PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bob Sanders (ranked 5405 p4p, 25226 weight class) and AJ Menendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Menendez has chosen Kurt Angle Theme as his entrance music. Sanders has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. AJ Menendez is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Sanders
vs
Menendez

185 cm
20
210
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
21
220
1 - 5 - 2

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Bob Sanders!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 2, fighting out of The Island, AJ Menendez!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Peter Branson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Menendez throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Sanders.

It looks like Bob Sanders has been cut.
Menendez has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Menendez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Sanders fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Menendez, pushing him back against the cage.
Sanders is trying to pull guard but Menendez turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Sanders tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Menendez smiles and moves away.
Menendez shoots in for a double leg but Sanders sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sanders seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Menendez pushes Sanders up against the cage in a clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Menendez breaks the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanders tries to clinch up
and Menendez counters with a low kick, right behind Sanders 's knee.
Sanders is breathing heavily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Menendez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Menendez shoots in and gets a takedown into Sanders's guard.
Menendez trying to control but Sanders is working from the bottom.
Menendez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Menendez looking to sit in guard and control but Sanders gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menendez is pulling down on Sanders's head to control his posture.
Sanders wanted to stand there but Menendez had control of the position.

Menendez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sanders defends it easily.
Menendez wants to get back to his feet but Sanders is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Menendez seems keen to control Sanders's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Menendez pushes Sanders off and gets back to his feet.
Menendez stuffs the takedown.
Menendez is trying to counter with his kicks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Sanders. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Menendez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sanders is fending him off so far but Menendez persists. Nope, Sanders circles away and we're back to standing.
Menendez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Menendez clinches up with Sanders and pushes him back against the cage.

Sanders manages to pull guard.
Sanders wants to sweep here but Menendez controlling him for the moment.
Menendez advances to half guard.

Menendez decides to stand and escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menendez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Menendez tries to clinch up.

Menendez closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Sanders's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Menendez trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanders is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanders has a closed guard, preventing Menendez from standing up.

Menendez gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Menendez tries to clinch but Sanders moves out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

AJ Menendez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bob Sanders's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sanders leaves Menendez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Sanders gets a double leg takedown into Menendez's guard.

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

Menendez pushes Sanders off and scrambles back to his feet.

Menendez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Sanders manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Menendez trying to control but Sanders is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menendez forces his way into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sanders won't allow Menendez to pass to mount.

Menendez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Menendez prevents Sanders from improving his position.
Sanders on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sanders tries to get out of the position.
Menendez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sanders's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two 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.
Menendez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Menendez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Menendez is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Menendez looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Menendez takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Menendez has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A good leg kick by Menendez.
Menendez connects with a leg kick.
Menendez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Menendez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sanders napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Menendez trying to control the position but Sanders is working away.

Menendez is trying to get an arm triangle but Sanders is defending well.

Menendez decides to stand back up. Menendez steps back and let's Sanders get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menendez tries a head kick but it misses.
Menendez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sanders's waist but Sanders gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Menendez off to one side.
Sanders throws a big counter combination but Menendez scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Menendez misses with a head kick.
Menendez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Bob Sanders has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Menendez.

Sanders rushes Menendez and presses him up against the cage.
Sanders jumps guard but Menendez stands there with Sanders around his waist. Sanders gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Menendez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

AJ Menendez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bob Sanders's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Sanders takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Menendez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sanders manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Horrible takedown attempt by Menendez or perhaps it was just good defense by Sanders, which made it look bad.

Menendez looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Menendez trying to mount his opponent but Sanders defends it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanders is trying to maintain the position but Menendez is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menendez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Menendez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sanders's head.
Menendez is trying to control the action in half guard but Sanders is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Menendez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Sanders has managed to free his arm - good work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Menendez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Menendez closes the distance and pushes Sanders back into the cage.
Menendez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sanders walks away with a smile on his face. Menendez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Menendez is defended easily by Sanders.
Bob Sanders has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Menendez.

Menendez looking to score a takedown here. Sanders is defending well but Menendez drives through and ends up in Sanders's guard.
Sanders working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Menendez.
Menendez has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sanders is proving hard to escape from.
Sanders looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menendez throws a big right hand that misses.
Menendez advances to half guard.
Sanders is looking for a sweep. Menendez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Menendez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sanders does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Menendez pushes Sanders up against the cage in a clinch.
Menendez looking for a takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menendez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sanders just stands there and leans against the cage.
Menendez tries to pull guard but Sanders holds him up against the cage and eventually Menendez drops back down to his feet.

Menendez drags the fight down to the ground.
Menendez working a defensive guard here.

Menendez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sanders can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bob Sanders has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
AJ Menendez is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sanders cracks Menendez with a solid left hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
AJ Menendez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Menendez 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... AJ Menendez!