PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Demente Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Iago Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mendes has chosen Chop Suey! as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Maia
vs
Mendes

185 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
188 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Mundo Green - World Verde

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 Rio de Janeiro, Demente Maia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Iago Mendes!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Emerson Jorge and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mendes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mendes fails with the takedown.

Mendes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Mendes lands in his opponent's guard.

Maia isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Mendes stacks Maia on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Mendes!
Mendes misses with the ground and pound.
Maia tries to bench press Mendes off him but Mendes keeps the position.

Mendes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Nice sprawl there from Maia as Mendes shoots in.
Maia getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Maia bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Mendes looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maia decides to stand up, so the ref orders Mendes to his feet.
Mendes shoots and misses

and Maia counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Maia.
Demente Maia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Iago Mendes.
Maia trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.
Maia loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Maia trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Maia gets to his feet - Mendes follows without any prompting.

Maia looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Mendes wants to sweep here but Maia controlling him for the moment.
Maia showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia throwing strikes but missing.
Maia trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.

Maia thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Maia trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia throws and elbow that misses. Mendes uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Maia's guard. Nice move by Mendes!
Mendes tries to free his leg and advance position but Maia is retaining full guard.
Maia is trying to keep Mendes in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Mendes gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Maia wants to control from the top but Mendes keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maia stands and steps away. Mendes gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Maia with a poor takedown

and Mendes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Maia wants to get back to full guard but Mendes has passed into side control.
Mendes is landing with some decent strikes but Maia is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maia really wants to buck Mendes off and get back to his feet.
Mendes tries to control but Maia wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Maia moves in looking to clinch but Mendes pushes him off.
Mendes circles away from the clinch attempt.

Maia looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Maia wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mendes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Mendes.
Maia trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.
Mendes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Maia stands and steps away. Mendes gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Mendes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Maia sprawls well initially but Mendes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Maia pushes Mendes off looking to stand but Mendes dives back in and keeps control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maia wants to control but Mendes is keeping busy.

Maia is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Mendes pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes trying to control from half guard but Maia is working away.

Maia actively working from the bottom here.

Maia actively working from the bottom here.
Maia trying to hold on to Mendes's head to control him but Mendes postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Maia shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Mendes's guard.
Maia wants to control from the top but Mendes keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maia has gone for a leg lock! Mendes slips out almost immediately though and dives into Maia's guard.

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

Maia is looking for a triangle but Mendes pushes his legs off easily.

Maia has an active guard here but Mendes has managed to pass into half guard.

Maia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Maia is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mendes is controlling him.
Maia is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Maia is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Mendes doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Maia.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Demente Maia dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Maia tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Mendes counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Maia!
Maia tries to hold on but Mendes postures up.
Maia sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Maia is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Mendes pulls his head out easily.
Mendes trying to pass the guard but Maia defending well.
Demente Maia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Maia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mendes postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Maia to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch but Mendes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Maia closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mendes jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Maia walks away with a smile on his face. Mendes gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Maia fails in his attempt to clinch.
Maia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mendes counters with a single leg into guard. Maia didn't expect that.
Maia throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mendes looking to pass the guard.

Maia looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Mendes has picked Maia up and slammed him! Maia can't keep hold of the triangle and Mendes manages to pass to side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Maia tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mendes working away.

Mendes wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Maia, who protects the arm well.
You can see the frustration on Maia's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia prevents Mendes from improving position.
Maia sneaks back into half guard.
Maia strikes from the bottom but Mendes passes into mount!
Maia is trying to escape the mount.
Maia is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Mendes working for a guillotine from mount but Maia is in no mood to give up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Maia is trying to escape the mount.

Mendes looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Iago Mendes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mendes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

And that's the end of the fight!
Iago Mendes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Maia has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Demente Maia!