PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Melo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Menezes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eric Menezes is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Melo
vs
Menezes

200 cm
23
263 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
21
223 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ryan Melo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eric Menezes!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Menezes shoots in and gets a takedown into Melo's guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Menezes 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.

Melo has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Menezes off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Melo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Menezes defends it nicely.

Melo clinches.
Melo is looking to break free of the clinch but Menezes has double underhooks.
Menezes tries to throw a body punch but Melo avoids it by throwing Menezes back against the cage.
Menezes wants a takedown but no success here.
Melo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Menezes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Menezes moves into the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Melo - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menezes has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Melo avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Menezes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Melo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ryan Melo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eric Menezes.
Melo lands a knee to the head.

Menezes manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Menezes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Melo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Melo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Menezes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Melo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Menezes is proving hard to escape from.
Menezes is pulling down on Melo's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Menezes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Melo wants to get up but he can't break Menezes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Menezes should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Melo stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Melo wants it to stay on the feet.
Melo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Menezes throws a head kick but Melo moves out of range.

Melo closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Menezes is trying to force a seperation but Melo has the dominant position.
Melo wants to break free but Menezes has control.
Menezes is looking for a takedown.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Melo obliges.
Menezes looks winded!
Menezes wants to break the clinch but can't.

Melo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Menezes avoids it really well and circles away.
Melo tries to clinch there but Menezes circles away.
Melo tries to clinch but Menezes moves away

and Menezes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Melo won't be happy with that.
Melo wants to get back to his feet.
Melo is trying to control Menezes's posture but Menezes avoids it.
Menezes moves into full mount!
Melo is bucking up trying to escape but Menezes cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menezes won't let Melo get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Melo is desperately trying to improve his position but Menezes has a good base and remains in mount.
Melo taking shots to the head.
Menezes takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Menezes working the ground and pound effectively.
Melo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Menezes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Menezes controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eric Menezes will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Melo gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Menezes wants to control from the top but Melo keeps moving.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Menezes won't allow Melo to get back to his feet.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Eric Menezes hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Melo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Menezes as he jumps to the side.
Ryan Melo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Menezes manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Melo on his heels. He'll look to pass Melo's guard now, I'm sure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menezes is standing up over Melo. Melo looks to escape but Menezes dives into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Melo takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Melo is trying to escape the position but Menezes is controlling the position.
Melo tries to buck Menezes off but Menezes is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Menezes is chipping away with strikes.
Melo takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Melo bucks up and tries to throw Menezes off but instead Menezes has got his back!
Menezes biding his time, looking for the opening.
Menezes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Will Menezes go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

Melo showing good submission defense here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Menezes scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Melo is looking for a way out.
Menezes connects with a big shot to the side of Melo's head.
Menezes biding his time, looking for the opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melo trying to get back to his feet but Menezes is in full control for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Menezes controls the position.
Melo covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Melo is trying to remain composed but Menezes is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Melo is trying to get back to his feet but Menezes has full control of the position and if anything, Melo has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Menezes lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Menezes has good solid back control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melo tries to break free.
Melo just trying to survive but Menezes is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

Menezes looking for the choke but no joy.

Menezes is looking for the choke from the back position but Melo is controlling his hands well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Menezes has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Menezes punishes Melo with strikes from the back mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Menezes 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Melo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Menezes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Menezes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Menezes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Melo tries to avoid it but Menezes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Melo to the ground. Melo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Melo lands a big head kick that sends Menezes tumbling to the mat! Melo takes a step backwards and waves Menezes back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Eric Menezes has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Menezes swats away the attempt to clinch by Melo.
Ryan Melo is winning the standup battle so far.
Menezes keeps the fight on the outside.

Menezes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Menezes wants to control but Melo is keeping him busy.
Eric Menezes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Melo is trying to control Menezes's posture but Menezes avoids it.

Menezes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menezes trying to control the action but Melo is working from the bottom.
Menezes tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Menezes remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melo prevents Menezes from moving into mount.
Melo is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Menezes landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Melo is not content to let Menezes control the position.
Melo wants to get back to his feet but Menezes drags him back down.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Melo tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melo wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Menezes tries to stand but Melo is controlling his head.
Melo throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Melo is trying to control Menezes's posture but Menezes avoids it.
Melo tries to improve position but can't.
Melo is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Menezes asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Menezes in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menezes wants to stand but Melo is controlling his arm.
Ryan Melo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Melo on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Menezes trying to control the action but Melo is working from the bottom.
Menezes tries to stand but Melo is controlling his head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Melo tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Menezes presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ryan Melo.
I think Menezes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Menezes!