PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chuck Liddell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergey Melikhov (ranked 0 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.

Liddell
vs
Melikhov

189 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

176 cm
26
205 lbs
5 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Chuck Liddell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sergey Melikhov!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Patrick Alders and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Liddell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Melikhov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Liddell's waist but Liddell gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Melikhov off to one side.
Liddell stuffs the takedown attempt from Melikhov. Melikhov gets slowly back to his feet.
Melikhov takes a jab right on the kisser.
Melikhov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Liddell's waist but Liddell gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Melikhov off to one side.
Chuck Liddell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sergey Melikhov.
Melikhov gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Liddell moves into the clinch.
Liddell prevents the takedown attempt.
A frustrated look appears on Liddell's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Melikhov drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Liddell gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Liddell tries to circle away but Melikhov has him pinned against the ropes.

Liddell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Melikhov has his takedown stuffed
and Liddell counters with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melikhov tries for a takedown but Liddell circles away easily

and Liddell counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Liddell.
Melikhov is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Liddell tries to circle away but Melikhov has him pinned against the ropes.
Liddell is trying to break the clinch but Melikhov is controlling him.
Liddell has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Liddell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Liddell tries to bum rush Melikhov with a series of wild strikes but Melikhov uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Melikhov with a lazy takedown attempt
and Liddell counters with a big head kick but Melikhov shrugs it off.
Melikhov looks gassed!
Melikhov misses with a takedown
and Liddell counters with a nice body shot.
Liddell lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Melikhov at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Liddell forces Melikhov back against the ropes and clinches.

Liddell escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Melikhov shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Liddell counters with a nice body shot.
Chuck Liddell is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Good standup being displayed there by Liddell as he connects with a hook.
Liddell scores with a decent looking hook.
Liddell looks to clinch

and Melikhov counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Liddell wants to get back to his feet.
Liddell on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Liddell tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melikhov in side control, throwing shots but Liddell defends.
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.
Melikhov sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Liddell is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
An elbow from Melikhov crashes against the mat.
Liddell is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Melikhov is controlling him well.
Melikhov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Melikhov tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Melikhov in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Melikhov working the strikes but Liddell uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Melikhov lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Melikhov is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Melikhov trying to control from half guard but Liddell is working away.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Melikhov thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Liddell to regain full guard.
Liddell wants to stand and escape but Melikhov is having none of it.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Liddell trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Liddell utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Melikhov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Melikhov prevents Liddell from getting back to his feet.
Liddell keeping moving, preventing Melikhov from controlling successfully.
Melikhov throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Liddell works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Melikhov with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Melikhov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Liddell is looking to stand up but Melikhov isn't so interested in that idea.
Liddell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Melikhov loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Melikhov trying to control the position from guard on top but Liddell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Melikhov won't allow Liddell to get back to his feet.
Melikhov missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Liddell preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Melikhov with a flurry of punches that miss.
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 Chuck Liddell will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Liddell leaves Melikhov with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Melikhov.
Liddell misses with a hook

and Melikhov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Melikhov not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Melikhov stops Liddell from getting back to his feet.
Melikhov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Melikhov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Liddell's head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell taking some punishment here, with Melikhov in his half guard.

Melikhov 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.
Liddell avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Melikhov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Melikhov not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Melikhov with the ground and pound but Liddell uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Liddell will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Melikhov chips away with some ground and pound.

Liddell scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell looks to land a combination. Melikhov sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Liddell stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Liddell ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Melikhov moves away.
Melikhov blocks a head kick by Liddell.
Melikhov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Chuck Liddell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sergey Melikhov.

Melikhov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Melikhov thowing shots but they're missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melikhov is landing with some decent strikes but Liddell is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Liddell is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Melikhov raining down hammerfists from mount.

Melikhov looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Liddell squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Liddell blocking the ground and pound.
Melikhov is landing with some decent strikes but Liddell is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Melikhov with a couple of short strikes.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Melikhov lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Liddell hang on?
Liddell wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Melikhov.
Melikhov thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Melikhov looking to control but Liddell is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Melikhov punishing his opponent with strikes.
Liddell is trying to stand.
Liddell is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Liddell is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Melikhov throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Liddell because Melikhov loaded up on that one.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Melikhov cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The referee warns Liddell that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
BOOM! Melikhov connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Melikhov lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Melikhov landing strikes from the mount and Liddell is in trouble!

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Melikhov thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
A nice elbow there by Melikhov.
Melikhov dominating with strikes here.
Melikhov dominating with strikes here.
Sergey Melikhov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Melikhov pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melikhov content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sergey Melikhov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight for Sergey Melikhov!
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight for Sergey Melikhov!
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight for Sergey Melikhov!

Sergey Melikhov wins by unanimous decision!