PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Victor Melo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Albert Riera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Melo might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Who let the dogs out. Riera has chosen GMS vs Karan - Goa'n Mad as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Melo
vs
Riera

184 cm
21
217 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

188 cm
22
204 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Win Nutritional
Win Nutritional

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Victor Melo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Albert Riera!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Alexandre Firmino and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Melo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Riera pinned against the cage. Riera gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Melo darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Melo stops Riera from getting back to his feet.

Melo is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Riera doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Melo.
Riera wants to get back to his feet.
Riera has hold of Melo's hands but Melo slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Riera makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Melo swats away the attempt to clinch by Riera.
Albert Riera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Melo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Albert Riera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo swats away the attempt to clinch by Riera.
Riera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Melo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Riera tries to clinch there but Melo circles away.
Melo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Riera swivels and escapes.
Melo tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Riera swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Victor Melo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Riera is looking to clinch.
Melo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Riera sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Riera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Riera tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Melo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Melo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Riera lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Riera tries to close the distance and clinch up but Melo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Riera stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Riera wants it to stay on the feet.
Melo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Riera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Riera is looking to clinch but Melo is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo moves out of range.
Riera keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Melo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Riera stuffs the takedown.
Riera is looking to clinch.
Riera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Melo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Riera tries to avoid it but Melo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Riera to the ground. Riera escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Melo is breathing heavily.
Riera motions for Melo to come forward. Riera throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Riera bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

Riera instigates a clinch.
Riera looking to throw knees to the head but Melo is blocking nicely.
Riera missing with knees to the body.
Riera is pressed up against the cage. Melo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Riera down to the mat. Riera avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riera wants to clinch.
Riera tries to close the distance and clinch up but Melo swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Riera clinches.
Riera is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Riera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Melo keeps the fight on the outside.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo is having none of it.
Riera keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Riera is looking to clinch.
Riera tries to clinch there but Melo circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Riera wants to clinch up but Melo keeps it at a distance.
Riera keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Riera tries to close the distance and clinch up but Melo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Riera tries a head kick but it misses.
Melo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo is having none of it.

Riera moves into the clinch.
Riera tries to land knees in the clinch but Melo avoids the damage to the body.
Riera leaning his opponent against the cage.
Riera scores with a knee to the head.
Melo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Riera tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Riera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Riera has closed the distance and engaged Melo in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Albert Riera dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Riera is looking to clinch.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo moves out of range.
Riera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Melo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Riera circles away.
Riera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Riera doesn't manage to clinch there - Melo circles away.
Riera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Riera tries to clinch there but Melo circles away.
Riera misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Melo.
Riera wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Riera fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Melo, pushing him back against the cage.
Melo is trying to drag Riera to the mat but Riera just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Riera stalling in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riera missing with knees to the body.

Riera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Riera doesn't manage to clinch there - Melo circles away.
Riera is looking to clinch.
Riera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Riera fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Riera misses with a few strikes there.
Riera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Melo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Riera misses with an attempted mid kick.
Riera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two 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.
Melo misses with a takedown attempt - Riera sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Victor Melo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo moves out of range.
Melo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Riera fails in his attempt to clinch.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo moves out of range.
Riera misses with a head kick.

Melo drives through with a takedown into guard.

Riera scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo moves out of range.
Riera stuffs the takedown attempt from Melo. Melo gets slowly back to his feet.
Melo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Riera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo moves out of range.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo is having none of it.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo is having none of it.
Riera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Albert Riera is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Melo swats away the attempt to clinch by Riera.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Melo fails to land the takedown.
Riera doesn't manage to clinch there - Melo circles away.
Melo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Riera.
Riera is looking to clinch.

Riera has Melo up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Riera breaks from the clinch.
Riera tries to close the distance and clinch up but Melo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Riera tries to clinch up but Melo circles away and keeps his distance.

Riera moves into range and clinches up with Melo.
Riera tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Melo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Riera is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Riera receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Riera lands an elbow just above Melo 's eye.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riera tries to land knees in the clinch but Melo avoids the damage to the body.
Riera dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Riera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Riera missing with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Albert Riera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Melo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Melo gets the takedown into side control.

Melo looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Riera is trying to get back to his feet.

Riera throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Riera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Riera tries to clinch there but Melo circles away.
Riera moves in looking to clinch but Melo pushes him off.
Melo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Riera misses with a body kick.
Riera swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Riera is looking to clinch.
Riera fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riera tries to clinch there but Melo circles away.
Riera throws a body punch but Melo moves out of range.

Riera fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Melo, pushing him back against the cage.

Riera breaks the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riera looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Riera looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Riera pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Melo swats away the attempt to clinch by Riera.
Riera tries to close the distance and clinch but Melo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Melo swats away the attempt to clinch by Riera.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Melo.
Riera is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Riera closes the distance and clinches.
Riera lands with a left to the head.
Riera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Riera tries to throw a body punch but Melo avoids it by throwing Riera back against the cage.
Riera with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Riera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Melo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Riera sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Victor Melo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Riera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Riera tries to clinch up.
Riera is looking to clinch but Melo is avoiding it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Melo.
Melo avoids the head kick by Riera.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riera tries to clinch there but Melo circles away.
Both fighters circling a little - Riera finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Riera tries to clinch but Melo moves out of range.
Melo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Melo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Melo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Riera defends it nicely.
Riera tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Riera closes the distance and clinches.
Riera can't find room to land a body shot as Melo controls the action.
Riera gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Riera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Riera throws an elbow but it misses.
Riera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Riera throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Riera taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Melo takes a knee right on the jaw!
Riera looking to slow down the pace here.
Riera wants to break the clinch but can't.
Riera prevents a takedown attempt there.
Riera dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Melo managing to block the knees to the body from Riera.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riera looking to stall.
Riera throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Melo blocks it with crossed arms.

And that's the end of the fight!
Albert Riera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Riera winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight for Albert Riera!
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Albert Riera!
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight for Albert Riera!

Albert Riera wins by unanimous decision!