PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hiro Yatamoko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier Melendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Melendez has chosen El Coo Cooi as his entrance music. Hiro Yatamoko has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Yatamoko
vs
Melendez

225 cm
25
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

165 cm
20
169 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter striker
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hiro Yatamoko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Xavier Melendez!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Melendez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Some wild striking there from Melendez.
Yatamoko fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Melendez shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Yatamoko looking for submissions off his back.
Melendez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez lands with a punch from half guard.
Melendez is keen to just control but Yatamoko is a slippery customer.
Yatamoko is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Melendez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Melendez's back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melendez prevents Yatamoko from getting a body triangle.
Melendez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Yatamoko. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Melendez fending off the submission attempt from Yatamoko.
Melendez is trying to break free.

Yatamoko tightening his grip on Melendez, looking for the choke.
Yatamoko is controlling the position but Melendez somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yatamoko tries to pass the half guard into mount. Melendez knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Melendez has his hands clasped together around Yatamoko's back. He's all about the action.
Yatamoko really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Yatamoko seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Melendez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Melendez is pressing down on Yatamoko's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Yatamoko will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Melendez keeping moving, preventing Yatamoko from controlling successfully.

Yatamoko postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Melendez is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Yatamoko, into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Yatamoko looking to control.
Yatamoko 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.

Yatamoko working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Melendez has passed into half guard!
Yatamoko is breathing heavily.
Melendez is nestled in close to Yatamoko, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Yatamoko won't allow Melendez to pass to mount.
Yatamoko is looking to control Melendez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Yatamoko avoid being mounted?
Melendez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

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.
Melendez wants to pass to mount but Yatamoko is defending the position.
Melendez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Yatamoko defending well though.
Yatamoko slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Yatamoko tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Melendez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yatamoko.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yatamoko ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Melendez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Melendez is looking to clinch.
Yatamoko tries for a takedown but Melendez circles away easily

and Melendez counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Melendez.
Melendez lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Melendez trying to control the position from guard on top but Yatamoko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yatamoko is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Yatamoko keeping moving, preventing Melendez from controlling successfully.
Melendez is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Yatamoko looking for a sweep. Not yet Yatamoko, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yatamoko looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Melendez passes into side control.
Yatamoko is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Melendez is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Melendez looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Melendez fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Yatamoko is trying to escape the mount.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Melendez controlling from the full mount.
Yatamoko regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez wants to pass to mount but Yatamoko is defending the position.
Yatamoko moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Yatamoko manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Melendez manages to get himself to full guard.
Melendez keeping full guard, as Yatamoko tries to pass.
Melendez looking for a sweep. Not yet Melendez, not yet.
Yatamoko sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Melendez's guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Melendez manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Melendez is trying to keep Yatamoko in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yatamoko stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Melendez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Melendez wants to sweep but no luck.
Melendez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Yatamoko wants to control from the top but Melendez keeps moving.
Melendez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Yatamoko misses with a jab to the body

and Melendez counters with a shoot takedown. Yatamoko fights it but they end up in guard.
Melendez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yatamoko wants to sweep but no luck.

Yatamoko throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Melendez escapes and throws Yatamoko's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Yatamoko is looking to regain half guard here but Melendez keeps moving and retains side control.
Yatamoko is working hard here to advance position.
Melendez works to advance to full mount. Yatamoko defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Xavier Melendez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Yatamoko regains half guard.
Melendez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Yatamoko looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Melendez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Melendez 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.

Yatamoko working for submissions but it's allowed Melendez to get to half guard.
Melendez controlling the action here.

Melendez stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Melendez ducks under a wild hook from Yatamoko.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez throws a big shot that misses.
Melendez avoids the body shot from Yatamoko.
Yatamoko misses with a takedown

and Melendez counters with a single leg into guard. Yatamoko didn't expect that.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Melendez won't allow Yatamoko to sweep him here.
Melendez wants to control from the top but Yatamoko keeps moving.
Xavier Melendez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Yatamoko throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Melendez sitting in guard here, content to control.
Yatamoko is trying to keep Melendez in close.
Melendez slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Melendez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Yatamoko is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Melendez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Yatamoko's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yatamoko manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Yatamoko trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Melendez tries to hold on but Yatamoko postures up.
Melendez is looking to get to half guard.
Yatamoko can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Melendez is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Melendez working to try and regain half guard.
Yatamoko can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Melendez is looking to escape.

Yatamoko jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Melendez is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Melendez and Yatamoko has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
You can see the frustration on Melendez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hiro Yatamoko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yatamoko grinds an elbow into Melendez's temple.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xavier Melendez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Melendez has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xavier Melendez!