PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joopu Bizo (ranked 4204 p4p, 3288 weight class) and Zion Melton (ranked 475 p4p, 390 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bizo
vs
Melton

178 cm
19
155
2 - 2 - 1

172 cm
19
159
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Joopu Bizo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zion Melton!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Tiny Johnson and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bizo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Melton clinches with his opponent.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Melton obliges.
Bizo digs a right hand underneath Melton's ribcage. Melton let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Nice body punch from Melton - that landed with a thud.
Knees to the body from Melton.
Melton utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Melton displaying some good clinch control by pressing Bizo up against the cage.

Melton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bizo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Melton was covering up waiting for the punch and Bizo finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Melton not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melton keeping moving, preventing Bizo from controlling successfully.
Bizo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Melton swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Melton manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Melton looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Bizo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bizo trying to control the position.
Melton is looking to stand up but Bizo won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melton landing with the ground and pound.
Bizo looking to control.
Bizo seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Melton with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bizo is trying to hold Melton in close to prevent damage but Melton has managed to pass into half guard.
Bizo wants to control but Melton is keeping busy.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Melton lands a nice short elbow.
Bizo scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Melton manages to mount him!
Bizo slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Bizo gets full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melton throws a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bizo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bizo trying to control the position.
Melton throws a big right hand that misses.
Bizo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Melton.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Melton has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Bizo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Melton looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Melton is thwarting Bizo's attempts to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zion Melton dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Melton pushes Bizo up against the cage in a clinch.
The referee calls for Melton to work.
Melton tries to land knees in the clinch but Bizo avoids the damage to the body.
Melton putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Bizo in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Melton content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Melton putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Bizo in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Melton escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Melton closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Bizo's guard.

Bizo uses the cage to get back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
An inside leg kick from Bizo misses.
Melton tries to counter by closing the distance.

Melton shoots in and gets a takedown into Bizo's guard.

Bizo uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Melton gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bizo trying to control the position from guard on top but Melton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Melton trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Bizo won't allow Melton to get back to his feet.
Bizo trying to control the position from guard on top but Melton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Melton is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bizo is controlling him.
Melton thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Bizo forces his way into half guard.
Melton is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bizo is pressing down on Melton's thigh, looking to free his foot. Melton is holding on for now.

Melton manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Bizo keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Melton stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Melton tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bizo avoids it.

Bizo has Melton pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Bizo pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Melton tumbling to the mat - Bizo dives into Melton's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Melton keeping full guard, as Bizo tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Bizo trying to control the position from guard on top but Melton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bizo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bizo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Zion Melton has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bizo trying to control the position from guard on top but Melton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Melton wants to stand up but Bizo is controlling him.

Bizo has gone for a leg lock! Melton slips out almost immediately though and dives into Bizo's guard.

Bizo has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Melton is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Melton crunches a lovely knee into Bizo's ribcage.
Melton comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melton working Bizo over with knees to the body.
Melton just leaning against Bizo, taking a breather.
Melton landing knees to the body.

Melton manages to break the clinch.

Melton drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bizo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Bizo is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Melton crunches a lovely knee into Bizo's ribcage.
Melton with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A short right from Melton on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zion Melton will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Melton takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Zion Melton has been cut.

Melton darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Bizo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Bizo trying to keep a closed guard but Melton is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bizo wriggles free and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Melton gets caught napping as Bizo dives in and scores a takedown. Melton manages to retain guard.
Melton wants to stand and escape but Bizo is having none of it.
Bizo passes Melton's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Melton really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bizo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Melton landing a few short strikes.
Bizo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Melton keeps working.
Bizo is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Melton is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Melton flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Melton looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bizo is trying to work for a kimura but Melton is defending well.
Bizo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Melton manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Bizo keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Bizo managing to block the knees to the body from Melton.
Melton goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Melton can't find room to land a body shot as Bizo controls the action.

Bizo turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Bizo manages to end up in side control.

Melton throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Melton lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bizo's sensitive parts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Melton shoots in and bounces Bizo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Melton trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Bizo wants to stand and escape but Melton is having none of it.
Melton is looking to work some ground and pound but Bizo has wrist control.
Bizo seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melton stopping the sweep attempt from Bizo.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Melton working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Bizo scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Melton dives in and scores a takedown into Bizo's guard.
Melton with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zion Melton.
I've got Melton winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zion Melton!