PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Filipe Melo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tokugawa Ieyasu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Melo
vs
Ieyasu

180 cm
23
165 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
164 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Filipe Melo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tokugawa Ieyasu!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Sano and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melo tries to clinch up.
Ieyasu blocks a head kick by Melo.
Ieyasu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Melo moves away.
Ieyasu walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Melo checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Melo connects with a high kick.
Melo attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Ieyasu tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Melo swivels and escapes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melo is looking to clinch.
Ieyasu moves out of range of the body kick.
Melo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ieyasu swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo throws a chopping leg kick but Ieyasu manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Ieyasu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Melo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Melo tries to clinch up but Ieyasu circles away and keeps his distance.
Melo fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Ieyasu is out of range.
Ieyasu stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Melo.
A head kick misses from Melo.
Ieyasu misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ieyasu looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Melo is fending him off so far but Ieyasu persists. Nope, Melo circles away and we're back to standing.
Melo throws a nice inside leg kick.
Filipe Melo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Melo tries to clinch but Ieyasu moves out of range.
Melo tries to clinch up.
Ieyasu circles away from the clinch attempt.
Melo throws a head kick that half lands.
Melo throws a leg kick
and Ieyasu counters with a low kick, right behind Melo 's knee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ieyasu moves out of range of the body kick from Melo.
Melo looks to clinch

and Ieyasu counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Melo's guard now.

Melo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ieyasu is aware though and is defending well.
Ieyasu working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Melo's head.

Melo is looking for a triangle but Ieyasu pushes his legs off easily.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Ieyasu avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Ieyasu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ieyasu seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Melo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ieyasu doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ieyasu manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Melo working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Ieyasu has passed into half guard!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melo tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Ieyasu has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Ieyasu landing strikes, looking to finish!
Melo is wriggling around trying to escape.
Melo is squirming around, avoiding Ieyasu's attempts to control the action.
Ieyasu content just to control the position here.
Melo is desperately trying to improve his position but Ieyasu has a good base and remains in mount.
Ieyasu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Melo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ieyasu controlling the pace for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Melo is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tokugawa Ieyasu will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ieyasu finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Tokugawa Ieyasu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Melo tries a low kick but Ieyasu avoids it.
Melo is looking to clinch.
Melo tries to clinch up.
Melo tries to clinch up

and Ieyasu counters by moving into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Melo manages to pull guard.

Melo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Melo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ieyasu can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ieyasu makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ieyasu's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Ieyasu must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Melo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ieyasu defends well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ieyasu wants to get up but he can't break Melo's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Melo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ieyasu can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ieyasu stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Melo swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Melo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ieyasu postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Ieyasu's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Melo keeping moving, preventing Ieyasu from controlling successfully.
Ieyasu controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ieyasu trying to control the position from guard on top but Melo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Melo being controlled here, momentarily.

Melo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ieyasu trying to control but Melo is working from the bottom.

Despite being in the dominant position, Tokugawa Ieyasu just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Melo. That's going to slow Ieyasu down.
A big right from Ieyasu misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
A head kick by Melo misses

and Ieyasu counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ieyasu.
Melo tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ieyasu smiles and moves away.
Melo wants to clinch

and Ieyasu counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Melo's guard now.

Melo working for a triangle but Ieyasu defends it easily.

Melo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ieyasu defends it easily.
Ieyasu trying to control but Melo is working from the bottom.
Ieyasu slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tokugawa Ieyasu will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Melo tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Ieyasu counters with a takedown into side control.
Melo is not content to let Ieyasu control the position.
Melo is looking for a sweep.
Melo is working hard here to advance position.
Ieyasu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Melo keeps working.
Melo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Ieyasu's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Ieyasu is nestled in close to Melo, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Melo actively working from the bottom here.

Melo actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ieyasu misses with a wild combination.
Melo tries to clinch

and Ieyasu counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ieyasu trying to control the action but Melo is working from the bottom.
Ieyasu controlling the pace.
Ieyasu is trying to control the action in half guard but Melo is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Ieyasu is taking a breather. Melo 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Tokugawa Ieyasu just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Melo throws a lazy head kick
and Ieyasu counters with a thumping low kick.
Ieyasu circles away from the clinch attempt

so Ieyasu counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Melo keeping moving, preventing Ieyasu from controlling successfully.

Melo is looking for a triangle but Ieyasu pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ieyasu sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Ieyasu is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Melo has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Ieyasu should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Melo has tightened it up now! Ieyasu should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Filipe Melo!