PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vaughn Melton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brett Utley (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.

Melton
vs
Utley

157 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vaughn Melton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Brett Utley!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Alan Glass and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Utley tries to clinch but Melton moves out of range.
Utley tries to clinch there but Melton circles away.
Utley tries to clinch there but Melton circles away.
Utley looks for the body kick but Melton saw that one coming.
Utley tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Melton swivels and escapes.
Utley closes the distance looking to clinch
and Melton counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Utley tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Melton counters with a head kick. That will keep Utley thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melton shoots in for a takedown but Utley shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Utley moves to clinch but Melton breaks away
and Melton counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Utley thinking.

Utley closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melton is not content to let Utley control the position.

Utley is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Melton is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Melton is trying to get back to half guard.
Melton is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Utley working away.
Utley trying to control the position but Melton is working away.
Melton wants to control but Utley postures up.
Melton prevents Utley from improving position.
Utley working away.
Melton might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
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!
Utley is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Melton looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melton not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Melton really is a fat lump.
Utley wants to control but Melton is keeping busy.
Utley is trying to stand back up but Melton is controlling him
Utley has a hand on Melton's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Melton takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Utley regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melton misses with a head shot. Utley uses the momentum to regain guard.
Melton landing with the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Melton trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Utley avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melton working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Utley is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Utley is trying to control the action in half guard but Melton is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Brett Utley will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Melton on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Melton throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Utley was covering up waiting for the punch and Melton finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Utley controlling Melton's posture.
Utley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Melton's guard.
Melton has control of Utley's left arm, preventing Utley from doing any damage.
Utley looking to sit in guard and control but Melton gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Melton won't allow Utley to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Utley looking for a guillotine here but Melton defends easily.

Utley looking for subs off his back but Melton has passed one foot through into half guard.
Melton winds up and cracks Utley with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melton 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.
Utley regains full guard. Nicely done.
Utley wants to stand but Melton is controlling the position.
Melton chips away with some ground and pound.

Utley has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Melton off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Utley lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Utley throws the kick towards the body but Melton avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Utley is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Utley tries to clinch but Melton is having none of it.
Nice takedown defense from Melton. No joy for Utley on that attempt.
Melton circles away from the clinch attempt.
Utley is looking to clinch but Melton is avoiding it.
Utley wants to clinch but Melton slips to the side
and Melton counters with a left and a right that stings Utley.

Utley has taken the fight to the clinch.
Utley jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Melton walks away with a smile on his face. Utley gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Utley fails with an attempt to clinch.
Melton takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Utley displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Melton.

Melton darts in and clinches Utley up against the cage.
Utley changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Melton fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Vaughn Melton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brett Utley.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Utley darts in looking for a takedown but Melton gets double underhooks and turns Utley into the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brett Utley 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!

Melton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Utley misses with a low kick.
Utley stalks Melton and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Melton's face. Melton staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Vaughn Melton has been cut.
Brett Utley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Utley doesn't manage to clinch there - Melton circles away.
Utley tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Melton paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Utley tries to clinch
and Melton counters with a good, hard body kick but Utley shrugs it off.
Melton stuffs the takedown attempt from Utley. Utley gets slowly back to his feet.
Utley tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Melton paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Utley tries to clinch up
and Melton counters with a body kick that stops Utley in his tracks momentarily.
Utley fails in his attempt to clinch.
Utley tries to clinch there but Melton circles away.

Utley gets the takedown into side control.
Utley is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Melton throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Utley throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Melton works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Utley prevents Melton from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Utley with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Melton preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Melton trying to hold on to Utley's head to control him but Utley postures up.
Brett Utley has got the better of the ground game so far.
Utley trying to pass the guard but Melton defending well.
Utley seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Melton does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Brett Utley was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Utley swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Melton finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Vaughn Melton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Utley misses with a body shot
and Melton counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Utley throws a nice looking combination but Melton bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Utley fails with an attempt to clinch.
Utley looks to clinch
and Melton counters with a two punch combo.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Melton.
Melton grinds an elbow into Utley's temple.
Utley is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Utley struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Utley tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Melton looks up at the clock and then as Utley takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Melton smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Melton creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Utley is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Utley is looking to reverse the position.
Vaughn Melton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brett Utley is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Utley can't do much from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brett Utley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Utley has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brett Utley!