PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rich Harew (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Melo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Harew
vs
Melo

169 cm
22
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

168 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rich Harew!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Felipe Melo!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Paul Aken and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melo thows a body shot but no joy.
Harew throws a right and a left that Melo avoids nicely.
Harew fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Harew blocks a head kick by Melo.
Melo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Melo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Melo is looking to slow Harew down with leg kicks.
Harew will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Melo scores with a leg kick.
Danga de danga de dang - Harew scores with a four punch combination!
Harew misses with a series of wild punches.
Harew fails to land with a series of punches.
Harew swinging wildly here.
Harew throws a combination that misses
and Melo counters with a body kick that stops Harew in his tracks momentarily.
Harew is breathing heavily.
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!
Melo lands a nice leg kick that just misses Harew's sensitive parts.
Melo avoids the body shot from Harew.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harew fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Melo manages to avoid it.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Melo. Harew shrugs it off though.
Melo connects with a solid leg kick.
Melo scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Melo tests Harew's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Melo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Harew.
Harew will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Melo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Harew takes a kick to the side of the head.
Melo dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Harew. That did some damage!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Melo connects with a good right hand that stumbles Harew. Harew circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Melo explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Harew on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A punch lands to the side of Harew 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melo lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Melo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Melo scoring well with a low kick there.
Harew has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Melo.
Melo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Harew was well out of range. Poor timing from Melo.
Melo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Harew stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Melo.
Harew throws a left and a right that both miss
and Melo counters with a slapping leg kick.
Harew is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Melo throws a nice outside leg kick.
Melo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Harew moves away.
Melo throws a quick inside leg kick.
Melo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Harew rather than just go for the knockout.
Harew misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A chopping leg kick lands by Melo.
Melo fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Harew has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A jab lands there for Melo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melo missing with a left hand there. Harew was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Melo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A big left from Melo misses.
Crunch! Melo slams his shin into Harew's torso.
Harew slips a jab from Melo.
Melo explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Melo throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Melo throws a body punch but Harew moves out of range.
A nice leg kick lands there from Melo.
Harew will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Melo scores with a push kick.
Melo throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Harew moves out of range as Melo strikes.
Rich Harew seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harew takes one on the button.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Melo connects with a solid leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harew chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Melo can pounce on him.
Some wild striking there from Harew.
Melo pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Melo scores with a leg kick.
Harew throws a lazy right hand but Melo sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Melo dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Harew. That did some damage!
Melo jabs at Harew's body.
Melo connects with a leg kick. Harew looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Melo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Melo misses with an uppercut. Harew saw that one coming.
Melo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Melo throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Nice body kick from Melo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Melo 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.

Melo connects with a leg kick. Harew looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Harew throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Harew misses with the combination.
Harew tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Melo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Harew misses with a double jab.
Harew throws a nice looking combination but Melo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Melo lands with a thumping leg kick.
Melo connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Melo fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Melo's corner calls for a 1-2. Melo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Melo misses with a hook. Harew ducked under it nicely.
A chopping leg kick lands by Melo.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Melo. Harew shrugs it off though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Melo lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Melo fakes the leg kick and cracks Harew in the body.
Melo throws a quick inside leg kick.
Melo throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Harew's head.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Harew crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Melo - the referee stops the clock and Harew gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Melo. Harew manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Melo. Harew shrugs it off though.
Melo lands a nice looking kick to the body. Harew takes a step back to recover.
Melo thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Harew if he has to take too many more of those.
Harew misses with the combination.
Harew uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Melo.
Melo scores with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A slapping leg kick lands for Melo.
Melo cracks the inside of Harew's front leg.
A chopping leg kick lands by Melo.
Nice body kick there by Melo.
Harew misses with a wild body shot.
Harew doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Melo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A solid leg kick lands there for Melo.
Harew tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Melo looks to score with a jab to the body but Harew is just out of range.
That kick from Melo tenderised Harew's leg. Harew is trying to keep his angry face on.
Melo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Melo connects with a leg kick. Harew looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Melo lands a jab to Harew's midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harew steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Melo. That one must have hurt.
Melo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Melo scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Melo.
Melo listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A solid leg kick lands there for Melo.
Melo fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Harew on the side of the head.
Harew misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Melo throws a jab but it's blocked by Harew.
Melo throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Melo thows a body kick. Harew tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Melo with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Harew takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Melo lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harew takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Harew misses with the combination.
Melo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
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!
Melo throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A nice leg kick lands there from Melo.
That kick from Melo tenderised Harew's leg. Harew is trying to keep his angry face on.
Melo throws a quick inside leg kick.
Melo scores with a leg kick.
A thudding body kick lands there by Melo!
Melo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Harew was well out of range. Poor timing from Melo.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Melo swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Harew.
Rich Harew is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Harew takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Melo scores with a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Melo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Melo throws a body punch but Harew moves out of range.
Harew misses with the combination.
Harew takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Harew fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Melo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Nice body kick there by Melo.
Melo avoids the body shot from Harew.
No joy there for Harew, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Harew takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Melo feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Harew's calf.
Harew takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Melo cracks the inside of Harew's front leg.
A cross from Melo lands.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Melo works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melo lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Melo throws a nice inside leg kick.
Melo fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Melo throws a leg kick which misses Harew's front leg but catches the back leg as Harew tries to avoid it.
Harew keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Melo moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Harew stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Melo.
Melo throws a quick inside leg kick.
Melo moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Melo throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Melo throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Harew's head.
Melo cracks the inside of Harew's front leg.
Melo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Melo.
Melo lands a really nice looking cross but Harew seems unphased.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Harew swinging wildly here.
Melo lands with a shot to the body.
Harew on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Harew dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Melo scores with a leg kick.
Felipe Melo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Harew misses with the combination.
No joy there for Harew, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Melo throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Harew stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Good leg kick by Melo there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melo throws a nice inside leg kick.
Harew throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Melo.
A nice inside leg kick there by Melo. That's going to slow Harew down.
An inside leg kick lands from Melo.
Harew takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Melo thows a body kick. Harew tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Harew sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Harew waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Melo.
Melo cracks the inside of Harew's front leg.
Harew misses with a wild body shot.
Melo delivers a nice body kick.
Harew defending well as Melo loads up on a big left hand.
Harew throws a combination that misses
and Melo counters with a nice body kick.
Melo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Melo. Harew does a little dance to reset his feet.
Harew takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Some wild striking there from Harew.
Melo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Harew crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Melo - the referee stops the clock and Harew gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Melo. Harew manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
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!
A solid body kick from Melo.
Melo connects with a looping right hand.
Harew moves out of range of the strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harew scores with a crisp jab that stopped Melo in his tracks.
A punch combination from Harew misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Melo, right into the meat.
Rich Harew has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Felipe Melo is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Melo throws a lazy right hand but Harew sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Felipe Melo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Melo has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 26:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Felipe Melo!
Felipe Melo is the new lightweight champion!