PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Neil Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jokke Mela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Re-Education (Through Labor). 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!

Smith
vs
Mela

165 cm
23
140 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

170 cm
19
141 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Nemesis Cage Clothing
Nemesis Cage Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Neil Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jokke Mela!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Sam Margolis and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mela looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Smith!
Smith wants to hold on but Mela pushes him away.

Mela has hold of Smith's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Smith manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Mela lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Mela with shots to the head and body - Smith looks very uncomfortable down there.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Smith holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Mela tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

Mela looking to secure an arm triangle but Smith defends it well.
Mela cracks Smith with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Smith is in a horrible position here. Mela smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Mela throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Mela punching from mount but Smith doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mela has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Smith's face.

Mela working for a submission but Smith is keeping him at bay.

Mela moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Smith has worked his arm free - good work by Smith!
Smith keeps Mela under control for a moment.
The strikes coming from Mela are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Smith sneaks back into half guard.
Smith keeping control of the position.
Mela looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mela is working for a kimura but Smith is defending it quite comfortably.
Smith trying to control but Mela postures up.
Mela wants to stand up but Smith has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Smith tries to kick Mela off but Mela keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Smith is not content to let Mela control the position.
Smith keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Smith looks to land a combination but Mela avoids it well.
Smith is looking to clinch but Mela is avoiding it.
A shot to de liver by Smith. Beautiful body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Smith. No joy for Mela on that attempt.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mela.

Mela feints and as Smith raises his hands in defense, Mela changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mela looks gassed!
Mela trying to move into half guard but instead Smith has managed to sweep!

Smith gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Mela takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Smith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Mela feints and as Smith raises his hands in defense, Mela changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
Mela pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smith is keeping the position for now.
Mela working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Smith is trying to keep Mela in close.
Mela tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mela drops back looking for a leg! Smith is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Smith manages to kick Mela off! Mela jumps back into Smith's guard.
Mela stopping the sweep attempt from Smith.
Mela pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smith is keeping the position for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Mela closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Mela is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Smith is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Mela lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Mela with the ground and pound but Smith regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Mela throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Smith won't allow Mela to pass to mount.
Mela working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Mela is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Mela is looking to stall here but Smith recovers full guard.
Smith not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mela is working Smith over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mela works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Smith trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Mela missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mela is looking to advance position but Smith won't allow it.
Mela is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Mela lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Mela passes to side control.
Mela cracks Smith with a big elbow.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Smith's face as Mela controls the position.
Mela scoring with punches and elbows.
Mela is working Smith over with some ground and pound from side control.
Smith is working to avoid the ground and pound but Mela connects with a decent elbow.
Smith pushes Mela away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Mela gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Mela scores with punches from side control.
Mela lands some shots froms side control.
Mela working the head with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Smith's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Mela is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Smith knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Mela scoring with punches and elbows.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to control but Mela postures up.
Mela lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Smith wants to control but Mela postures up.

Mela is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Smith knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Mela wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.

Mela tries for a kimura but Smith is defending well.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Mela thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Smith parries the strikes from Mela easily there. Mela is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Smith to escape.
Mela cracks Smith with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Mela misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Mela lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Smith down.
Mela is looking to take a break and control but Smith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smith can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jokke Mela dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Smith blocks the body kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mela.

Smith gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mela trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mela is looking to work some ground and pound but Smith has wrist control.
Mela stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Jokke Mela has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mela working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Mela with a flurry of punches that miss.
Smith pulls Mela in close to his closed guard and prevents Mela from doing any damage or advancing position.
Mela cracks Smith with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Mela feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mela throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smith wants to get back to his feet but Mela is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mela accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mela tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mela accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mela.
Mela trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Mela from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Smith fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mela, pushing him back against the ropes.
Mela drops down looking for an ankle pick but Smith pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith avoids the body shot from Mela.
Smith misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Smith gets caught flat footed, as Mela shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Mela postures up.
Mela scoring with punches to the head and body.
Smith is trying to control the position but Mela postures up.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Mela from controlling successfully.

Mela is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Smith is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Smith has escaped and now he's on top!
Mela wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Mela tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Mela keeping busy on the bottom but Smith has passed one foot through into half guard.
Mela has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Smith is working away from the top position though.
Mela is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mela wants to control but Smith is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Mela flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mela is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Smith missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Nice takedown defense from Mela. No joy for Smith on that attempt.
Smith has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Mela finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Mela scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Smith is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mela scores with a couple of nice shots.

Mela is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Smith blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mela.
Mela trying to advance position but Smith counters by regaining guard.
Mela forces his way into half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Smith has hold of Mela's hands but Mela slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Mela is looking for a kimura but Smith is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mela to get the leverage.

Smith is defending against the submission attempts here by Mela.
Mela frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Smith tries to hold on but Mela pushes him away.
Mela lands with some strikes.
Smith takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Mela controlling his opponent.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Smith is desperately trying to improve his position but Mela has a good base and remains in mount.

Mela looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Smith wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Mela.
Smith tries to lock up and control but Mela gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mela is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Mela landing strikes from the mount.
Mela landing strikes from the mount and Smith is in trouble!
A nice elbow there by Mela.
Smith tries to hold on but Mela postures up.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Mela connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Smith bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Smith wants to control from the top but Mela keeps moving.
Mela thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Smith preventing the sweep.
Smith wants to stand but Mela has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mela throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Mela throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Mela working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Smith has passed into half guard!
Mela flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mela is looking for a sweep. Smith is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Mela is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mela moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Smith slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Mela is not content to let Smith control the position.
Neil Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mela regains half guard.
Mela gets back to full guard.

Mela escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Smith gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Jokke Mela is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mela controlling Smith's posture.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jokke Mela comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mela has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge James Atkins scores the fight for Jokke Mela!
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight for Jokke Mela!
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Jokke Mela!

Jokke Mela wins by unanimous decision!