PBP Commentary

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

Mendez
vs
Heracles

200 cm
27
275 lbs
16 - 10 - 0

188 cm
24
273 lbs
15 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
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 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tony Mendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 1, fighting out of New York, Zeus Heracles!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Cecil Peabody and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Heracles counters with a nice uppercut.
Mendez misses with a takedown
and Heracles counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mendez misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Heracles counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Mendez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mendez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Heracles manages to get himself to full guard.
Mendez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Mendez is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Heracles is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Heracles has escaped and now he's on top!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Heracles working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mendez is on top in guard.
Mendez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Mendez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Heracles works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mendez tries to free his leg and advance position but Heracles is retaining full guard.
Mendez is looking to work some ground and pound but Heracles has wrist control.
Heracles working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mendez.
Mendez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Heracles trying to control the position.
Mendez is looking to work some ground and pound but Heracles has wrist control.
Mendez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mendez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Heracles swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mendez throws a strike but Heracles rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Heracles throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mendez wants to sweep here but Heracles controlling him for the moment.
Mendez working a defensive guard here.

Heracles avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mendez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Heracles stands and throws Mendez's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Heracles working away.
Mendez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Mendez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Heracles's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Heracles's back!
Heracles is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Mendez off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Heracles trying to control the position but Mendez manages to sink in the hooks.
Heracles takes a big shot to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez is hanging on to Heracles's back as he tries to escape.
Mendez struggling to land strikes to the head as Heracles covers up.
Mendez lands a shot to the body.
Mendez is punishing Heracles with strikes - can he finish him?!
Mendez is landing with strikes. Heracles can't take much more of this.
Mendez lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Mendez.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Heracles covering up well under a series of strikes from Mendez.

Mendez has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Mendez is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Mendez gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Mendez gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Mendez apologises and we restart here on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heracles misses with the combination.
Heracles ducks right into an uppercut from Mendez.
Mendez with a poor takedown
and Heracles counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Mendez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mendez fails with the takedown
and Heracles counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mendez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Heracles's waist but Heracles gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mendez off to one side.
Mendez wants to clinch
and Heracles makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Mendez tries to clinch up
enabling Heracles to counter with a crisp jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mendez closes the distance looking to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tony Mendez will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mendez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Heracles counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Heracles working some strikes from top position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mendez is on top in guard.
Mendez is looking to work some ground and pound but Heracles has wrist control.
Heracles wants to sweep here but Mendez controlling him for the moment.
Mendez chips away with some ground and pound.
Heracles trying to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mendez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mendez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mendez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mendez 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez slips nicely into half guard.
Mendez looks to land a strike but Heracles avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Mendez postures up and lands a big shot to Heracles's brow.
Mendez working some strikes from top position.
Heracles utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Mendez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Heracles manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mendez has Heracles in his guard.
Heracles slips nicely into half guard.
Mendez trying to hold on to Heracles's head to control him but Heracles postures up.

Heracles seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Heracles's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Heracles's back!
Mendez missing with strikes.
Mendez scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.

Mendez looking for the choke but no joy.
Mendez is striking from the back but Heracles escapes and manages to recover to half guard.
Mendez is pressing down on Heracles's thigh, looking to free his foot. Heracles is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez throwing shots but Heracles is blocking nicely.
Heracles keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Heracles has hold of Mendez's hands but Mendez slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Mendez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Heracles with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Mendez throws a strike but Heracles avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mendez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Mendez postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Heracles is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Mendez, into his guard.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Heracles from controlling successfully.
Mendez manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Mendez throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Heracles suckers Mendez into throwing a sloppy strike and uses the momentum to reverse the position beautifully! Heracles is now in Mendez's guard!

Mendez is looking for a triangle but Heracles pushes his legs off easily.

Mendez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Heracles is aware though and is defending well.
Heracles must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Mendez wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mendez is working hard here to advance position.
Heracles trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Heracles trying to control but Mendez is working from the bottom.

Heracles drops back looking for a leg! Mendez is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Mendez manages to kick Heracles off! Heracles jumps back into Mendez's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Mendez dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mendez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Heracles.
Mendez misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Heracles counters with a nice body shot.
Mendez misses with a body punch
and Heracles counters with an inside leg kick.
Mendez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Heracles counters with an outside leg kick.

Mendez closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Heracles quickly recovers to half guard.
Heracles wants to control but Mendez is keeping busy.
Heracles keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Heracles keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heracles trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Heracles on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mendez thows a huge punch but Heracles dodges it nicely.
Mendez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Heracles defending well though.
Mendez is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Tony Mendez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Heracles working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mendez.
Mendez throws a strike but Heracles rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Mendez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Heracles manages to get himself to full guard.
Mendez postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heracles keeping full guard, as Mendez tries to pass.
Heracles working a defensive guard here.
Mendez postures up and lands a big shot to Heracles's brow.
Mendez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mendez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Heracles's head.
Mendez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Heracles works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mendez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mendez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Heracles works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Heracles is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Mendez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Heracles manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mendez has Heracles in his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Heracles is one step ahead there.

Mendez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Heracles defends it easily.
Heracles trying to control but Mendez is working from the bottom.

Mendez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Zeus Heracles has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Heracles 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.
Mendez wants to sweep but no luck.
Tony Mendez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mendez looking to control.
Mendez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mendez wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Heracles is now in half guard.
Mendez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Heracles's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Heracles's back!
Can Heracles hold on?! Mendez is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
I would not like to be Heracles right now.
Mendez connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Heracles to escape the position.
Mendez has good solid back control here.
Heracles is trying to remain composed but Mendez is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Mendez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mendez, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Mendez!