PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kurtis Turner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tiago Melo (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.

Turner
vs
Melo

219 cm
18
346 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kurtis Turner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tiago Melo!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Ryoma Takatsuka and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Turner as Melo shoots in.
Melo shoots in but no luck this time.
Melo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Turner circles away.
Kurtis Turner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiago Melo.

Turner closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Melo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Turner lands a left and a right that send Melo crashing to the mat, dazed. Turner thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Some wild striking there from Turner.
Nice sprawl there from Turner as Melo shoots in.
Turner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Turner dives in for a single leg takedown but Melo sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Turner.

Melo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Melo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Turner gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Turner tries to avoid it but Melo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Turner to the ground. Turner escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Turner has a takedown stuffed.
Turner shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Melo sprawls well. Melo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Turner gets slowly back to his feet.
Melo tries to land a front kick but Turner steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Melo is trying desperately to land a takedown but Turner is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Melo.
Turner shoots in for a double leg but Melo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Melo jumps guard but Turner stands there with Melo around his waist. Melo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melo tries to circle away but Turner has him pinned against the cage.
Melo will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Turner up against the cage.
Melo is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Turner to keep the fight standing.
Melo jumps guard but Turner turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Melo is looking to take this one to the mat.
Melo looks winded!
Turner is struggling to control the position.
Melo landing knees to the head.

Turner manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turner wants to clinch up but Melo keeps it at a distance.
Turner stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Turner wants it to stay on the feet.
Turner is trying hard to land a takedown here. Melo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Melo fails with a takedown attempt.
Melo throws a head kick that misses.
Turner shoots in for a takedown but Melo shows good takedown defense.

Turner clinches up against the cage.
Turner gets underhooks to prevent Melo's takedown attempt.

Turner pulls guard successfully.
Melo would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melo stops Turner from standing up.
Melo looking to sit in guard and control but Turner gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Melo looking to control.

Melo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Turner doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Turner manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Turner with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurtis Turner dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Turner has Melo up against the cage in a clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Turner.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Turner pulls guard.
Melo wants to pass the guard but Turner is keeping the position.
Melo wants to control from the top but Turner keeps moving.
Melo is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Melo is looking to stand up but Turner won't let him.
Turner has his hands on Melo's head, controlling the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Kurtis Turner has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Melo has a takedown stuffed.
Turner keeps the fight on the outside.
Turner shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Melo as he avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turner swats away the attempt to clinch by Melo.
Melo closes the distance and clinches up with Turner, looking for a takedown. Melo pushes Turner against the cage but Turner circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Melo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Turner but Turner pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kurtis Turner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiago Melo.
Turner shoots in for a takedown but Melo shows good takedown defense.
Turner changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Melo tries to avoid it but Turner manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Melo to the ground. Melo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Melo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Turner tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Melo counters with a good, hard body kick but Turner shrugs it off.
Melo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Melo clinches with his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turner lands a nice knee to the body.
Melo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A frustrated look appears on Turner's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Turner is pushing Melo up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Melo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Melo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Turner napping and manages to drive through into side control!
A control attempt from Turner but he's now mounted!
Turner wants to control but Melo is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Turner is working to get back to half guard.
Melo trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melo throws some wild stikes that Turner manages to avoid easily.

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

A close second round but Tiago Melo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Melo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Turner sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Melo somewhat.
No joy there for Melo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kurtis Turner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Turner instigates a clinch.
Turner looking for a takedown.
Melo tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Turner smiles and moves away.
Melo shoots in for a takedown but Turner shows good takedown defense.
Kurtis Turner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiago Melo.
Melo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Turner connects with an inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo blocks a leg kick.
Turner fails with a takedown attempt.
Turner tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Melo defends well and Turner ends up having to push Melo into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Melo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Turner stalling in the clinch but Melo improves position.
Melo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Turner walks away with a smile on his face. Melo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Melo darts in and clinches Turner up against the cage.
Melo goes for a takedown attempt but Turner pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Melo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Turner tries to avoid it but Melo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Turner to the ground. Turner escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Turner misses the jab.
Melo shoots in for a takedown but Turner shows good takedown defense.
Turner throws a nice looking combination but Melo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nice takedown defense from Melo. No joy for Turner on that attempt.
Turner throws out a leg kick but Melo moves out of range and Turner only half commits.
Melo has a takedown stuffed.
Melo shoots in and drives through. Turner sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Turner takes the fight into the clinch.
Turner just leaning against Melo, taking a breather.
Melo creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Melo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Turner gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Turner jumps guard.

Turner is looking for a triangle but Melo pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Turner trying to control the position.
Melo slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Turner avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Turner working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Melo.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melo wanted to stand there but Turner had control of the position.
Turner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Melo is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurtis Turner showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Turner has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurtis Turner!