PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Barney Noble (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Melnyk (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.

Noble
vs
Melnyk

210 cm
18
278 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

199 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Barney Noble!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ivan Melnyk!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Matheus Silva and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Noble closes the distance and clinches up with Melnyk, looking for a takedown. Noble pushes Melnyk against the cage but Melnyk circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Melnyk throws a head kick but Noble moves out of range.
Melnyk tries to clinch up.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Noble enables Melnyk to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Noble manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Noble keeping moving, preventing Melnyk from controlling successfully.
Melnyk sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Melnyk must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Noble is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Melnyk is aware though and is defending well.
Melnyk controls from within his opponent's guard.
Noble looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ivan Melnyk was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Melnyk misses with a jab, cross combination.

Melnyk shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Melnyk was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Melnyk prevents Noble from escaping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melnyk wants to control but Noble is keeping him busy.
Melnyk tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Noble is looking to reverse the position.
Melnyk staying calm.

Melnyk decides to stand back up. Melnyk steps back and let's Noble get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melnyk tries to close the distance and clinch but Noble swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Melnyk tries to clinch

and Noble counters by moving into the clinch.

Noble ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Noble no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Noble manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Melnyk is wriggling around trying to escape.
Noble breaks from Melnyk's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melnyk tries to improve his position but instead Noble has taken his back!

Noble is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Melnyk defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Melnyk defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Noble's arms.
Melnyk tries to escape the position.
Melnyk trying to control the hands but Noble won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Noble is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Melnyk defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Melnyk looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Melnyk fending off the submission attempt from Noble.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ivan Melnyk will probably get the nod.
That's time! Noble's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Noble is looking to clinch.
Barney Noble is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Noble moves out of range of the body kick from Melnyk.

Melnyk looking to score a takedown here. Noble is defending well but Melnyk drives through and ends up in Noble's guard.
Melnyk postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Melnyk throws a strike but Noble rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Noble wanted to stand there but Melnyk had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Noble wants to stand and escape but instead Melnyk has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Melnyk trying to control but Noble is working from the bottom.
Noble keeping full guard, as Melnyk tries to pass.

Noble uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Melnyk slaps away a takedown attempt from Noble, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noble showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Melnyk.

Melnyk closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Noble quickly recovers to half guard.
Melnyk is trying to control the action in half guard but Noble is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Noble wants to get back to full guard.
Noble is pressing down on Melnyk's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Melnyk trying to control the position from guard on top but Noble is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Noble is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Melnyk is aware though and is defending well.
Ivan Melnyk has got the better of the ground game so far.
Noble has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Melnyk has passed into side control.
Noble tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Melnyk. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Noble avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Melnyk.
Melnyk is looking to take a break and control but Noble is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Noble throws Melnyk to one side and escapes!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melnyk misses with a kick to the body.
Melnyk tries to clinch but Noble moves away

and Noble holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Melnyk has hold of one of Noble's legs. Noble is fighting the takedown attempt but Melnyk gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Noble looking to hit a scissor sweep but Melnyk is one step ahead there.
Noble preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Noble keeping moving, preventing Melnyk from controlling successfully.
Melnyk forces his way into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Melnyk showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Melnyk shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Noble blocking the ground and pound attempt from Melnyk.

Melnyk stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Noble to get to his feet.
Melnyk dodges the punch combination from Noble.

Melnyk scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Noble is staying active underneath Melnyk, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noble is trying to stand.
Melnyk is looking to advance position but Noble won't allow it.
Melnyk controlling the action here.
Noble is looking to improve his position.
Noble moves into full guard.
Melnyk won't allow Noble to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noble working a defensive guard here.
Melnyk postures up in Noble's guard and throws a big left but Noble blocks it.
Noble wants to sweep but no luck.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Noble is on top in guard.
Noble wants to get up but he can't break Melnyk's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Melnyk is pulling down on Noble's head. It's preventing any offense from Noble, at least for the moment.
Noble wants to stand but Melnyk has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melnyk is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Noble is controlling him.
Noble wants to get up but he can't break Melnyk's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A combination from Melnyk does no damage.

Melnyk shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Noble regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Noble wants to sweep here but Melnyk controlling him for the moment.
Melnyk is stalling in the full guard.
Noble keeping moving, preventing Melnyk from controlling successfully.
Noble wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melnyk trying to control but Noble is working from the bottom.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ivan Melnyk hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Melnyk defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Noble.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Melnyk comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Melnyk winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Melnyk!