PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chad Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Rolla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mendes
vs
Rolla

168 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
144 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Chad Mendes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Rolla!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rolla is looking to clinch.

Mendes scores with a takedown into Rolla's guard.
Rolla looking to control.
Mendes postures up and lands a big shot to Rolla's brow.
Mendes lands a couple of elbows.
Rolla is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rolla wants to take a breather but Mendes is having none of it.

Mendes looking for submissions off his back.
Rolla stalling away here and it's allowed Mendes to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rolla wants to control from the top but Mendes keeps moving.
Rolla loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rolla is looking to stand up but Mendes won't let him.
Rolla trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Mendes looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rolla passes into half guard.
Rolla controlling the pace.
Mendes is refusing to be controlled, as Rolla sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rolla is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Rolla is just content to waste time from the top position. Mendes takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Mendes throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

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.
Rolla pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mendes is keeping the position for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rolla wants to control from the top but Mendes keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Mendes dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rolla doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Mendes counters with a single leg into guard. Rolla didn't expect that.
Mendes is looking to work some ground and pound but Rolla has wrist control.
Rolla preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mendes throwing strikes but missing.
Mendes throws a big right hand that misses.
Rolla avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rolla looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rolla is trying to keep Mendes in close.
Rolla looking for a sweep. Not yet Rolla, not yet.
Mendes connects with a couple of short punches.
Mendes scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes with a nice head shot there.
Mendes is looking to work some ground and pound but Rolla has wrist control.
Mendes is looking to work some ground and pound but Rolla has wrist control.

Rolla is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mendes is aware though and is defending well.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mendes's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rolla has momentary wrist control but Mendes slips an elbow through the middle.
Mendes cracks Rolla with a solid left hand.
Mendes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mendes working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rolla's head.
Rolla looking to control.
Rolla has momentary wrist control but Mendes slips an elbow through the middle.
Rolla is trying to control the position but Mendes postures up.
Rolla is breathing heavily.
Mendes is in close to Rolla's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Mendes stopping the sweep attempt from Rolla.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mendes's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Mendes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mendes stopping the sweep attempt from Rolla.
Mendes stands up over Rolla, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mendes is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Mendes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rolla really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mendes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mendes lands a couple of digs.
Mendes throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendes makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rolla avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mendes scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rolla's head.
Mendes advances to half guard.
Mendes thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Rolla to regain full guard.
Mendes throws a strike but Rolla rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Mendes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rolla passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is staying active underneath Rolla, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rolla seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Mendes looking for submissions off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rolla trying to control from Mendes's half guard. Mendes has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Mendes dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rolla tries to clinch up.
Rolla with a poor takedown

and Mendes counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Mendes landing some decent shots from guard.
Rolla looking for a sweep. Not yet Rolla, not yet.
Rolla preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mendes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rolla manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rolla trying to control but Mendes is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rolla looking to ground and pound but Mendes is blocking nicely.

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.
Rolla throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Rolla goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Mendes turns into him and now he's in Rolla's guard.
Mendes 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.
Mendes working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rolla's head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mendes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Rolla throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mendes working some strikes from top position.
Mendes throws and elbow that misses. Rolla uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mendes's guard. Nice move by Rolla!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rolla looking to sit in guard and control but Mendes gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Mendes is in close to Rolla's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Chad Mendes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mendes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Mendes is looking to work some ground and pound but Rolla has wrist control.
Mendes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Rolla working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mendes doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mendes manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rolla takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rolla looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rolla is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mendes is controlling him.
Rolla utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mendes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rolla trying to strike off his back.
Rolla is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mendes makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Mendes scoring with some ground and pound.
Mendes stands up over Rolla, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mendes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rolla avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mendes working some strikes from top position.
Mike Rolla has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Chad Mendes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mendes has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chad Mendes!