira checks a leg kick.

De Oliveira gets a double leg takedown into Melendez's guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Melendez is trying to control the position but De Oliveira postures up.
De Oliveira content to stall in guard here.
De Oliveira wants to pass the guard but Melendez is keeping the position.
Melendez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Mauricio Melendez hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Melendez shoots for a takedown but De Oliveira saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Melendez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

De Oliveira closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Melendez is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Melendez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Samba De Oliveira has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mauricio Melendez.

De Oliveira has Melendez pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. De Oliveira pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Melendez tumbling to the mat - De Oliveira dives into Melendez's guard.
De Oliveira tries to free his leg and advance position but Melendez is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

De Oliveira drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Melendez manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now De Oliveira has Melendez in his guard.
De Oliveira looking to control.
Melendez wants to control from the top but De Oliveira keeps moving.
Melendez wants to pass the guard but De Oliveira is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Oliveira has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
De Oliveira is looking to stand up but Melendez isn't so interested in that idea.
Melendez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

We're going to have a standup here because Samba De Oliveira wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
De Oliveira defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Melendez.

De Oliveira closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Melendez's guard.
De Oliveira trying to control the position from guard on top but Melendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Melendez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

De Oliveira drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Melendez dives on top into guard.
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!
De Oliveira looking for a sweep. Not yet De Oliveira, not yet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melendez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. De Oliveira swivels though and keeps the full guard.
De Oliveira keeping moving, preventing Melendez from controlling successfully.
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 Samba De Oliveira will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Melendez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Melendez closes the distance but De Oliveira moves to the side

and De Oliveira counters by moving into the clinch.

De Oliveira has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Melendez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Melendez is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melendez rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Oliveira thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Samba De Oliveira overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Melendez moves into full guard.
De Oliveira looking to sit in guard and control but Melendez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Melendez throws a big right hand that misses.
Melendez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez postures up.
Melendez passes De Oliveira's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
De Oliveira knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Melendez on the ground.

De Oliveira is defending against the submission attempts here by Melendez.
Melendez works his way into side control.
Melendez slows the pace down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Melendez wants to stand but De Oliveira is controlling his arm.
De Oliveira might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
De Oliveira is looking to reverse the position.
De Oliveira gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Melendez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as De Oliveira is looking to escape.
De Oliveira regains half guard.
De Oliveira is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melendez wants to stand up but De Oliveira has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Melendez works his foot free and advances to mount.
Melendez punching from mount but De Oliveira doing a good job of avoiding damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
De Oliveira is squirming around, avoiding Melendez's attempts to control the action.

Melendez is going oldschool here, as he tries to force De Oliveira to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so De Oliveira shrugs it off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Melendez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

De Oliveira avoids a kick to the body.

De Oliveira drives through with a takedown into guard.
De Oliveira wants to stand and escape but instead Melendez has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Melendez wants to control from the top but De Oliveira keeps moving.
De Oliveira controls Melendez momentarily but Melendez frees himself.
Melendez is pushing down on De Oliveira's leg trying to pass to half guard. De Oliveira is fighting to maintain full guard but Melendez has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Melendez has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can De Oliveira defend it? Melendez steps over the head and cranks it - De Oliveira is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Melendez!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:10 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Mauricio Melendez!
Mauricio Melendez decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.