PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joper Regner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Melvin Manford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melvin Manford has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Regner
vs
Manford

176 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
20
157 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joper Regner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Melvin Manford!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, George Francis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Regner misses with the combination.
Manford throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Regner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Regner lands a jab.
Manford goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Manford tries to clinch up.
Manford tries to close the distance and clinch but Regner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Manford thumps Regner with a low kick.
Manford walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Regner pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Regner misses with an uppercut

so Manford counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Manford 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.
Manford controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Regner is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Regner gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Manford.
Manford goes for a takedown attempt but Regner pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Regner, as that shot connected.
Manford throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Regner counter with a right hand.
A punch combination from Regner misses.
Manford throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Regner.

Manford closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Regner wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Manford has him pressed against the cage.

Manford has Regner pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Manford pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Regner tumbling to the mat - Manford dives into Regner's guard.
Manford is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Manford won't allow Regner to get back to his feet.

Manford decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Regner misses with the combination.
Regner lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Manford circles away quickly and effectively.
Regner is breathing heavily.
Regner looks to land a right hand but Manford moved out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manford on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Regner lunges at Manford with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Manford's hand.
Manford takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Regner dodges the punch combination from Manford.
A big right from Regner misses.
Manford moves into range and connects with a jab.
Joper Regner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Manford keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Manford is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Regner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Manford ducks under a wild hook from Regner.
Regner is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Manford.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Manford!
Regner falls off balance throwing a combination

and Manford counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Manford has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Regner is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Joper Regner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Melvin Manford.
Manford landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Manford just misses with a elbow thrown towards Regner's brow.
A short right from Manford on the inside.

Manford breaks the clinch.

Manford shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Manford takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Manford working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Regner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Regner avoids the body shot from Manford.
No luck for Manford with that takedown attempt.
Regner misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Manford uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Regner.
Manford moves out of range as Regner strikes.
Manford slips under a jab.
Manford moves out of range as Regner strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manford looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Manford throws a sloppy head kick and Regner moves out of range easily.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Manford takes one to the side of the head.
Manford shoots for a takedown but Regner saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Regner cracks Manford with a good jab.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Manford misses with a double jab
and Regner counters with a nice uppercut.
Manford takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Joper Regner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Manford slips a straight right by Regner.
Manford connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Regner is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Regner waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Manford.
Regner misses with a few strikes there.
Regner misses with a lunging right hand

and Manford counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Regner is looking to stand up but Manford isn't so interested in that idea.
Manford stays in close to Regner's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manford postures up and lands a big shot to Regner's brow.
Manford controlling from the top position.

Melvin Manford has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Regner misses with a left hand

and Manford counters by moving into the clinch.
Regner is trying to break the clinch but Manford has him pressed against the cage.
Regner is trying to force a seperation but Manford has the dominant position.
Regner is trying to break free.

Manford's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Regner misses the target.

Manford scores a takedown into full mount!
Manford takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Manford scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Regner wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Regner takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Manford cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Manford controlling his opponent.
Manford has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Regner's face.
Manford has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Manford tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Melvin Manford 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. 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.

Manford gets a takedown into half guard.
Manford prevents Regner from standing back up.
Manford takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Manford decides to stand and escape the position.
Nice uppercut there from Regner.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Regner stuffs the takedown attempt from Manford. Manford gets slowly back to his feet.
Regner tests Manford's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Manford fails in his attempt to clinch.
Manford lands a head kick!
Joper Regner is winning the standup battle so far.
Manford throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Manford throws a left and a right that both miss
and Regner counters with a stiff right hand.
Manford will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Regner bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Regner.
Regner stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Regner throws a nice looking combination but Manford bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Regner lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Regner lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Manford circles away quickly and effectively.
Manford moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Manford misses with a combination
enabling Regner to counter with a crisp jab.
A shot to the liver by Regner. Beautiful body shot.
Manford uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Regner.
Manford moves out of range of the strikes.

Manford scores a takedown into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Regner is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Manford sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Regner is trying to stand up.
Manford scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Manford connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Manford controlling from mount.
Manford lands a heavy elbow.
Manford controlling from the full mount.
Manford won't let Regner get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Manford controlling from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Melvin Manford comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Manford 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Melvin Manford!