PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Blair Melton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Joe King enters the cage!

Melton
vs
King

156 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

185 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

Decent wrestler
Brawler
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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Blair Melton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe King!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Melton tries to sprawl but King drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Ground and pound from King.
Melton is looking for a sweep. King is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
King content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Melton missing with punches from the bottom.
Melton missing with punches from the bottom.

Melton is defending against the submission attempts here by King.
King uses his free foot to push down on Melton's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Melton.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Melton is trying to escape the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
King with good strikes from the mount here!
Melton is in all sorts of trouble here.
King wants to control the pace but Melton is squirming around nicely.

King is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Melton is surviving well by controlling King's body position as best he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melton is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
King avoids the attempt from Melton to control.
Melton is wriggling around trying to escape.
King controlling from mount.
King lands a heavy elbow.
King controlling the pace for now.
King punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
King is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
King tries to control but Melton wriggling away.
Melton keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
King looking to control and managing it successfully.
Melton taking shots to the head.
Melton bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
King has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
King looking to control.
King lands with a heel strike from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King looking for a sweep. Not yet King, not yet.
Melton throws a big elbow that misses.
King looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Melton landing some decent shots from guard.

King is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Melton is aware though and is defending well.
Melton is working King over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Melton drops back looking for a leg! King is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and King manages to kick Melton off! Melton jumps back into King's guard.
King is pulling down on Melton's head. It's preventing any offense from Melton, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melton loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Melton won't allow King to sweep him here.
Melton trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Melton really is a fat lump.
King trying to keep a closed guard but Melton is proving a slippery customer.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Melton loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if King can do anything to dispel that myth.
King lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe King dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Melton shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
King is trying to counter with his kicks.
King has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Melton moves out of range of the leg kick from King.
Melton went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Joe King seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

King shoots in and bounces Melton off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
King stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Melton swivels though and keeps the full guard.
King is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Melton throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melton trying to keep a closed guard but King is proving a slippery customer.
Melton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells King's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
King preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
King passes easily into side control. Nice work.

King tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no King has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
King working the body and head with strikes.
Melton tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The referee asks King politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. King prefers to stall for the moment though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melton tries to buck King off but King is having none of it.
King landing a few strikes.
King scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Melton to see if he's OK.
Melton can't do much from the bottom here.

King tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Melton is working to avoid the ground and pound but King connects with a decent elbow.
Melton tries to improve position but can't.
Melton is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked King off and has taken his back!
King rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

King actively working from the bottom here.
King is breathing heavily.
King makes his way to full guard. A much better position for King.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King wants to sweep here but Melton controlling him for the moment.
Melton working some strikes from top position.
King is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Melton might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Melton wants to get back to full guard.
King wants to take a breather but Melton is having none of it.
Melton gets full guard.
King preventing the sweep.
King's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Melton is looking for a triangle but King pushes his legs off easily.
King controls from within his opponent's guard.
Joe King has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King looking to pass the guard.
King is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
King is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
King tries to free his leg and advance position but Melton is retaining full guard.
King sitting in guard, not really doing much.
King wants to control from the top but Melton keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
King won't allow Melton to sweep him here.
Melton is trying to control the position but King postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe King showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Melton tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but King swivels and escapes.
Melton fails with the takedown.
Blair Melton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

King shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than King was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
King cracks Melton with a big elbow.
King scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Melton to see if he's OK.
Melton wants to control but King postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melton is not content to let King control the position.
King lands a few punches from side control.
Melton is trying to escape the position but King is controlling the position.

King is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Melton is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melton prevents King from improving position.
King takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Melton tries to improve position but can't.

King thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Melton is trying to get back to half guard.
King lands a decent elbow from side control.
Melton struggling a bit here.
King is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Melton manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Melton is working for a submission of some sort.
King trying to hold on to Melton's head to control him but Melton postures up.
King wants to get back to full guard but Melton has passed into side control.
King tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melton thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
King tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Melton easily slips into full mount!
Melton is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. King can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
King regains half guard.
King is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King wants to get back to full guard.

Melton is trying to work for a kimura but King is defending well.
King is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Melton's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Melton's back!

King patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Melton looking very determined here, making life difficult for King.
King is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
King has the hooks in. Melton is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

King is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Melton is defending well though. King let's go of the attempt for now.
Blair Melton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joe King is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
King doesn't have the hooks in and Melton manages to turn into his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe King comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well King 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe King!