PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nonito Melo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esko Tikkanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melo comes into the arena with fleetwood mac - the chain blaring out of the sound system. Tikkanen has chosen Nyrkillä naamaan - Ei kannattais ees yrittää! as his entrance music. Esko Tikkanen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Melo
vs
Tikkanen

190 cm
24
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

182 cm
19
184 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nonito Melo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Esko Tikkanen!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melo misses with a head kick.
Tikkanen throws a hook to the side of Melo's head but Melo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Melo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Tikkanen counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Melo throws a head kick that misses.
Tikkanen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Melo tries for a takedown but Tikkanen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tikkanen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Tikkanen tries to clinch there but Melo circles away.
Tikkanen throws a series of punches but Melo moves out of range.
Melo goes for a double leg but Tikkanen avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Tikkanen continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nonito Melo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tikkanen throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Melo blocks it with crossed arms.
Melo tries to break the clinch but Tikkanen is controlling the position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Melo wants to break free but Tikkanen has control.

Melo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo takes a swing at Tikkanen's ribcage but misses.
Tikkanen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Tikkanen jabs at Melo's body.
Esko Tikkanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tikkanen thows a body shot but no joy.

Melo 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.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Tikkanen is trying to control the position but Melo postures up.
Tikkanen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Melo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Melo throws a big elbow that misses.
Tikkanen wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Melo controlling from the top position.
Melo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tikkanen is keeping the position for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Melo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Melo avoids the head kick by Tikkanen.
Tikkanen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Melo.
Melo misses with a double jab
and Tikkanen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Esko Tikkanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tikkanen defends it nicely.
Tikkanen darts in trying to clinch
and Melo counters with a head kick. That will keep Tikkanen thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Tikkanen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Melo moves away.
Melo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tikkanen's waist but Tikkanen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Melo off to one side.
Tikkanen lands with a shot to the body.

Melo closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Tikkanen to the mat! Tikkanen manages to get full guard.
Melo trying to control the position from guard on top but Tikkanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tikkanen is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melo sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Nonito Melo has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Melo dives in and scores a takedown into Tikkanen's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Melo passes Tikkanen's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Melo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tikkanen's head.
Melo with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nonito Melo dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tikkanen misses the shot to the body.
Tikkanen lands a two punch combo.
Tikkanen thuds a left hand into Melo's body.

Tikkanen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Melo, pushing him back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Melo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Tikkanen wants to stall.
Tikkanen is persisting with his attempts to control the action in the clinch, rather than do any real damage.
Melo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tikkanen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tikkanen is trying to maintain a safe position but Melo gets an underhook and turns Tikkanen into the cage.
Tikkanen connects with a knee to the head.
Melo tries to break the clinch but Tikkanen is controlling the position.
Tikkanen keeps control of Melo as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Tikkanen stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Tikkanen trying to land knees to the body.

Melo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Melo throws a push kick but Tikkanen slaps the foot to one side.
Tikkanen digs a good body shot into Melo's ribs.
Tikkanen lands a head kick. Melo smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Melo is rocked!
Tikkanen works Melo's body with a nice hook.
Tikkanen jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melo moves away from the strike by Tikkanen.
Melo walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Oh Melo is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
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!
Tikkanen drops Melo with a naaaaasty hook - Melo is in real trouble here! Tikkanen dives in to side control and pounds out his opponent for a TKO victory! The crowd goes nuts!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:19 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Esko Tikkanen!
Post fight, Esko Tikkanen took to the microphone: 'Thanks to Honour Fight Championship for giving me to chance to compete and now... Yes I Won One!!'.