PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Monte Melkonian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcelo Salas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melkonian comes to the cage accompanied by Artsakh Music. Salas has chosen 2 PAC Picture Me Rollin as his entrance music. Marcelo Salas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Melkonian
vs
Salas

180 cm
27
201 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

190 cm
25
145 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 1 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Monte Melkonian!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcelo Salas!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Wesley Smith and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good leg kick by Salas there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Melkonian tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Salas swivels and escapes.
Jab from Salas.
Salas wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Melkonian fails to land with a series of punches.
Melkonian tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Salas defends well and Melkonian ends up having to push Salas into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Salas is trying to break the clinch but Melkonian is controlling him.
Salas wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Melkonian breaks the clinch.

Melkonian manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Salas on his heels. He'll look to pass Salas's guard now, I'm sure.
Melkonian stays in close to Salas's body and controls the position.

Melkonian stands up and waves to Salas to follow him.
Salas's coach down at Hand 2 Hand Combat $50 !!! was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Salas's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melkonian misses with a wild combination.
Salas is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Melkonian drops his hands momentarily and Salas takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Nice body kick there by Salas.
Salas connects with a good right hand that stumbles Melkonian. Melkonian circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Melkonian checks a leg kick.
Salas throws a solid leg kick but Melkonian takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Salas.
Salas connects with a leg kick. Melkonian looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Melkonian.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Salas is trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melkonian postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Salas can do anything to dispel that myth.

Melkonian decides to stand up, so the ref orders Salas to his feet.
Some wild striking there from Salas.
Monte Melkonian seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salas connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Melkonian throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Salas was covering up waiting for the punch and Melkonian finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Melkonian pushes down on Salas's leg and manages to get into half guard.
We've been hearing good reports from Melkonian's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melkonian is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Monte Melkonian.
Salas ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Melkonian moves away.
Melkonian wants to clinch.
Melkonian misses with a head kick.
Salas moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Melkonian looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Salas scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Melkonian darts in looking for a takedown but Salas gets double underhooks and turns Melkonian into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Monte Melkonian. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salas wants to break free but Melkonian has control.

Melkonian breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Melkonian.
Melkonian takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Melkonian takes a jab right on the kisser.
Melkonian is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Salas throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Melkonian 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Salas connects with a good right hand that stumbles Melkonian. Melkonian circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
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!
Salas walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Melkonian checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Salas clobbers Melkonian with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Melkonian is rocked!
Salas throws a low kick but Melkonian moves out of range easily.
Oh Melkonian is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Melkonian looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Melkonian seems to have got his legs back now.
Melkonian has a takedown stuffed.
Salas bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Melkonian's head.
Melkonian misses with a looping right.
Salas jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Melkonian fails with a takedown attempt.
Salas is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Melkonian had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Melkonian looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Melkonian is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Salas keeps the fight on the outside.
Salas scores with a shot to the body.
Salas dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Salas jabs at Melkonian's body.
Marcelo Salas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Melkonian checks the leg kick.
Melkonian takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Salas throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A punch lands to the side of Melkonian 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
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!
Salas lands with a right that hurts Melkonian. Melkonian looks to clinch but Salas throws a short knee that drops Melkonian. This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 8:06 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punch and Knee). Marcelo Salas!
During a confident post fight interview, Marcelo Salas thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.