PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chad Melendez (ranked 5073 p4p, 7282 weight class) and Kirk Fitzpatrick (ranked 0 p4p, 524 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Melendez
vs
Fitzpatrick

175 cm
25
150
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
19
145
3 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 Los Angeles, Chad Melendez !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kirk Fitzpatrick!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fitzpatrick misses with a wild body shot.
Fitzpatrick fails with a takedown attempt.
Melendez drops down looking for a counter takedown but Fitzpatrick sprawls and moves away.

Melendez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Fitzpatrick's half guard.

Melendez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Fitzpatrick has managed to free his arm - good work.
Melendez tries to pass to full mount but Fitzpatrick defends it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melendez slips a nice elbow through Fitzpatrick's hands, connecting with Fitzpatrick's forehead.
Melendez is controlling the pace.
Melendez is thwarting Fitzpatrick's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez wants to stand up but Fitzpatrick is controlling the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fitzpatrick can do anything to dispel that myth.
Fitzpatrick wants to get back to his feet.

Melendez is looking for a kimura here.
Melendez is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melendez has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's two 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.
Melendez 's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Melendez prevents Fitzpatrick from standing back up.
Fitzpatrick wants to control but Melendez is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Melendez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Melendez lands in his opponent's guard.
Fitzpatrick trying to keep a closed guard but Melendez is proving a slippery customer.
Melendez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Melendez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Fitzpatrick's head.
Fitzpatrick wants to stand up but Melendez is controlling him.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Melendez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Melendez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Fitzpatrick's head.
Fitzpatrick looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Melendez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Melendez pushes down on Fitzpatrick's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Melendez connects with a nice short shot to Fitzpatrick's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitzpatrick is trying to stand.
Melendez not doing much here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fitzpatrick wants to get back to his feet.
Melendez trying to control the pace.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Melendez dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Fitzpatrick shoots in and drives through. Melendez sprawls well.
Fitzpatrick moves in looking to clinch but Melendez pushes him off.

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

Melendez has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Fitzpatrick is trying to keep an underhook but Melendez manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Fitzpatrick is trying to control but can't.

Melendez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Fitzpatrick trying to control but Melendez postures up.
Melendez wants to stand up but Fitzpatrick has a hold of him and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Melendez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Fitzpatrick defends it well.
Melendez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fitzpatrick looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Fitzpatrick is breathing heavily.
Melendez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Fitzpatrick knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Melendez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Fitzpatrick is just riding it out for now. Melendez eventually gives up the hold.
Melendez wants to stand up but Fitzpatrick has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's two 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 controlling the pace.
Melendez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Melendez working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Fitzpatrick's thigh. Fitzpatrick counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Melendez looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Fitzpatrick had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Melendez defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fitzpatrick is keeping the position for now.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Melendez wanted to stand there but Fitzpatrick had control of the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Melendez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Fitzpatrick doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Fitzpatrick closes the distance and clinches up with Melendez , looking for a takedown. Fitzpatrick pushes Melendez against the cage but Melendez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Melendez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Fitzpatrick gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitzpatrick trying to control the position.
Melendez pushes down on Fitzpatrick's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Melendez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Fitzpatrick can do to turn this around?
Melendez 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.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Melendez dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Fitzpatrick fails with the takedown.

Fitzpatrick gets a clinch.
Melendez stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Melendez jumps guard and drags Fitzpatrick to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Fitzpatrick stops Melendez from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melendez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Melendez wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fitzpatrick postures up and lands a big shot to Melendez 's brow.
Melendez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Melendez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Fitzpatrick gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez trying to keep a closed guard but Fitzpatrick is proving a slippery customer.
Fitzpatrick tries to free his leg and advance position but Melendez is retaining full guard.
Melendez pulls Fitzpatrick in to control the position.

Fitzpatrick is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Melendez is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Melendez has escaped and now he's on top!

Fitzpatrick takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Melendez controls from within his opponent's guard.
Melendez lands a couple of elbows.

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.
Melendez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Chad Melendez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Fitzpatrick working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Melendez has passed into half guard!
Fitzpatrick trying to control from the bottom.
Melendez looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Melendez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Melendez seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez is taking a breather. Fitzpatrick says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Melendez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Fitzpatrick has managed to free his arm - good work.
Melendez with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Melendez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Fitzpatrick has managed to free his arm - good work.
Melendez winds up and cracks Fitzpatrick with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Melendez wants to pass the guard but Fitzpatrick is defending well.
Melendez controlling the action here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Melendez swinging wildly here.
Kirk Fitzpatrick has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chad Melendez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Fitzpatrick throws the kick towards the body but Melendez avoids it.
Melendez lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chad 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

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