PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matt Melbye (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacek Kowalski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Melbye
vs
Kowalski

182 cm
25
198 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Melbye!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jacek Kowalski!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Marco Blurström and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kowalski throws a head kick but Melbye moves out of range.
Kowalski tries a head kick but it misses.
Kowalski catches Melbye with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Kowalski throws a solid leg kick but Melbye takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kowalski.
Melbye tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kowalski swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Kowalski looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Melbye keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Well, if Kowalski is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Kowalski wants to take a breather but Melbye is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Kowalski is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jacek Kowalski.
Melbye tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kowalski swivels and escapes.

Kowalski closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kowalski lands in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kowalski trying to control but Melbye is working from the bottom.
Melbye controls Kowalski momentarily but Kowalski frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melbye is controlling Kowalski's posture.
Melbye is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Kowalski tries to stand but Melbye is controlling from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Melbye clinches up against the cage.
Melbye drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kowalski pulls his leg out and moves away.
Melbye tries to clinch there but Kowalski circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kowalski darts in and clinches Melbye up against the cage.
Melbye has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kowalski is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Melbye. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kowalski tightens his grip and picks Melbye up, before dumping him to the ground. Melbye manages to land in guard.
Kowalski is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kowalski pushing down on Melbye's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Kowalski seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Melbye tries to get to full guard but Kowalski has control of the leg.
Melbye wants to control but Kowalski is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kowalski trying to mount his opponent but Melbye defends it.
Still in half guard, Kowalski seems content to control.
Melbye is doing well to control the position and prevent Kowalski from advancing to side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Kowalski darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kowalski sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Melbye defending well though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kowalski trying to control the action but Melbye is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacek Kowalski dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kowalski throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Melbye tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Kowalski is in Melbye's guard.
Melbye is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Melbye bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kowalski's guard.
Kowalski is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kowalski is looking to stand up but Melbye isn't so interested in that idea.
Kowalski really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Melbye. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kowalski wants to sweep here but Melbye controlling him for the moment.
Kowalski is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Melbye wants to control from the top but Kowalski keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kowalski doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Melbye drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Melbye jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Melbye's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Melbye looking to sit in guard and control but Kowalski gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Melbye seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Melbye has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melbye looking for a sweep. Not yet Melbye, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melbye trying to control the position.
Kowalski must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Melbye wants to sweep but no luck.

We're going to have a standup here because Matt Melbye wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kowalski wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Kowalski closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Melbye gets back to half guard.

Kowalski is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Melbye doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kowalski.
Kowalski is breathing heavily.
Melbye wants to control but Kowalski is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kowalski tries to pass the half guard into mount. Melbye knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kowalski sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Melbye defending well though.
Melbye trying to control from the bottom.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kowalski circles away from the clinch attempt.

Kowalski closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Melbye did well to prevent Kowalski getting side control.
Melbye is refusing to be controlled, as Kowalski sits in half guard.

Melbye looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Melbye preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jacek Kowalski will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Kowalski shoots in and bounces Melbye off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Melbye is trying to keep Kowalski in close.
Melbye has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Kowalski advances position into side control!
Melbye tries to buck Kowalski off but Kowalski is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melbye regains half guard.
Melbye is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Melbye trying to control from the bottom.
Melbye makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Melbye.
Jacek Kowalski has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kowalski controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Kowalski postures up.
Melbye has his hands on Kowalski's head, controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

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

Kowalski stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Kowalski closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Melbye did well to prevent Kowalski getting side control.
Kowalski takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Melbye makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Melbye.
Kowalski wants to control from the top but Melbye keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melbye looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kowalski is one step ahead there.
Kowalski stays in close to Melbye's body and controls the position.
Melbye looking for a sweep. Not yet Melbye, not yet.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Melbye bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kowalski's guard.
Melbye looking to sit in guard and control but Kowalski gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kowalski engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kowalski tries to free his leg and advance position but Melbye is retaining full guard.
Kowalski won't allow Melbye to sweep him here.
Melbye managing to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Kowalski closes the distance and pushes Melbye back into the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jacek Kowalski.
Well Kowalski 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacek Kowalski!