PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cleophus Washington (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peeta Mellark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Washington's entrance music is The Way I Feel. A fine choice. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Washington
vs
Mellark

166 cm
20
136 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

172 cm
23
140 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cleophus Washington!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Peeta Mellark!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Yves DeLean and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mellark misses the jab.
Washington staying out of range there.
Mellark tries to land a leg kick but Washington saw it coming and moves away.

Mellark closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Washington tries for a takedown but Mellark manages to get underhooks.
Mellark cracks Washington with a nice body shot.
Mellark tries to break the clinch but Washington is controlling the position.
Washington goes for a takedown attempt but Mellark pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Peeta Mellark seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mellark ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Washington moves away.

Mellark fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Washington, pushing him back against the ropes.

Mellark pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mellark misses with an uppercut.

Mellark clinches up against the ropes.
Mellark lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Washington tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Mellark smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cleophus Washington. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mellark swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Washington.
Mellark tries to clinch there but Washington circles away.
Washington moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mellark dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Washington shoots in for a takedown but Mellark shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mellark motions for Washington to come forward. Mellark throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Mellark scores with a hook.
Washington tries for a takedown but Mellark sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mellark thows a left - swing and a miss!
Mellark misses the shot to the body.
Mellark is looking to clinch.
Peeta Mellark is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mellark lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A jab from Mellark finds it's way through Washington's defenses.
Washington shoots for a takedown but Mellark saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Washington takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Washington.
Washington is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mellark sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mellark throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mellark misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Washington uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mellark.
Mellark doesn't manage to clinch there - Washington circles away.
Washington tries for a takedown but Mellark sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Washington moves out of range as Mellark strikes.
Mellark tries to clinch up.
Mellark misses with a hook.
Washington avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A swing and a miss from Mellark.

Washington closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Mellark works his way to full guard. Good work.
Mellark wants to stand up but Washington is controlling him.
Mellark tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mellark pulls Washington in to control the position.

Washington thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mellark holds on and takes a little breather.

Washington thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Washington drops back looking for a leg! Mellark is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Mellark manages to kick Washington off! Washington jumps back into Mellark's guard.
Washington trying to control but Mellark is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Mellark pulls Washington in close to prevent any damage.
Washington wants to pass the guard but Mellark is keeping the position.
Mellark 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.
Mellark really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Washington. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mellark misses with an uppercut.
Washington is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Washington fails with the takedown.
Mellark fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Good work by Washington as he checks the leg kick.
Mellark waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Washington.
Washington checks a low kick from Mellark.
Mellark moves in looking to clinch but Washington pushes him off.
Mellark misses the jab.
Mellark stuffs the takedown attempt from Washington. Washington gets slowly back to his feet.
Washington blocks a jab.
Mellark cracks a nice hook into Washington's ribs.
Nice uppercut lands for Mellark. That snapped Washington's head back.
Mellark ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Washington moves away.
Washington looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mellark throws a big shot that misses.
Mellark swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mellark throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mellark rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Washington moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Washington uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mellark.
No luck for Washington with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cleophus Washington. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Washington checks a leg kick nicely.

Mellark rushes Washington and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Mellark gets underhooks to prevent Washington's takedown attempt.
Washington being controlled against the ropes.
Mellark trying to control the position but instead, Washington has worked for underhooks and has pushed Mellark into the ropes.
Washington is looking to control Mellark's arms but Mellark gets an underhook and turns him. Now Washington has his back to the ropes.
Mellark lands with a light punch inside.
Mellark working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Mellark as Washington tries to tie him up.
Washington goes for a takedown in the clinch but Mellark prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mellark lands a right hand that snaps the head of Washington backwards.
Mellark works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Mellark takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Washington jumps guard but Mellark stands there with Washington around his waist. Washington gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mellark wants to get back to striking at distance but Washington won't allow it.
Mellark blocks an elbow strike from Washington.
Washington tries for a takedown but Mellark manages to get underhooks.
A short body shot lands from Mellark as the two fighters clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mellark prevents a takedown attempt there.
Washington is trying to stall.
Mellark has Washington pressed against the ropes.
Washington is working for takedown but Mellark is calmly controlling the position for now.
Mellark is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Mellark is trying to force a seperation but Washington has the dominant position.

Mellark breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jab by Mellark.
Washington fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Washington circles away from the clinch attempt

and Washington counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Washington.
Mellark wants to sweep but no luck.
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.
Mellark trying to keep a closed guard but Washington is proving a slippery customer.

Washington drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Washington jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mellark is trying to keep Washington in close.
Mellark is controlling Washington's posture.
Let's hope that Mellark has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Mellark is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mellark looking to hit a scissor sweep but Washington is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Washington wants to pass the guard but Mellark is keeping the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Mellark can do anything to dispel that myth.

Washington is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Mellark looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Washington.
Mellark ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Mellark misses with a leg kick.
Washington throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mellark's waist but Mellark gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Washington off to one side.
Mellark wants to clinch up but Washington keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Peeta Mellark showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Washington checks a low kick from Mellark.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mellark. Washington does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mellark scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Washington doesn't seem bothered though.
Mellark misses with the combination.
Mellark jabs at Washington's body.
Mellark scores with a hook.

Mellark closes the distance and clinches.
Mellark has Washington pressed against the ropes, preventing Washington from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Mellark trying to stall but Washington improves his position.

Washington successfully pulls guard.
Mellark wants to control from the top but Washington keeps moving.
Mellark works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mellark not doing much here.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Washington moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Washington has his foot on Mellark's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mellark works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mellark showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Mellark tries to stand but Washington is controlling from the bottom.
Mellark 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.

Washington escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mellark gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mellark passes into half guard.
Mellark looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mellark trying to control the action but Washington is working from the bottom.
Cleophus Washington has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Washington looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mellark is controlling the pace.
Mellark seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Washington is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mellark pulls his head out easily.
Mellark controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mellark is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mellark rushes Washington and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Mellark lands with a left to the head.

Mellark's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice jab there from Mellark.
Washington blocks a low kick nicely.
Mellark tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Washington counters with a takedown into side control.
Mellark is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Washington thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Mellark controls the position for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mellark struggling a bit here.

Washington thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Peeta Mellark is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mellark keeping his opponent close.
Mellark is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Mellark manages to get back to half guard.

Washington is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Mellark sees it coming and defends easily.
Mellark trying to control from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Peeta Mellark.
I've got Mellark 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 William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Peeta Mellark!