PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Mello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roman Szczeniak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mello kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Not Afraid. Rafael Mello has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Mello
vs
Szczeniak

185 cm
18
186 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

181 cm
25
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Self confident

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Mello!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Roman Szczeniak!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Seu Braga and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Szczeniak keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Szczeniak fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mello sprawls well initially but Szczeniak persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Szczeniak is working for a kimura but Mello is defending it quite comfortably.
Mello avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Szczeniak.
Szczeniak sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mello defending well though.
Szczeniak thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mello's head.
Szczeniak is keen to just control but Mello is a slippery customer.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Szczeniak sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mello defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szczeniak lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Szczeniak with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Szczeniak misses with a head shot. Mello uses the momentum to regain guard.
Szczeniak postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Szczeniak throws an elbow that misses. Mello uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Szczeniak's guard. Nice move by Mello!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szczeniak keeping moving, preventing Mello from controlling successfully.
Mello won't allow Szczeniak to get back to his feet.
Szczeniak wants to improve his position but instead Mello has moved into half guard.
Szczeniak is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Szczeniak shoots in and bounces Mello off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szczeniak throwing strikes from guard but Mello blocks nicely.
Mello utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Szczeniak throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Szczeniak with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Szczeniak trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Szczeniak cracks Mello with a solid left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Szczeniak dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Szczeniak darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Szczeniak lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Szczeniak lands with a punch from half guard.

Szczeniak wants to work for an arm triangle but Mello is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Szczeniak is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Mello has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szczeniak with the ground and pound but Mello uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Szczeniak landing some decent shots from guard.
Szczeniak with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Szczeniak working some strikes from top position.
Szczeniak postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Szczeniak with a nice head shot there.

Mello is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Szczeniak postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Oh Mello is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Roman Szczeniak has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szczeniak scoring with punches to the head and body.
Szczeniak connects with a couple of short punches.
Szczeniak stands up over Mello, holding on to his feet. Szczeniak throws the legs to one side and dives in with a huge shot that lands flush on the chin! Mello is out cold! Szczeniak lands a couple more shots and the ref tackles him out of the way! What a brutal finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:28 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Roman Szczeniak!