PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between How Long (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddie Melo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Long might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to The Anthem by Onra. Melo is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Max Webster- Toronto Tontos. Eddie Melo has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Long
vs
Melo

191 cm
40
182 lbs
35 - 14 - 0

182 cm
31
174 lbs
17 - 12 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

MayheM sportswear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, How Long!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 12 - 1, fighting out of London, Eddie Melo!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Yves DeLean and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Melo.
Long thuds a left hand into Melo's body.
Melo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Melo gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Long to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Long wants to pass the guard but Melo is keeping the position.
Long trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Long 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.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Long accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melo is looking to stand up but Long isn't so interested in that idea.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Long accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Long throws a big right hand that misses.
Long throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long tries to free his leg and advance position but Melo is retaining full guard.
Long loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Long scoring with some ground and pound.
Long advances position into side control!
Long working the ground and pound from side control.
Long is trying to move to mount but Melo reverses beautifully and ends up in Long's guard.

Long is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Melo defends well.
Melo wants to get up but he can't break Long's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Long looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Melo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Long's guard.

Melo stands and steps away. Long gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Long fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Melo is out of range.
Melo throws a jab when Long was well out of range.
Long misses with a looping left.
Long is looking to chop away at Melo's legs.
Eddie Melo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Long gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Melo.
Long scores with a hook.
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!
Melo chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Long can pounce on him.
A slow jab from Long misses its intended target.
Long connects with a solid leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melo lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Melo misses the jab.
Melo misses the jab.
Melo throws a looping overhand right but Long ducks down to avoid it.
Long takes a jab right on the kisser.
Melo pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A big right from Long misses.
A bone on bone clash there as Long blocks the leg kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Melo.
Long works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Melo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Melo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Long throws out a loose jab but Melo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Melo avoids the body shot from Long.
Melo lands a jab.
Long is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Melo.
It seemed like Melo was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Long looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Long connects with a looping right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A big right from Long misses.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Melo lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Long has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Long and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Long moves out of range as Melo strikes.
Long moves out of range of the body kick.
As Melo tries to get set, Long tries to push him back and clinch up but Melo manages to avoid the attempt.
Melo misses with a low kick.
Long misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Melo.
Long bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The fighters circling - Long throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Melo connects with an inside leg kick.
A head kick from Melo lands but Long takes it in his stride.
A jab from Melo does it's job there.
Melo attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Melo attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Long blocks a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eddie Melo will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Long lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Long avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Long lands a body shot.
Melo throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Long fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Melo has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Long. Melo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Long scores with a body shot.

Long closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Melo to the mat! Melo manages to get full guard.
Long is looking to work some ground and pound but Melo has wrist control.
Melo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Long looking to pass the guard.
Melo wants to get back to his feet but Long is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Melo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long advances to half guard.
Melo wants to get back to his feet.
Long with the ground and pound but Melo uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Long looking to pass the guard.
Long throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Melo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Long postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Long prevents Melo from getting back to his feet.
Long throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Long working some strikes from top position.
Long looking to pass the guard.
Long missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Long with a flurry of punches that miss.
Long with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Long missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Melo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Eddie Melo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Long scores with a jab to the jaw.
Long is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Melo can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Long clinches up with Melo and pushes him back against the cage.
Long throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Melos head.
Melo misses with a punch on the inside.
Melo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Melo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Long lands a body shot.
Melo working aggressively here.
A short right from Long.
Melo misses with the head strike.
Long takes a shot to the head.
Melo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Melo blocking some punches.
Melo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Melo lands a left hand.
Long lands a nice uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Long tries to work over Melo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Long misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Long lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Melo backwards.
Melo has a couple of punches blocked by Long.
Nice body punch from Long.
Melo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Long tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Melo misses with a punch on the inside.
Melo has a couple of punches blocked by Long.
Melo blocks an uppercut.
Long digs a right hand into Melo's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Melo's gas tank.
Long blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Long tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Melo can't find room to land a body shot as Long controls the action.
Long lands a body punch in the clinch.
Long holding his opponent close, against the cage.
A short right from Long.
Melo lands with a short shot to the head.
Melo working aggressively here.
Melo misses with a body punch.
Melo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

How Long dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Long lands with a cross.
Melo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Long manages to avoid it.
A cross from Melo lands.
Long gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Eddie Melo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Long misses with the body kick
and Melo counters with a nice low kick that buckles Long's knee momentarily.
Good shot there by Melo.
Long keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Melo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Melo throws a head kick that misses

and Long counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Long.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Long working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Melo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Long.
Melo wants to stand up but Long is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Long looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Long trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Long trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Long postures up in Melo's guard and throws a big left but Melo blocks it.
Long wants to pass the guard but Melo is keeping the position.
Long is in close to Melo's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Long drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Melo dives on top into guard.

Melo is looking to stand up but Long won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Long is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Melo defends well.
Melo wanted to stand there but Long had control of the position.
Melo won't allow Long to sweep him here.

Melo gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Long looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Long throws a nice outside leg kick.
Long jabs Melo right on the nose. Melo blinks but takes it well.
Melo throws a head kick that misses

and Long holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Melo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Long blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Melo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Long scores with a nice short uppercut.
Long is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Melo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Long prevents a body shot from Melo.
Long misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Melo prevents a body shot from Long.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Long.
Melo tries to work over Long's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Melo blocks a body shot from Long.
Long tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Melo's elbow.
Melo lands a right hand.
Melo blocks a body shot from Long.
Long blocking some punches.
Melo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Long lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Melo swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Long will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Melo up against the cage.
Melo lands a body shot in the clinch.
Melo works on Long's body with a couple of short punches.
Melo misses with some punches.
A short right from Long on the inside.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Melo working aggressively here.
Long has a couple of punches blocked by Melo.
Melo prevents a body shot from Long.
Melo can't find room to land a body shot as Long controls the action.
Melo tries a body shot but Long blocks it.
Long blocking some punches.
Long throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Melos head.
Melo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Melo throws a head punch that misses.
Long is trying to stall.
Melo swings away with an uppercut that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to How Long.
I think Long has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... How Long!
How Long decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.