PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gino Melendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Doe (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
Doe

156 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Inexperienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gino Melendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, John Doe!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Jeff Smith and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Doe with a jab.

It looks like Gino Melendez has been cut.

Doe moves into the clinch successfully.
Doe is trying to push Melendez away but Melendez has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Doe has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Melendez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Melendez really is a fat lump.

Doe is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Melendez is defending well though. Doe let's go of the attempt for now.

Melendez manages to escape to his feet.

Melendez throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Doe tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Melendez is in Doe's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Melendez is working Doe over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Doe working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Melendez.
Melendez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Melendez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Melendez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Melendez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Melendez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Doe really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Melendez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Melendez gets to his feet - Doe follows without any prompting.

Doe gets the takedown into side control.
Melendez is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Doe's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Melendez works his way to full guard. Good work.

Melendez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Doe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Doe manages to get himself to full guard.

Melendez throwing strikes but missing.
Melendez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Doe's head.
Melendez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Doe wants to sweep but no luck.
Melendez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Doe is working an open guard so Melendez takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Melendez keeps the fight on the outside.
Melendez seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Melendez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Doe.
Doe looks winded!

Doe is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Melendez's half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melendez is staying active underneath Doe, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Melendez moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Melendez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Doe looking to sit in guard and control but Melendez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melendez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Melendez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Melendez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Melendez postures up in Doe's guard and throws a big left but Doe blocks it.
Melendez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Melendez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Melendez works over Doe with some ground and pound from guard.
Doe has momentary wrist control but Melendez slips an elbow through the middle.
Melendez is working Doe over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Doe utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gino Melendez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gino Melendez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Doe drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Melendez is trying to improve his position.
Melendez wants to control but Doe postures up.
Melendez is looking to reverse the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Doe tries to get to his feet but Melendez is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Doe in his guard.

Melendez working for a triangle but Doe defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Melendez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Doe is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Doe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Melendez is keeping the position for now.
Doe trying to control the position from guard on top but Melendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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 wants to stand up but Doe is controlling him.
Melendez pulls Doe in to control the position.
Doe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Melendez is keeping the position for now.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Doe changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Melendez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Doe wants to lay and pray for a moment but Melendez keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Melendez regains full guard. Nicely done.
Doe wants to get up but he can't break Melendez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Doe preventing the sweep.
Melendez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Doe is stalling in the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

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.
Doe bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Melendez's head.

Melendez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Melendez is trying to keep Doe in close.
Melendez has Doe pulled in close to control his posture.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Doe throws an elbow that misses. Melendez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Doe's guard. Nice move by Melendez!

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Doe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Gino Melendez's cut.
That's time! Melendez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Doe fails to land with a series of punches.

Melendez gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Doe to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Doe wants to control from the top but Melendez keeps moving.
Doe must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Melendez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Doe manages to get himself to full guard.

We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Doe can do anything to dispel that myth.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melendez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Melendez postures up.
Melendez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doe is trying to keep Melendez in close.
Gino Melendez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Doe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Melendez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Melendez postures up and lands a big shot to Doe's brow.
Melendez works over Doe with some ground and pound from guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Melendez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Melendez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melendez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Melendez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Melendez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Melendez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Doe's head.
Melendez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Doe works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Melendez decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Melendez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Melendez wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Melendez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Doe stops Melendez from standing up.
Doe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Doe trying to control but Melendez is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Doe connects with a couple of short punches.
Doe stopping the sweep attempt from Melendez.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Doe tries to stand but Melendez is controlling from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Melendez looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Melendez stands up from Doe's guard - Melendez perhaps looking for a knockout.
Melendez checks a low kick from Doe.

Doe looking to score a takedown here. Melendez is defending well but Doe drives through and ends up in Melendez's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Doe tries to stand but Melendez is controlling from the bottom.
Melendez working a defensive guard here.
Doe looking to sit in guard and control but Melendez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Melendez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Melendez is working Doe over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gino Melendez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Melendez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28

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