PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tarik Mello (ranked 7077 p4p, 546 weight class) and Mikey Ronson (ranked 4240 p4p, 445 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mello
vs
Ronson

182 cm
26
171 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

175 cm
26
183 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Good chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Knockout power

Condemned

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tarik Mello!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mikey Ronson!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Steve Smith and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ronson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Mello is pressing down on Ronson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mello bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ronson's guard.

Mello is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Ronson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Mello working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ronson's head.
Mello postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Mello works over Ronson with some ground and pound from guard.

Ronson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mello doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mello manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mello is in close to Ronson's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Mello pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ronson is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ronson looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Mello puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ronson wants to control but Mello is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ronson moves into full guard.
Ronson is trying to keep Mello in close.

Ronson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Ronson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mello defends well.
Mello is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ronson trying to keep a closed guard but Mello is proving a slippery customer.

Ronson working for a triangle but Mello defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ronson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mello is one step ahead there.
Mello stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ronson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mello cracks Ronson with a solid left hand.
Ronson wants to sweep here but Mello controlling him for the moment.
Ronson keeps trying to improve his position.
Mello lands a couple of digs.
Mello content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ronson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mello's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ronson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ronson trying to control but Mello is working from the bottom.
Mello looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ronson landing with the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ronson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mello keeping moving, preventing Ronson from controlling successfully.
Ronson stands up over Mello, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mello keeping moving, preventing Ronson from controlling successfully.
Mello controlling Ronson's posture.
Mello keeping moving, preventing Ronson from controlling successfully.

Ronson 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.
Ronson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mikey Ronson will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ronson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Mello was covering up waiting for the punch and Ronson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Ronson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ronson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mello is keeping the position for now.
Ronson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mello utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ronson preventing the sweep.
Mello keeping moving, preventing Ronson from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ronson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mello keeping moving, preventing Ronson from controlling successfully.
Mello wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mello keeping moving, preventing Ronson from controlling successfully.
Ronson postures up in Mello's guard and throws a big left but Mello blocks it.
Ronson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

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

Ronson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Mello defends it easily.
Mello working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Ronson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mello scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ronson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mello's guard.

Ronson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Mello looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ronson is one step ahead there.
Ronson wants to control from the top but Mello keeps moving.
Mello 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 three minutes gone in the round.
Mello keeping moving, preventing Ronson from controlling successfully.
Mello looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ronson throwing strikes from guard but Mello blocks nicely.
Ronson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ronson wants to control from the top but Mello keeps moving.
Ronson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Ronson lands a couple of digs.

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.
Mello keeping moving, preventing Ronson from controlling successfully.
Ronson wants to pass the guard but Mello is keeping the position.
Ronson looking to sit in guard and control but Mello gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Ronson is trying to keep Mello in close.
Mello connects with a couple of short punches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ronson is on top in guard.

Mello knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ronson on the ground.
Ronson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikey Ronson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Ronson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The ground and pound from Ronson seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Ronson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Mello on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mello tries to get out of the position.
Mello is looking for a sweep.

Ronson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Mello, who protects the arm well.
Mello avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Ronson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ronson in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mello tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ronson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ronson is looking to take a break and control but Mello is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ronson cracks Mello with a big elbow.
Mello is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Ronson is trying to control the action in half guard but Mello is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Ronson looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Ronson wants to take a breather but Mello is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mello is defending against the submission attempts here by Ronson.
Ronson trying to pass the guard but Mello defending well.
Ronson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ronson wants to take a breather but Mello is having none of it.

Ronson is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Mello still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Mello has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mello looks up at the clock and then as Ronson takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Mello smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Ronson on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Mello cracks Ronson with a big right hand but Ronson just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Ronson on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Ronson is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Mello off and has taken his back!

Ronson is cranking Mello's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for Mello! He's tightened the choke and Mello is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Mikey Ronson!
A relieved looking Mikey Ronson thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.