PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Tyron Melendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Louka Gagnon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Louka Gagnon will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Melendez
vs
Gagnon

155 cm
18
161 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tyron Melendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Louka Gagnon!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Gregory Folan and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gagnon moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Tyron Melendez has been cut.

Melendez closes the distance and clinches.
Melendez could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Melendez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Gagnon lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Melendez manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Gagnon keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Melendez is trying to push Gagnon away but Gagnon has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Gagnon turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gagnon tries to score with some ground and pound. Melendez controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Gagnon stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Gagnon looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Melendez punching from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gagnon is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Melendez defends it well.
Melendez is positioning himself well to prevent Gagnon advancing to mount.
Gagnon seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Melendez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Melendez manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Gagnon keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Melendez is pushing Gagnon up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Gagnon jumps guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gagnon looking to control but Melendez passes into half guard.
Gagnon pushes Melendez off looking to stand but Melendez dives back in and keeps control.
Gagnon throws a strike from the bottom but Melendez passes into side control!
Gagnon is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Melendez's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Melendez really is built like a bowling ball. I wonder if he'd roll if you pushed him down a hill...
Gagnon is trying to maintain the position but Melendez is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Melendez decides to stand and escape the position.

Melendez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Gagnon tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Gagnon drags the fight down to the ground.
Gagnon looks winded!
Gagnon looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Melendez puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Gagnon is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Melendez scores with a couple of nice shots.
Gagnon tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Melendez manages to move to mount!

Melendez is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Gagnon to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Gagnon shrugs it off.
Gagnon wants to hold on but Melendez pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Louka Gagnon will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Tyron Melendez's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Melendez dives in for a single leg takedown but Gagnon sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Gagnon feints the counter takedown.

Gagnon closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Melendez's guard.
Gagnon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Melendez is keeping the position for now.
Gagnon stays in close to Melendez's body and controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melendez wants to get back to his feet but Gagnon is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melendez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gagnon scoring with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gagnon trying to stand up but can't free himself from Melendez's guard.
Gagnon stops Melendez from standing up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Louka Gagnon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gagnon drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gagnon is breathing heavily.
Gagnon trying to control the position from guard on top but Melendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gagnon tries to stand but Melendez is controlling from the bottom.

Melendez is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Melendez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gagnon is trying to break free.
Gagnon stalling against the cage.

Gagnon pulls guard successfully.

Gagnon working for submissions but it's allowed Melendez to get to half guard.
Gagnon wants to stand back up but Melendez manages to pass into side control.
The ground and pound from Melendez seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez lands some shots froms side control.
Gagnon can't do much from the bottom here.

Melendez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gagnon has escaped the position, nice work there.
Gagnon looks to move to half guard but instead Melendez has passed into mount! Damn!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Melendez working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
BOOM! Melendez connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Gagnon is looking to improve his position but Melendez isn't that keen on the idea.
The referee warns Gagnon that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gagnon tries to hold on but Melendez pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tyron Melendez will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Tyron Melendez's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Melendez checks a leg kick.

Melendez pushes Gagnon up against the cage in a clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Melendez.

Gagnon pulls Melendez into guard.
Melendez preventing the sweep.

Gagnon looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Melendez passes into half guard.
Gagnon is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melendez stops Gagnon from getting back to his feet.
Gagnon takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gagnon is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Melendez pulls his head out easily.

Melendez wants to work for an arm triangle but Gagnon is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Melendez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Melendez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gagnon trying to control but Melendez postures up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Melendez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Gagnon defends it nicely.

Gagnon bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Melendez pushes Gagnon away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Gagnon gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Melendez can't do much from the bottom here.
Melendez is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gagnon remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Melendez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Gagnon is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Melendez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Melendez is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Melendez bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Melendez forces Gagnon back against the cage and clinches.

Gagnon has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Melendez uses from the top position.

Melendez decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Melendez clinches up against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Melendez is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gagnon to keep the fight standing.
Melendez wants to take the fight to the mat but Gagnon manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tyron Melendez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gagnon tries to stall but Melendez uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Louka Gagnon.
I think Gagnon has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Louka Gagnon!
During a confident post fight interview, Louka Gagnon thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.