PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antero Mela (ranked 3883 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mughal Hinted (ranked 7078 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mela
vs
Hinted

175 cm
34
216 lbs
20 - 12 - 0

187 cm
23
217 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Antero Mela!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mughal Hinted !
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Alyssa Summers and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mela shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Hinted manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Hinted looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Hinted looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mela might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Mela advances position into side control!
Hinted tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mela wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Mela passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Hinted !
Hinted is in a horrible position here. Mela smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Mela scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hinted ?

It looks like Mughal Hinted has been cut.

Mela is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hinted can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Mela working the ground and pound effectively.
Mela 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hinted tries to buck Mela off but he can't manage it.
Hinted is looking to get to half guard.

Mela has control of Hinted 's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Hinted regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Mela wants to finish this one by submission but Hinted is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Mela.
Mela prevents Hinted from getting the reversal.

Mela working for a guillotine from mount but Hinted is in no mood to give up.
Hinted tries to hold on but Mela postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mela looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
A nice elbow there by Mela.
Hinted tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hinted wants to hold on but Mela pushes him away.
Hinted tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mela landing shots from mount.

Mela goes for an armbar but Hinted turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Hinted .
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mela is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hinted throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mela works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hinted throwing strikes from guard but Mela blocks nicely.
Mela is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Mela is trying to keep Hinted in close.
Mela looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hinted tries to free his leg and advance position but Mela is retaining full guard.
Mela manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hinted manages to get himself to full guard.

Mela trying to control the position from guard on top but Hinted is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hinted looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hinted has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Mela trying to control the position from guard on top but Hinted is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mela engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Mela trying to control but Hinted is working from the bottom.
Mela postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antero Mela dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mughal Hinted 's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hinted has Mela up against the cage in a clinch.
Hinted is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Mela is looking to take this one to the mat.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Mela has Hinted pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hinted manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Hinted scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Antero Mela has been cut.
Hinted misses with a punch on the inside.
Stalling in the clinch from Hinted .
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hinted content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hinted misses with a knee to the head.
Hinted has a couple of punches blocked by Mela.
Mela working aggressively here.
Hinted tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hinted misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mela blocks a body shot from Hinted .
Mela is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Antero Mela. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mela wants a takedown but no success here.
Hinted tries a knee to the head but Mela blocks it.
Hinted looking to throw knees to the head but Mela is blocking nicely.
Mela changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hinted fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hinted has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Mela is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Mela will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mela swats away the attempt to clinch by Hinted .
Mughal Hinted is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hinted is looking to land body kicks.
Mela is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hinted can do to turn this around?
Mela avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hinted misses with a double jab.
Mela keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mela cracks Hinted with an open hand slap.
Danga de danga de dang - Mela scores with a four punch combination!
Hinted doesn't manage to clinch there - Mela circles away.
Hinted is looking to clinch but Mela is avoiding it.

Hinted gets caught napping as Mela dives in and scores a takedown. Hinted manages to retain guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hinted not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hinted wants to sweep but no luck.
Mela pushes down on Hinted 's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Hinted moves into full guard.
Mela slips nicely into half guard.
Hinted is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mela's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mela's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hinted doesn't have the hooks in and Mela manages to turn into his guard.
Hinted is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mela is controlling him.

Mela got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hinted has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mela has managed to get both his arms back between Hinted 's legs - danger averted.
Mela passes into half guard.
Hinted is trying to control but Mela manages to pass to mount!
Mela wants to control the pace but Hinted is squirming around nicely.
Mela looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mela tries to control but Hinted wriggling away.
Mela controlling the pace for now.
Hinted is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mela looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hinted working to try and regain half guard.
Hinted is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mela can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hinted is looking to escape.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Mela cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antero Mela dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hinted wants to clinch up but Mela keeps it at a distance.
Mela swats away the attempt to clinch by Hinted .

Mela manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hinted on his heels. He'll look to pass Hinted 's guard now, I'm sure.

Hinted is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mela is aware though and is defending well.
Mela sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hinted keeping moving, preventing Mela from controlling successfully.
Hinted wants to stand and escape but Mela is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mela is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Antero Mela overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Hinted wriggles free and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mela manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hinted on his heels. He'll look to pass Hinted 's guard now, I'm sure.
Mela won't allow Hinted to get back to his feet.
Mela wants to control from the top but Hinted keeps moving.

Hinted looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Mela is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Mela seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Hinted throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mela sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hinted 's guard.
Mela lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Mela seems to be looking for submissions.
Mela performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Hinted looking for submissions off his back.
Mela wants to take a breather but Hinted is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mela looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Hinted trying to hold on to Mela's head to control him but Mela postures up.

Mela is looking for a kimura here.
Mela wants to take a breather but Hinted is having none of it.
Mela stops Hinted from getting back to his feet.

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.

Mela is working for a kimura but Hinted is defending it quite comfortably.

Mela is looking for a kimura here.
Antero Mela is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mela prevents Hinted from improving his position.

Mela wants to work for an arm triangle but Hinted is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hinted is trying to control but Mela manages to pass to mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Antero Mela showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mela, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antero Mela!