PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ario Kuramoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Melendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Kuramoto
vs
Melendez

172 cm
24
142 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

168 cm
33
143 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ario Kuramoto!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Melendez!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melendez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kuramoto.
Melendez has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Kuramoto pushes Melendez up against the ropes in a clinch.

Kuramoto has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Melendez uses from the top position.
Melendez tries to free his leg and advance position but Kuramoto is retaining full guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Melendez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Melendez wants to control from the top but Kuramoto keeps moving.
Melendez stops Kuramoto from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Melendez controls from within his opponent's guard.
Melendez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kuramoto has an active guard here but Melendez has managed to pass into half guard.
Melendez perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Melendez is looking to take a break and control but Kuramoto is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Melendez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Melendez not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kuramoto is staying active underneath Melendez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Melendez trying to control the pace.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

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.
An inside leg kick lands from Kuramoto.
Kuramoto lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Kuramoto.
Kuramoto scores with a hook to the body. Melendez takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Kuramoto throws a right and a left that Melendez avoids nicely.

Kuramoto closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kuramoto lands in his opponent's guard.
Melendez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Melendez pulls Kuramoto in close to his closed guard and prevents Kuramoto from doing any damage or advancing position.
Melendez working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Kuramoto stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Kuramoto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
And Melendez tries to counter it with a takedown but Kuramoto pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Kuramoto swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Melendez counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
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.
Melendez is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Melendez is trying to work for a kimura but Kuramoto is defending well.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Melendez stops Kuramoto from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melendez looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Melendez stalling.
Melendez throwing shots but Kuramoto is blocking nicely.
Melendez keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Melendez's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Melendez stops Kuramoto from getting back to his feet.
Kuramoto on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kuramoto tries to get out of the position.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Kuramoto manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Kuramoto controlling Melendez's posture.
Kuramoto knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Melendez on the ground.
Kuramoto looking to control.
Melendez advances to half guard.
Kuramoto wants to stand back up but Melendez manages to pass into side control.
Kuramoto wants to get back to his feet.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Melendez trying to control the position but Kuramoto is working away.
Melendez taking a breather here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kuramoto displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Kuramoto swats away the attempt to clinch by Melendez.
Melendez shoots for a takedown but Kuramoto saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Kuramoto gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Melendez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kuramoto's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Kuramoto duly obliges.
Melendez steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Kuramoto. That one must have hurt.
Melendez with a poor takedown
and Kuramoto counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kuramoto shoots in but Melendez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Melendez fails with the takedown.
Ario Kuramoto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anthony Melendez.
Kuramoto misses with a series of wild punches.
Kuramoto tests Melendez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nice body kick there by Kuramoto.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Melendez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kuramoto's waist but Kuramoto gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Melendez off to one side.
Melendez fails with a takedown attempt.
Left hook, right uppercut from Kuramoto.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Melendez tries to clinch up.
Melendez fails with a takedown attempt.
Ario Kuramoto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Melendez closes the distance and clinches up with Kuramoto, looking for a takedown. Melendez pushes Kuramoto against the ropes but Kuramoto circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Kuramoto seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Kuramoto closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Melendez darts in looking for a takedown but Kuramoto gets double underhooks and turns Melendez into the ropes.
Nice uppercut lands for Kuramoto. That snapped Melendez's head back.
Melendez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kuramoto tries to avoid it but Melendez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kuramoto to the ground. Kuramoto escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Melendez is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Kuramoto.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Melendez misses.

Kuramoto closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Melendez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kuramoto avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Melendez is working for takedown but Kuramoto is calmly controlling the position for now.
Melendez looks winded!

Kuramoto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Melendez moves to clinch but Kuramoto breaks away
and Kuramoto counters with a left and a right that stings Melendez.

Kuramoto pushes Melendez up against the ropes in a clinch.

Kuramoto breaks from the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Melendez. Kuramoto does a little dance to reset his feet.

Kuramoto gets a takedown into half guard.
It looks like Kuramoto is going to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ario Kuramoto dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kuramoto shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Melendez eats them both and turns towards Kuramoto to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Kuramoto throws a lazy head kick

and Melendez counters with a takedown into side control.
Kuramoto taking a bit of punishment here - Melendez scoring with strikes.
Kuramoto bucks up and tries to throw Melendez off but instead Melendez has got his back!
Kuramoto trying to control but not successfully.
Kuramoto covers up after that shot from Melendez.
The referee is taking a good look at Kuramoto as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Melendez!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Melendez is persistently looking for the submission but Kuramoto is defending it well.
Kuramoto is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Melendez can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez is punishing Kuramoto with strikes - can he finish him?!

Kuramoto is rocked!

Melendez sinks in the hooks and is looking for the choke. He's got it! Kuramoto taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Anthony Melendez!
Anthony Melendez is the new bantamweight champion!