PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ibrahim Mamu Melamies (ranked 2801 p4p, 263 weight class) and Gerardo Pacheco (ranked 1845 p4p, 191 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Mamu Melamies
vs
Pacheco

165 cm
30
154 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

174 cm
29
152 lbs
16 - 10 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Garra Nutri

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ibrahim Mamu Melamies!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Gerardo Pacheco!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melamies takes one on the button.
Pacheco closes the distance but Melamies moves to the side
and Melamies counters with a slapping leg kick.
Pacheco misses with a looping left.
Pacheco throws a body shot but no joy.
Melamies throws a body punch but Pacheco moves out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Melamies.
Melamies moves out of range of the strikes.
Pacheco throws a right hand that misses
letting Melamies counter with a right hand.
Pacheco throws a good cross that connects.
A telegraphed right hand from Melamies misses the target.
Pacheco with a lazy takedown attempt
and Melamies counters with a big head kick but Pacheco shrugs it off.
Pacheco has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Pacheco throws a body punch but Melamies moves out of range.

Pacheco dives in and scores a takedown into Melamies's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pacheco postures up in Melamies's guard and throws a big left but Melamies blocks it.
Pacheco stopping the sweep attempt from Melamies.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pacheco throws a big elbow that misses.
Pacheco postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Melamies tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Melamies is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Pacheco working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pacheco throws a strike but Melamies rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Melamies has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pacheco wants to sweep here but Melamies controlling him for the moment.

Pacheco looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Melamies passes into side control.
Pacheco tries to control but Melamies manages to take his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melamies trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Pacheco doesn't escape.
Pacheco looking very determined here, making life difficult for Melamies.
Pacheco just trying to survive but Melamies is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Melamies has the hooks in. Pacheco is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Pacheco turns into Melamies and is now in his guard.
Pacheco wants to control from the top but Melamies keeps moving.
Melamies looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ibrahim Mamu Melamies will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Melamies swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Pacheco looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A jab lands there for Pacheco.
Pacheco lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Melamies at a distance.
Ibrahim Mamu Melamies is winning the standup battle so far.
Melamies is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Melamies looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Melamies moves out of range of the strikes.
Pacheco lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Pacheco lands a nice shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melamies takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Pacheco uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Melamies.
Pacheco ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Melamies slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A cross from Pacheco lands.
Ibrahim Mamu Melamies is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Pacheco does no damage.
Pacheco takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
An inside leg kick lands from Melamies.
Melamies looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Donk. Pacheco catches Melamies right on the button with a cross.
Melamies moves out of range as Pacheco strikes.
Melamies moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Pacheco connects with a good right hand that stumbles Melamies. Melamies circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Melamies swings for the body but Pacheco moves out of range.
Pacheco misses with a right hand
letting Melamies counter with a right hand.
Pacheco checks a leg kick nicely.
Melamies avoids the body shot from Pacheco.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pacheco wants to clinch
and Melamies counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A good leg kick by Melamies.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pacheco thuds his right hand into Melamies's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Pacheco jabs Melamies to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Melamies throws a body kick that misses
and Pacheco cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pacheco changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Melamies tries to avoid it but Pacheco manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Melamies to the ground. Melamies escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pacheco waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Melamies.
Pacheco connects with a nice looking jab.
Melamies misses with a kick to the body.
Pacheco closes the distance looking to clinch
and Melamies counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A decent looking cross lands there for Melamies.
Melamies on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Pacheco feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Melamiess jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Melamies misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerardo Pacheco 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. This is the final round!

Pacheco lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Ibrahim Mamu Melamies has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pacheco cracks Melamies with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Pacheco lands an overhand right.
Melamies uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pacheco.
Pacheco misses with a hook.
Melamies lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Pacheco scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Pacheco blocks a head kick by Melamies.
Pacheco misses the body punch
and Melamies counters with a stiff right hand.
Melamies throws a body punch but Pacheco moves out of range.
Melamies uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pacheco.
Melamies leaves Pacheco with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A punch combination from Pacheco misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Melamies takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pacheco works the jab nicely.
Pacheco throws a shot from downtown. Melamies moves away and avoids it.
Melamies seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Pacheco tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Melamies was well out of range. Poor timing from Pacheco.
Melamies avoids the body shot from Pacheco.
Pacheco connects with a nice looking jab.
Melamies ducks under a wild hook from Pacheco.
Melamies scores with a push kick.
Melamies looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Melamies throws the left hand but Pacheco avoids the punch easily.
Pacheco misses with an uppercut. Melamies saw that one coming.
Melamies throws a right hand that misses
and Pacheco counters with a straight right hand.
Gerardo Pacheco is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pacheco connects with a nice looking jab.
Pacheco throws a right and a left that Melamies avoids nicely.
Pacheco takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Melamies scores with a jab. Pacheco acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Melamies takes one to the side of the head.
Pacheco pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Melamies just misses with a punch to the body.
Pacheco scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Melamies throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Pacheco counters with a stiff right hand.
A jab from Pacheco misses.
Pacheco works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Pacheco swinging wildly here.
Melamies misses the jab.

Pacheco is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Melamies's half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pacheco not landing any meaningful shots this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gerardo Pacheco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Pacheco 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Gerardo Pacheco!
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Gerardo Pacheco!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Gerardo Pacheco!

Gerardo Pacheco wins by unanimous decision!
An out of breath Gerardo Pacheco thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.