PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Roger Nelson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jokke Mela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Nelson
vs
Mela

175 cm
23
136 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

170 cm
20
146 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Bushido Clothing
Canadian Fighter Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Roger Nelson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jokke Mela!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, James Glass and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mela closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Mela lands in his opponent's guard.
Mela throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nelson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mela throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nelson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mela trying to control the position from guard on top but Nelson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mela is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Mela thows a big elbow that misses.
Nelson has control of Mela's left arm, preventing Mela from doing any damage.
Mela preventing the sweep.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Nelson is on top in guard.
Mela striking off his back but it's not causing Nelson any problems.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nelson wanted to stand there but Mela had control of the position.
Mela bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Nelson's guard.
Mela trying to control but Nelson is working from the bottom.
Nelson has his hands on Mela's head, controlling the position.

Nelson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mela can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Nelson keeping moving, preventing Mela from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mela working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Nelson's head.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Nelson keeping moving, preventing Mela from controlling successfully.
Nelson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
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.
Mela won't allow Nelson to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mela controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mela wants to control from the top but Nelson keeps moving.
Mela postures up in Nelson's guard and throws a big left but Nelson blocks it.
Mela has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nelson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mela.
Nelson looking for a sweep. Not yet Nelson, not yet.
Nelson is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mela checks a leg kick nicely.
Nelson takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
A solid leg kick lands there for Nelson.
Nelson connects with a solid leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mela fails with the takedown.
Nelson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mela swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mela misses with an uppercut.
Nelson moves away from the strike by Mela.
Nelson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nelson lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Nelson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Mela shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Nelson's guard.
Nelson keeping full guard, as Mela tries to pass.
Mela is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Nelson holds on and takes a little breather.
Mela is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Mela postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mela wants to control from the top but Nelson keeps moving.
Mela throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nelson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Nelson controlling Mela's posture.
Mela stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nelson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nelson looking to control.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mela trying to control the position from guard on top but Nelson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mela checks a low kick from Nelson.
Nelson throws a low kick but Mela avoids it.
Nelson scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Roger Nelson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mela fails with the takedown.
Nelson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mela tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Nelson swivels and escapes.
Roger Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jokke Mela.
Nelson throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Mela looks gassed!
Nelson throws a nice inside leg kick.
Nelson moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Nelson scoring well with a low kick there.

Mela looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Nelson wants to control but Mela is keeping busy.
Mela tries to pass to full mount but Nelson defends it.
Nelson trying to control but Mela postures up.
Mela not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Nelson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mela is working away from the top position though.
Nelson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mela not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mela passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Nelson!
Nelson regains half guard.

Mela is looking for a kimura but Nelson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mela to get the leverage.
Mela is trying to control. Nelson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Mela might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Nelson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Nelson tries to roll over but Mela keeps him under control.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Nelson trying to control from the bottom.
Nelson controlling the position well.
Nelson wants to control but Mela is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Mela wants to take a breather but Nelson is having none of it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mela closes the distance and clinches up with Nelson, looking for a takedown. Mela pushes Nelson against the ropes but Nelson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mela lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Mela looks for the body kick but Nelson saw that one coming.
A slapping body kick lands there for Nelson.
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 Roger Nelson will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Mela looks for a takedown but Nelson sprawls well.
Mela checks the leg kick.
Mela changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Nelson tries to avoid it but Mela manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Nelson to the ground. Nelson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nelson looks for a takedown but Mela sprawls well.
Nelson lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Nelson gets a clinch.
Nelson crunches a lovely knee into Mela's ribcage.
A right handed body shot lands from Nelson.
Nelson using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Nelson scores a nice knee to the body.
Nelson landing knees to the body.
Mela wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mela can't break the clinch.
Nelson crunches a lovely knee into Mela's ribcage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Nelson.
Come on Nelson - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Nelson stalling in the clinch but Mela improves position.
Knees in the clinch landing for Nelson.
Nelson crunches a lovely knee into Mela's ribcage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mela jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Nelson walks away with a smile on his face. Mela gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Roger Nelson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jokke Mela.

Nelson clinches up with Mela and pushes him back against the ropes.
Nelson keeps control of Mela as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nelson is trying to maintain a safe position but Mela gets an underhook and turns Nelson into the ropes.
Knees to the body from Nelson.
Nelson scores a nice knee to the body.
Nelson using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Mela has had enough of the clinch but Nelson keeps him there for the moment.
Nelson stalls.
Nelson lands an elbow inside.
Knees to the body from Nelson.
Mela is looking to break free of the clinch but Nelson has double underhooks.
Mela is looking to break free of the clinch but Nelson has double underhooks.
Nelson can't get the takedown.
Mela wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Nelson has him pressed against the ropes.
Mela managing to block the knees to the body from Nelson.
Mela wants to break free but Nelson has control.
Mela on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Mela breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jab by Mela.
Mela just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mela feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Mela throws a big right hand that misses.
Mela postures up in Nelson's guard and throws a big left but Nelson blocks it.
Mela trying to control but Nelson is working from the bottom.
Mela throws a strike but Nelson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Nelson trying to control the position from guard on top but Mela is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nelson looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mela seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Mela is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a tringle but Nelson frees his head nicely. Oh but Mela has switched to an armbar! Nelson is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Jokke Mela!