PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Erin Melcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mack Gerhardt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mack Gerhardt will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Melcher
vs
Gerhardt

170 cm
20
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Erin Melcher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mack Gerhardt!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Melcher darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Melcher wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gerhardt keeps working.
Gerhardt gets full guard.
Melcher wants to control from the top but Gerhardt keeps moving.
Melcher has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gerhardt is on top in guard.
Gerhardt passes Melcher's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Gerhardt prevents Melcher from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melcher is working hard here to advance position.
Melcher is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gerhardt's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gerhardt's back!
Gerhardt trying to control the hands but Melcher breaks the grip.
You can see the frustration on Gerhardt's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Melcher is not going to allow Gerhardt to sit and survive in this position.
Melcher is trying to stick to Gerhardt's back but Gerhardt is turning into Melcher. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Melcher's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Gerhardt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melcher preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Melcher trying to keep a closed guard but Gerhardt is proving a slippery customer.

Gerhardt thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Melcher not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gerhardt misses with the combination.
Gerhardt throws a combination. Melcher tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Melcher fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gerhardt looks to land a left hand but Melcher moved out of range nicely.

Melcher pushes Gerhardt up against the cage in a clinch.
Melcher lands an elbow inside that Gerhardt shrugs off.
Gerhardt looks gassed!
Gerhardt being controlled against the cage.

Melcher has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Gerhardt is trying to keep an underhook but Melcher manages to get the takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melcher stalling.
Melcher missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Melcher missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Gerhardt looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Melcher working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Gerhardt's thigh. Gerhardt counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Gerhardt looking to hit a scissor sweep but Melcher is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melcher sitting in guard here, content to control.

Gerhardt is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

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

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Melcher scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Melcher decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Melcher feints and then cracks Gerhardt's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Gerhardt down.
Mack Gerhardt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Melcher pushes Gerhardt up against the cage in a clinch.
Melcher leaning his opponent against the cage.

Melcher gets control of Gerhardt's arms and successfully pulls guard. Melcher will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melcher trying to keep a closed guard but Gerhardt is proving a slippery customer.
Melcher pulls Gerhardt in to control the position.

Gerhardt drops back, looking for a kneebar! Melcher looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Melcher looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Melcher!
Melcher slows the pace down.
Melcher passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Gerhardt!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melcher tries to control but Gerhardt wriggling away.
Melcher controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erin Melcher dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Melcher instigates a clinch.
Melcher drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Gerhardt gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Melcher tries for a takedown but Gerhardt manages to get underhooks.
Gerhardt is pressed up against the cage. Melcher has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gerhardt down to the mat. Gerhardt avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erin Melcher. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gerhardt misses with a takedown

and Melcher counters with a shoot takedown. Gerhardt fights it but they end up in guard.

Gerhardt is looking for a triangle but Melcher pushes his legs off easily.

Melcher gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
A combination from Gerhardt does no damage.

Melcher pushes Gerhardt up against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Melcher manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gerhardt throws a right hand that Melcher ducks under and follows up with a left that Melcher also avoids with ease.

Melcher clinches with his opponent.
Melcher lands an elbow that stopped Gerhardt in his tracks for a moment.
Gerhardt prevents a takedown attempt there.
Melcher unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gerhardt lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Gerhardt can't break the clinch.
Melcher lands a nice elbow.
Gerhardt has had enough of the clinch but Melcher keeps him there for the moment.
Melcher crunches a lovely knee into Gerhardt's ribcage.
Melcher tries to pull guard but Gerhardt won't allow it.

Melcher breaks the clinch.
Gerhardt fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Melcher.
A knee to the head by Melcher.
Gerhardt is pressed up against the cage. Melcher has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gerhardt down to the mat. Gerhardt avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Melcher doesn't manage to clinch there - Gerhardt circles away.

Gerhardt shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Gerhardt not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Melcher is holding on to half guard well.
Melcher misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Gerhardt is working for a submission of some sort.
Melcher keeping hold of Gerhardt's head, controlling as best he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gerhardt decides to return to a standing position.
Gerhardt misses with the combination.

Melcher drives through with a takedown into guard.
Melcher trying to control the position from guard on top but Gerhardt is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Melcher wanted to stand there but Gerhardt had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Melcher avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gerhardt looking for a guillotine here but Melcher defends easily.

Gerhardt has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Melcher can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Melcher lands a couple of digs.
Melcher looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Erin Melcher will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gerhardt swinging wilding here.
Melcher fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gerhardt looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Melcher gets a clinch.

Melcher breaks from the clinch.
A punch combination from Gerhardt misses.

Melcher closes the distance and clinches.

Melcher jumps guard.

Melcher working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gerhardt doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gerhardt manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Melcher wants to stand and escape but Gerhardt is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Melcher trying to control the position.
Melcher wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gerhardt stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Gerhardt throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Melcher has taken the fight to the clinch.

Melcher breaks the clinch.

Melcher gets a clinch.

Melcher escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Melcher fails with an attempt to clinch.
Melcher stuffs the takedown.

Melcher feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Melcher would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Melcher works over Gerhardt with some ground and pound from guard.

Melcher stands up and waves to Gerhardt to follow him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melcher explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

Melcher scores with a takedown into Gerhardt's guard.
Melcher has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gerhardt is proving hard to escape from.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melcher showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gerhardt is trying to keep Melcher in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melcher wanted to stand there but Gerhardt had control of the position.

Gerhardt working for a triangle but Melcher defends it easily.
Melcher trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gerhardt's guard.

Gerhardt is looking for a triangle but Melcher pushes his legs off easily.
Melcher controls from within his opponent's guard.

Gerhardt looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melcher would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Gerhardt is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Gerhardt is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Melcher keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gerhardt's head.
Melcher postures up and lands a big shot to Gerhardt's brow.
Erin Melcher is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Melcher won't allow Gerhardt to sweep him here.

Gerhardt is looking for a triangle but Melcher pushes his legs off easily.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Melcher moves into the clinch successfully.
Mack Gerhardt has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gerhardt tries to break the clinch but Melcher is controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erin Melcher showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Melcher, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erin Melcher!