PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ele Meno (ranked 2434 p4p, 2312 weight class) and Perov Yelisey (ranked 243 p4p, 235 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Meno
vs
Yelisey

171 cm
25
155
3 - 0 - 0

176 cm
21
145
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ele Meno!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Perov Yelisey!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, John Kavanagh and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed right hand from Meno misses the target.
Yelisey looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Ele Meno seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A left and a right from Meno both land. Nice combination.
Meno lands with a nice combination. Yelisey backs away looking to recover.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Meno!
Yelisey has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Meno tries to clinch up.
Meno jabs Yelisey right on the nose. Yelisey blinks but takes it well.
Yelisey avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Meno stalks Yelisey and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Yelisey's face. Yelisey staggers backwards, shaken.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Meno fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Meno lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Meno throws a right hand that Yelisey ducks under and follows up with a left that Yelisey also avoids with ease.
Meno lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meno throws a shot from downtown. Yelisey moves away and avoids it.
Yelisey shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Meno throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
It seemed like Yelisey was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A big right from Meno misses.
Meno throws a lazy right hand but Yelisey sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Meno wants to clinch.
Yelisey is looking for the big counter here.
A slow jab from Meno misses its intended target.
Yelisey unleashes a big counter combination but Meno bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Meno closes the distance and pushes Yelisey back into the cage.
Meno lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meno misses with a hook to the ribs.
Meno lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Meno lands with a light punch inside.
Yelisey drops down looking for an ankle pick but Meno pulls his leg out and moves away.
Meno lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Meno is working the combinations to good effect here.
Meno throws a good cross that connects.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Meno is looking to clinch.
A little jabbing left from Yelisey on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Ele Meno is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Meno goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Meno scores with a jab. Yelisey acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
The fighters circling - Meno throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
As Meno backs off Yelisey throws a huge counter combo but Meno manages to avoid it all.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meno doesn't manage to clinch there - Yelisey circles away.
Meno tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Meno misses with a hook.
Meno throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Yelisey steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Meno looks to land a combination. Yelisey sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Yelisey gets tackled into the cage by Meno. Meno maintains the clinch.
Meno gets underhooks to prevent Yelisey's takedown attempt.
Meno digs a right hand underneath Yelisey's ribcage. Yelisey let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Meno lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Yelisey.
Yelisey is trying to drag Meno to the mat but Meno just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Ele Meno has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Perov Yelisey.
Yelisey looking for a takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Meno.
Meno tries to throw a body punch but Yelisey avoids it by throwing Meno back against the cage.
Meno lands a nice uppercut.
Yelisey is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Meno pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Yelisey wants to take the fight to the mat but Meno manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Meno lands a left hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A right handed body shot lands from Meno.
Meno can't find room to land a body shot as Yelisey controls the action.
A body shot lands from Meno.
Meno lands a nice shot to the body.
Yelisey looks winded!
Meno is stalling here.
Meno scores with a nice hook to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ele Meno dominated that 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.

Meno tries to clinch up but Yelisey circles away and keeps his distance.
Meno lands a nice looking body shot.
Meno ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Yelisey moves away.
Yelisey throws a counter combo.
Yelisey keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Meno connects with a good right hand that stumbles Yelisey. Yelisey circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Meno tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Yelisey ducks under a wild hook from Meno.
Meno misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Meno tries to clinch but Yelisey is having none of it.

Meno gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Yelisey tries for a takedown but Meno manages to get underhooks.
A right hand to the body from Meno.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meno will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Yelisey up against the cage.
Meno lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Nice body punch from Meno.

Meno breaks from the clinch.
Ele Meno is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Meno throws a right and a left that both miss.
Meno lands a jab to the nose.
Meno is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Meno throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Meno wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Yelisey uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Meno.
It seemed like Yelisey was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meno fails to land with a series of punches.
A countering left hand to the body from Yelisey misses.

Meno has managed to clinch.
Yelisey blocks a body shot from Meno.
Meno misses with a hook to the ribs.
Meno slowing the pace effectively.
Meno lands a body punch in the clinch.
Yelisey can't get the takedown.
Nice body punch from Meno.
Meno scores with a hook to the body.
Meno is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yelisey can do to turn this around?
Meno is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Ele Meno has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Perov Yelisey.
Yelisey tries to score a body lock takedown but Meno shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Yelisey is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Meno lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meno lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Meno lands a body shot in the clinch.
Meno is working Yelisey over against the cage.
Nice body punch from Meno.
Meno lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Yelisey backwards.
Meno digs a right hand underneath Yelisey's ribcage. Yelisey let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Meno lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Meno lands a nice shot to the body.
Meno lands a body punch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Meno.

Meno breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Meno misses with the combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meno connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Meno misses with an uppercut.
Yelisey let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
A left lands for Meno.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Meno gets a clinch.
Good body shot from Meno.

Meno pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Meno gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A right handed body shot lands from Meno.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Meno.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ele Meno dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Meno tries to clinch up.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Yelisey! But no joy.
Meno cracks Yelisey with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Meno scores with a nice right hand.
Meno scores with a nice right hand.
Ele Meno is winning the standup battle so far.
Meno tries to clinch but Yelisey is having none of it.
Jab, jab by Meno - just one landing.
Meno lands with a nice combination. Yelisey backs away looking to recover.
Meno takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Meno tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Yelisey manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Yelisey appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Meno throws a nice looking combination but Yelisey bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Despite the aggression on Yelisey's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
A punch combination from Meno misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meno misses with a two punch combination.
Meno throws an overhand right that lands on Yelisey's shoulder, as Yelisey tries to avoid the shot.
Yelisey is trying to counter with his kicks.

Meno rushes Yelisey and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Meno tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Yelisey's elbow.
Meno scores with a shot to the side of Yelisey's head.
Meno scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Yelisey is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Meno is defending well.
Meno lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Yelisey backwards.
Ele Meno has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Meno manages to break the clinch.
Meno thuds a left hand into Yelisey's body.
Some wild striking there from Meno.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meno sizes up Yelisey with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Yelisey steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Meno.
Meno misses with a looping right.
Yelisey looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Meno with a hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Meno ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Yelisey moves away.
Yelisey let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Meno throws the left hand but Yelisey avoids the punch easily.
Meno tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Yelisey paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Yelisey looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Yelisey keeps the fight on the outside.
It seemed like Yelisey was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meno tries to clinch up but Yelisey circles away and keeps his distance.
Meno lands a body shot.
Meno swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A little jabbing left from Yelisey on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Meno throws a nice looking combination but Yelisey bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Yelisey appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Meno misses with the combination.
Meno misses with a jab, cross combination.
Yelisey now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Yelisey circles away from the clinch attempt.
Yelisey slips under a jab from Meno.
Yelisey avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Yelisey lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meno just misses with a punch to the body.
Yelisey slips a straight right by Meno.
A little jabbing left from Yelisey on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Meno throws a hook but Yelisey blocks it.
Meno fails with an attempt to clinch.
Yelisey takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Meno forces Yelisey back against the cage and clinches.
A right hand to the body from Meno.
Meno lands a body punch.
Yelisey has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Yelisey is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Meno pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Perov Yelisey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ele Meno is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Yelisey takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Meno tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ele Meno showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Meno 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:24
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:24
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ele Meno!