PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Raoul Duke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leco Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Duke
vs
Mendes

215 cm
19
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
19
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

KAISER

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 Rio de Janeiro, Raoul Duke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leco Mendes!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Luis Engracia and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Duke paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mendes tries to clinch there but Duke circles away.
Duke pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Duke lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mendes's sensitive parts.
Mendes tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Mendes tries to clinch up.

Duke drives through and clinches with Mendes against the cage.
Duke misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mendes fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mendes lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Duke lands a nice elbow.
Nice elbow from Duke.

It looks like Leco Mendes has been cut.
Mendes misses with a short punch on the inside.
Duke looking to stall.
Mendes lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Duke.
Mendes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mendes working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Mendes throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Mendes misses with some punches.
Mendes working aggressively here.
Mendes misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke is pressed up against the cage. Mendes has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Duke down to the mat. Duke avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Duke drives through and clinches with Mendes against the cage.

Duke breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mendes checks a leg kick.
Mendes wants to clinch but Duke slips to the side
and Duke counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Mendes tries to clinch up
and Duke counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Duke lands with a kick to the temple. Mendes shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Duke looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Mendes wants to clinch
and Duke counters with a head kick. That will keep Mendes thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Duke lands a slapping body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mendes tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Duke counters with an outside leg kick.
Mendes looks gassed!
Duke turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Duke scores with a spinning back kick!
Mendes walks into a stiff left hand from Duke.
Duke lands a nice leg kick that just misses Mendes's sensitive parts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke cracks a nice hook into Mendes's ribs.
Mendes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Duke can pounce on him.
Duke chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Duke lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Mendes on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Duke lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Mendes takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Duke throws a quick inside leg kick.
Good leg kick by Duke there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Duke moves into the clinch.
Duke landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Duke manages to break the clinch.
Duke scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Duke fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Duke lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Duke has closed the distance and engaged Mendes in a clinch.

Duke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mendes tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Mendes clinches but Duke breaks the clinch
and Duke counters with a low kick, right behind Mendes 's knee.
Mendes takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Duke rushes Mendes and presses him up against the cage.
Duke misses with a knee strike.
Mendes tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nice body punch from Duke - that landed with a thud.
Duke connects with a knee to the head.
Duke manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Mendes takes an elbow to the forehead.
Duke taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Duke lands an elbow inside that Mendes shrugs off.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Mendes creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Mendes is trying to break free.
Mendes's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A bit of stalling here from Duke.
Mendes swings wildly with an uppercut but Duke uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Come on Duke - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Mendes tries to work over Duke's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Duke works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Mendes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Duke's elbow.
Good body shot from Duke.
Duke lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mendes backwards.
Duke wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mendes misses with a short punch on the inside.
Duke creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mendes's defenses.
Duke can't find room to land a body shot as Mendes controls the action.
Duke blocks a body shot from Mendes.
Mendes is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Duke gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Raoul Duke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leco Mendes.
Duke lands an elbow inside.
Duke keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mendes's efforts to push away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mendes has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Duke avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Duke trying to land knees to the body.
Duke trying to land knees to the body.
Mendes tries to work over Duke's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch on the inside from Mendes fails to land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raoul Duke dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Leco Mendes's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Duke clinches.
Stalling in the clinch from Duke.
Mendes throws a head punch that misses.
Duke tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mendes avoids it.
Mendes misses with a short punch on the inside.
Mendes lands with a short shot to the head.
Mendes misses with a punch on the inside.
Mendes tries for a takedown but Duke manages to get underhooks.

Duke breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Mendes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Mendes looking to control and managing it successfully.
Duke is trying desperately to improve position.
Mendes is breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mendes controlling from the full mount.
Let's hope that Mendes 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendes trying to control but Duke is having none of it.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Leco Mendes wasn't active enough on the ground.
Mendes looks to clinch
letting Duke counter with a right hand.
Duke thumps Mendes with a low kick.
Duke wants to slow Mendes down by chopping away at his legs.
Mendes wants to clinch but Duke slips to the side
and Duke counters with an outside leg kick.
Duke throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mendes's head.
Mendes tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Duke counters with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Duke, right into the meat.
Mendes on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Duke. Duke obviously looking to wear him down.
Duke feints and then cracks Mendes's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Mendes down.
Duke lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Raoul Duke is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Duke closes the distance and clinches.
Duke prevents the takedown attempt.
Duke unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Duke stalling the fight.
Duke is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mendes can do to turn this around?
Duke lands a body punch.
Duke stalling in the clinch but Mendes improves position.
Duke scores with a shoulder strike.
Duke lands an elbow just above Mendes 's eye.
Duke displaying some good clinch control by pressing Mendes up against the cage.

Duke pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A nice inside leg kick there by Duke. That's going to slow Mendes down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Duke throws a quick inside leg kick.
Duke lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Mendes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Duke connects with a solid leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Duke.
Mendes moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Duke rushes Mendes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A body shot lands from Duke.
Duke putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Mendes in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Duke tries to stall but Mendes uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Duke with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Duke comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Duke blocks an uppercut.
Duke taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Duke breaks from the clinch.
Duke throws a leg kick which misses Mendes's front leg but catches the back leg as Mendes tries to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duke takes a swing at Mendes's ribcage but misses.
Duke connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Mendes momentarily.
Duke connects with a solid leg kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Duke feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Mendes's calf.
Mendes tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Duke counters with a body kick.
Duke scores with a nice body kick.
Duke connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Duke.
A nice inside leg kick there by Duke. That's going to slow Mendes down.

Duke clinches.

Duke's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Duke scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Duke lands with a shot to the body.

Duke gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nice elbow from Duke.

Duke manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raoul Duke dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Leco Mendes's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Mendes clinches but Duke breaks the clinch
and Duke counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Duke fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mendes, pushing him back against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Mendes fails to land.
Duke scores with a knee to the head.
Duke is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mendes is defending well for now.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Duke.
Raoul Duke has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Mendes has a couple of punches blocked by Duke.
Duke lands a hook to the side of the head.
Duke landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Mendes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Duke landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Duke lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Duke.
Duke misses with a body punch.
Mendes wants a takedown.
Duke unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Duke scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Duke connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mendes's face.
Duke unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke crunches a lovely knee into Mendes's ribcage.
Duke is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Mendes is keeping busy.
Duke lands a damaging elbow.
Knees to the body from Duke.
Duke leaning his opponent against the cage.
Duke is pressed up against the cage. Mendes has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Duke down to the mat. Duke avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Duke thumps Mendes with a low kick.
Duke connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Duke circles away from the clinch attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Duke throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Duke with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Duke chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Duke throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Mendes's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Duke.
Duke throws a leg kick which misses Mendes's front leg but catches the back leg as Mendes tries to avoid it.
Mendes tries to clinch but Duke moves away
and Duke counters with a good low kick that Mendes was not able to check.
Mendes has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Duke.
Duke lands with a slapping head kick.
Duke lands a nice shot to the body.
Duke is looking to wear down Mendes with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Duke obliges.
Duke lands an elbow that stopped Mendes in his tracks for a moment.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Duke.
Duke is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Duke is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Mendes is keeping busy.
Mendes is leaning against Duke and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Duke scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Duke stops a takedown attempt from Mendes.
Raoul Duke has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leco Mendes.
Mendes misses with the head strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good body shot from Duke.
Mendes goes for a takedown attempt but Duke pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Raoul Duke is winning the standup battle so far.
A nice leg kick lands there from Duke.
Duke is looking to slow Mendes down with leg kicks.
Duke tests Mendes's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mendes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Duke can pounce on him.
Leco Mendes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mendes clinches but Duke breaks the clinch
letting Duke counter with a right hand.
Duke circles away from the clinch attempt
and Duke counters with a head kick. That will keep Mendes thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Duke has taken the fight to the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Duke scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Duke lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mendes backwards.
Duke lands an elbow just above Mendes 's eye.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Duke.
Mendes tries for a takedown but Duke manages to get underhooks.
Duke lands with a short shot to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Mendes fails to land.
Duke landing knees to the head.
Mendes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Duke is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Duke.
Raoul Duke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Duke creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mendes's defenses.
Mendes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Duke's elbow.
Duke blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Duke throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mendes blocks it with crossed arms.
Knees to the body from Duke.
Mendes tries for a takedown. No joy.
Mendes takes a knee to the side of the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Duke scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Duke is trying to stall.
Stalling in the clinch from Duke.
Duke lands with a short shot to the head.
Duke lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

And that's the end of the fight!
Raoul Duke showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Duke, 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight for Raoul Duke!
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight for Raoul Duke!
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight for Raoul Duke!

Raoul Duke wins by unanimous decision!