PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cole Hamels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Melisi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Hamels
vs
Melisi

188 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cole Hamels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nick Melisi!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Anthony Taglia and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Hamels - that will leave a mark!
Melisi shoots in and drives through. Hamels sprawls well.
Horrible takedown by Melisi or perhaps it was just good defense by Hamels which made him look bad.
Melisi shoots in for a double leg but Hamels sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Cole Hamels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Melisi.
Melisi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hamels as he avoids it easily.

Hamels has closed the distance and engaged Melisi in a clinch.

Hamels has hold of one of Melisi's legs. Melisi is fighting the takedown attempt but Hamels gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Melisi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hamels gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hamels working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Melisi's head.
Melisi looks gassed!
Melisi trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hamels is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melisi can't keep his opponent in guard - Hamels advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Melisi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Hamels decides to stand up.
Hamels throws a wild body kick that Melisi sees coming a mile off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Hamels has taken the fight to the clinch.

Hamels gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hamels trying to control the action but Melisi is working from the bottom.

Melisi actively working from the bottom here.
Hamels lands with a punch from half guard.
Hamels not doing much here.
Hamels seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Melisi for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hamels wants to pass the guard but Melisi is defending well.
Hamels will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hamels passes the guard and advances to mount!
Hamels can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Melisi is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hamels putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cole Hamels dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Nice sprawl there from Hamels as Melisi shoots in.

Hamels looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Melisi wants to hit a switch here but Hamels passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Melisi there!
Hamels tries to control but Melisi wriggling away.
Hamels is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melisi keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Hamels tries to control but Melisi wriggling away.
Hamels working Melisi over with strikes here.
Hamels unloading with bombs!
Hamels wants to control the pace but Melisi is squirming around nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hamels throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Melisi because Hamels loaded up on that one.
Hamels trying to control but Melisi is having none of it.
Melisi is desperately trying to improve his position but Hamels has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Melisi that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Hamels lands a big elbow.
Hamels can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Melisi is looking to escape.
Hamels controlling the pace for now.
Hamels's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Cole Hamels just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Melisi needs to keep his hands up - Hamels had a free shot at his head there.

Hamels shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hamels showed some decent athleticism there.
Hamels wants to lay and pray for a moment but Melisi keeps working.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cole Hamels dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Melisi tries for a takedown but Hamels circles away easily

and Hamels counters by moving into the clinch.

Hamels manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Melisi 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.
Hamels controls Melisi momentarily but Melisi frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hamels wants to stand up but Melisi is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hamels controls Melisi momentarily but Melisi frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Melisi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Hamels counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hamels.
Hamels seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Melisi looking for a sweep. Not yet Melisi, not yet.

Hamels stands up and waves to Melisi to follow him.
Cole Hamels is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Melisi shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hamels counters with a big head kick but Melisi shrugs it off.
Cole Hamels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Melisi.

Hamels pushes Melisi up against the ropes in a clinch.
Melisi gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hamels.
Hamels prevents the takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Hamels.
Hamels lands with a left to the head.
Hamels avoiding damage.
Hamels tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Melisi just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Hamels pushes Melisi back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.

Hamels pulls guard effortlessly.
Melisi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Hamels is edging up against the ropes. He's using the ropes to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Melisi is trying to trip Hamels. He has hold of a leg but Hamels is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Melisi persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Hamels controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melisi throwing strikes but missing.
Hamels is pulling down on Melisi's head to control his posture.

Hamels looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Melisi tries to free his leg and advance position but Hamels is retaining full guard.
Nick Melisi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hamels is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cole Hamels showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hamels has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cole Hamels!