PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Melendez (ranked 5462 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matheus Pereirinha (ranked 24943 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Melendez
vs
Pereirinha

176 cm
21
278 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
22
240 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Powerful

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 Hilo, Thomas Melendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matheus Pereirinha!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Colin Fray and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pereirinha gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Pereirinha pushes Melendez off and scrambles back to his feet.

Melendez looking to score a takedown here. Pereirinha is defending well but Melendez drives through and ends up in Pereirinha's guard.
Melendez lands a couple of digs.
Melendez trying to stand up but can't free himself from Pereirinha's guard.
Melendez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Melendez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Melendez postures up and lands a big shot to Pereirinha's brow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Melendez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Pereirinha utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Melendez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Melendez cracks Pereirinha with a solid left hand.
Melendez chips away with some ground and pound.
Melendez working some strikes from top position.
Pereirinha preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Melendez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melendez is in close to Pereirinha's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Melendez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Melendez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Melendez wants to stand but Pereirinha is controlling his posture from full guard.
Pereirinha utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Melendez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pereirinha tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pereirinha looking to control.
Pereirinha has momentary wrist control but Melendez slips an elbow through the middle.
Melendez with a nice head shot there.
Melendez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Melendez is looking to work some ground and pound but Pereirinha has wrist control.
Pereirinha preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Melendez distracts Pereirinha with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Melendez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez distracts Pereirinha with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Melendez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Melendez could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Melendez is working Pereirinha over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Melendez stands up over Pereirinha, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Melendez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Melendez throws a strike but Pereirinha rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Melendez controlling Pereirinha's posture.
Pereirinha scoring with punches to the head and body.
Melendez looking to control.

Pereirinha got a little sloppy there for a moment and Melendez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pereirinha has managed to get both his arms back between Melendez's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez has momentary wrist control but Pereirinha slips an elbow through the middle.
Pereirinha slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Melendez throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Melendez is trying to control Pereirinha's posture but Pereirinha avoids it.
Melendez is trying to work for a sweep but Pereirinha has mounted him!
Pereirinha postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Melendez looks a forlorn figure.

It looks like Thomas Melendez has been cut.

Melendez defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Pereirinha.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Melendez is working to get back to half guard.
Melendez has given up his back here.
Melendez manages to reverse the position and now he's in Pereirinha's guard. Nice work there by Melendez.
Pereirinha is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Melendez distracts Pereirinha with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Pereirinha controls Melendez momentarily but Melendez frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Melendez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Thomas Melendez's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pereirinha shoots in for a takedown but Melendez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Melendez shoots in and gets a takedown into Pereirinha's guard.

Melendez stands up from Pereirinha's guard - Melendez perhaps looking for a knockout.
Pereirinha connects with a body shot that sends Melendez's belly button to the back.
Pereirinha fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Melendez is looking to counter the offense by Pereirinha and move into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pereirinha closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pereirinha taking a breather.
Pereirinha can't get the takedown.
Thomas Melendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matheus Pereirinha.

Pereirinha pulls guard successfully.
Pereirinha avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Melendez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Pereirinha working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Melendez.
Melendez is looking to stand up but Pereirinha won't let him.
Melendez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Melendez connects with a couple of short punches.
Melendez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Melendez is working Pereirinha over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Melendez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Melendez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Pereirinha preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thomas Melendez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Melendez lands a couple of elbows.
Melendez scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melendez is working Pereirinha over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Pereirinha is breathing heavily.
Melendez is looking to work some ground and pound but Pereirinha has wrist control.
Pereirinha trying to keep a closed guard but Melendez is proving a slippery customer.
Pereirinha wants to sweep but no luck.
Melendez is in close to Pereirinha's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Melendez scoring with some ground and pound.
Pereirinha avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Melendez is in close to Pereirinha's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Melendez distracts Pereirinha with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Melendez scoring with some ground and pound.

Pereirinha throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Melendez landing with the ground and pound.
Melendez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pereirinha can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Melendez landing with the ground and pound.
Melendez landing some decent shots from guard.

Melendez stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Pereirinha pushes Melendez up against the cage in a clinch.
Melendez swings wildly with an uppercut but Pereirinha uses good head movement to avoid it.

Pereirinha pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pereirinha looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pereirinha is defended easily by Melendez.
Melendez feinted with a counter takedown.
Pereirinha misses with a takedown
and Melendez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Melendez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Melendez in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Pereirinha is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Thomas Melendez!