PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lucio Melton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mak Karatzas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mak Karatzas is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Melton
vs
Karatzas

197 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
189 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Lucio Melton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Mak Karatzas!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Chris Edwards and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karatzas shoots in and drives through. Melton sprawls well.

Melton shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Karatzas has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Melton is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Melton throws a knee to the head but misses.

Melton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Karatzas rushes Melton and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Melton gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Karatzas.

Melton escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Melton leaves Karatzas with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lucio Melton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mak Karatzas.

Melton drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Melton is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Karatzas knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Melton wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Karatzas, who protects the arm well.
Melton sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Karatzas is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Melton decides to stand back up.
Melton displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Karatzas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Karatzas rushes Melton and presses him up against the cage.
Karatzas is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Karatzas dodges an elbow strike from Melton.

Melton's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Melton avoids the body shot from Karatzas.
Melton throws a counter high kick but Karatzas was just alert enough to avoid it.

Melton has closed the distance and engaged Karatzas in a clinch.
Karatzas is looking to take this one to the mat.

Melton manages to break the clinch.

Karatzas closes the distance and clinches.
Melton working aggressively here.

Melton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melton shoots in and gets a takedown into Karatzas's guard.
Melton postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Melton lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Melton missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Melton trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Karatzas working a defensive guard here.
Melton makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Karatzas is working an open guard so Melton takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Karatzas gets tackled into the cage by Melton. Melton maintains the clinch.

Melton jumps guard and drags Karatzas to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karatzas is fighting to break Melton's control of his arms but Melton is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Melton pushes Karatzas off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Melton shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Melton showed some decent athleticism there.

Karatzas has one foot on Melton's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Karatzas looks winded!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Melton decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Karatzas manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Melton keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucio Melton dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Melton gets a takedown into half guard.
Melton 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.
Melton is thwarting Karatzas's attempts to control the position.
Melton throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Melton lands with a punch from half guard.
Karatzas trying to hold on to Melton's head to control him but Melton postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melton lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Karatzas wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melton winds up and cracks Karatzas with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Melton working the head and body with strikes.
Melton throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Melton takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Melton is nestled in close to Karatzas, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Melton working the head and body with strikes.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Melton connects with a nice short shot to Karatzas's temple.
Karatzas is breathing heavily.

Melton is looking for a kimura but Karatzas is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Melton to get the leverage.
Karatzas trying to control but Melton postures up.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Melton lands a nice short elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karatzas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Melton.
Karatzas is trying to maintain the position but Melton is very close to passing his half guard.
Melton looks to land a strike but Karatzas avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Karatzas wants to control but Melton passes easily into half guard.

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

Melton clinches.
Karatzas is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Melton is defending well.

Melton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Melton has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karatzas is trying to pull guard but Melton turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Melton misses with some punches.
Melton is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Karatzas can do to turn this around?

Melton successfully pulls guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karatzas wants to control from the top but Melton keeps moving.

Melton looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Melton is trying to keep Karatzas in close.
Karatzas is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Melton is trying to control the position but Karatzas postures up.
Melton keeping moving, preventing Karatzas from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Karatzas gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Melton misses with a body punch.

Melton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucio Melton dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Karatzas shoots in but Melton avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Melton closes the distance and clinches.

Melton breaks from the clinch.
Karatzas fails with a takedown attempt.
Melton thinks about countering with a head kick.
Melton lands with a slapping head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karatzas goes for a double leg but Melton avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Melton continues to drive forward.
Lucio Melton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mak Karatzas.
Karatzas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Melton dives in and scores a takedown into Karatzas's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melton working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Melton decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Karatzas, up you get!
Melton defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Karatzas.

Melton has closed the distance and engaged Karatzas in a clinch.

Melton successfully pulls guard.
Melton is adopting a defensive guard.
Karatzas wants to control from the top but Melton keeps moving.
We've been informed that Karatzas has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Karatzas trying to stand up but can't free himself from Melton's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Melton is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Melton swings wildly with an uppercut but Karatzas uses good head movement to avoid it.

Melton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Karatzas gets caught flat footed, as Melton shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Karatzas is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Melton presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Melton pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Melton takes the fight into the clinch.
Lucio Melton has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melton manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Melton pulls Karatzas in to control the position.
Melton looking for a sweep. Not yet Melton, not yet.
Karatzas looking to pass the guard.
Melton wants to stand up but Karatzas is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Karatzas wants to control from the top but Melton keeps moving.
Karatzas looking to sit in guard and control but Melton gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Melton bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Melton misses with the ground and pound.
Karatzas dodges the ground and pound from Melton.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Melton working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Melton misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lucio Melton showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Melton has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lucio Melton!