PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gilbert Melendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Vaughn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Melendez
vs
Vaughn

176 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gilbert Melendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rick Vaughn!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Gregory Folan and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Vaughn. Melendez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Vaughn throws a lazy uppercut
and Vaughn takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gilbert Melendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Melendez connects with a leg kick. Vaughn looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Melendez throws a combination. Vaughn tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Melendez scoring well with a low kick there.
Melendez lands a nice looking body shot.
Vaughn shoots and misses
and Melendez counters with a low kick, right behind Vaughn 's knee.
Melendez lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Vaughn showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Melendez.
Melendez pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Vaughn back to the cage. Melendez follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Vaughn dodges the punch combination from Melendez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaughn avoids a punch combination nicely.
Melendez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Vaughn misses with a takedown

and Melendez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Melendez lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Vaughn wants a takedown.
Gilbert Melendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Vaughn.
Vaughn tries for a takedown but Melendez manages to get underhooks.

Melendez breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Melendez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Vaughn moves away.
Melendez looks to land a combination but Vaughn avoids it well.
Vaughn is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Melendez.
Vaughn shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Melendez counters with a nice uppercut.
Gilbert Melendez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Melendez throws a chopping leg kick but Vaughn manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Vaughn with a lazy takedown attempt
enabling Melendez to counter with a crisp jab.
Vaughn shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Melendez counters with a one-two to the body.

Melendez darts in and clinches Vaughn up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn wants a takedown but no success here.

Melendez breaks the clinch.

Melendez closes the distance and pushes Vaughn back into the cage.

Melendez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Melendez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Vaughn was well out of range. Poor timing from Melendez.
Melendez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Vaughn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Melendez tries to clinch but Vaughn moves out of range.
Melendez tries to work over Vaughn's front leg with a kick but Vaughn checks it.
Vaughn dodges the punch combination from Melendez.
Melendez cracks Vaughn with an open hand slap.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Melendez lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Melendez is working the combinations to good effect here.
Melendez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Melendez feints a jab promting Vaughn to slip. Melendez then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Vaughn slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Melendez connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Melendez moves into the clinch successfully.
Vaughn is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Melendez leaning against his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melendez lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gilbert Melendez dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Melendez lands a glancing blow to the side of Vaughn's head.
A slow jab from Vaughn misses its intended target.
Gilbert Melendez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vaughn takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A looping hook to the body misses from Melendez. Vaughn does a little dance to reset his feet.
Melendez dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Vaughn. That did some damage!
Melendez throws a quick inside leg kick.
Good standup being displayed there by Melendez as he connects with a hook.
Melendez ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Vaughn fails with the takedown
and Melendez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Vaughn is trying desperately to land a takedown but Melendez is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Vaughn.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaughn misses with a takedown

and Melendez counters by clinching up.

Melendez manages to break the clinch.
Vaughn looks to land a combination but Melendez avoids it well.
Vaughn shoots and misses
and Melendez counters with a body kick that stops Vaughn in his tracks momentarily.
Gilbert Melendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Vaughn.

Melendez gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Melendez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vaughn gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Melendez counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Melendez throws a head kick but Vaughn moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Melendez has Vaughn up against the cage in a clinch.

Melendez manages to break the clinch.
Melendez wants to clinch.
Melendez throws a series of punches but Vaughn moves out of range.
Melendez misses with a series of wild punches.
Vaughn tries for a takedown but Melendez circles away easily
and Melendez counters with a left to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Melendez.
Vaughn misses with a takedown attempt

and Melendez counters by moving into the clinch.

Melendez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Melendez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Melendez wants to clinch.

Melendez closes the distance and pushes Vaughn back into the cage.
Vaughn has Melendez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Melendez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Melendez manages to break the clinch.
Melendez with a nice cross.
Melendez throws a nice looking combination but Vaughn bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Vaughn shoots and misses
and Melendez counters with a series of strikes. Vaughn will be more careful next time no doubt.
Melendez scores with a one two! Vaughn had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Vaughn has his takedown stuffed

and Melendez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Vaughn has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Melendez is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Melendez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vaughn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gilbert Melendez dominated that second round.
That's time! Melendez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Vaughn throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Melendez counters with a one-two to the body.
Melendez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Melendez throws a low kick but Vaughn avoids it.
Vaughn blocks a head kick by Melendez.
Gilbert Melendez is winning the standup battle so far.
Melendez misses with a series of wild punches.
A head kick misses from Melendez.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melendez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Vaughn paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Vaughn shoots and misses
and Melendez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vaughn fails with the takedown

and Melendez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaughn is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

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

Melendez takes the fight into the clinch.

Melendez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vaughn shoots and misses
and Melendez counters with a low kick, right behind Vaughn 's knee.
Gilbert Melendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Vaughn.
Melendez tries to bum rush Vaughn with a series of wild strikes but Vaughn uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Melendez clinches.
Vaughn has Melendez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Melendez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Melendez is trying to trip Vaughn. He has hold of a leg but Vaughn is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Melendez persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Melendez looking to pass the guard.
Vaughn is trying to keep Melendez in close.
Melendez trying to control the position from guard on top but Vaughn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Vaughn is looking for a triangle but Melendez pushes his legs off easily.
Vaughn is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn looking to hit a scissor sweep but Melendez is one step ahead there.
Rick Vaughn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Melendez wants to control from the top but Vaughn keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Gilbert Melendez wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A big left from Vaughn misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Vaughn fails with the takedown
and Melendez counters with a right hand to the body.
Melendez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sloppy strikes from Melendez. Those never looked like landing.
Vaughn keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Melendez.

Vaughn tries to keep at a distance but Melendez has taken the fight into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Melendez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gilbert Melendez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Vaughn gets cracked there but stands up to it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gilbert Melendez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Melendez has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:26
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:26
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gilbert Melendez!