PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zak Simmons (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matheus Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Simmons comes into the arena with Hip Hop blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Simmons
vs
Mendes

180 cm
19
184 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

188 cm
19
193 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zak Simmons!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matheus Mendes!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Edson Gomes and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Simmons takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Zak Simmons has been cut.
Simmons falls off balance throwing a combination
and Mendes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Mendes lands a big head kick that sends Simmons tumbling to the mat! Mendes takes a step backwards and waves Simmons back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Mendes shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Mendes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Simmons does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Mendes is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Simmons looks like he's trying to stand up.
Mendes is trying to control. Simmons wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Mendes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Matheus Mendes was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Mendes misses with a takedown

and Simmons counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes trying to keep a closed guard but Simmons is proving a slippery customer.
Mendes looking for a sweep. Not yet Mendes, not yet.
Simmons has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Simmons lands a couple of digs.
Simmons preventing the sweep.
Mendes keeping moving, preventing Simmons from controlling successfully.
Simmons wants to stand but Mendes is controlling his posture from full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mendes holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mendes trying to keep a closed guard but Simmons is proving a slippery customer.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Matheus Mendes hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Simmons misses with a takedown attempt

and Mendes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Simmons won't be happy with that.
Mendes scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Simmons to see if he's OK.

Mendes decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Mendes misses with a takedown attempt
and Simmons counters with a left and a right that stings Mendes.
Mendes scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Simmons shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Simmons was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mendes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Mendes is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Simmons knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mendes on the ground.
Mendes is trying to stand up.
Simmons avoids the attempt from Mendes to control.
Simmons throws some wild stikes that Mendes manages to avoid easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Simmons breaks from Mendes's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Simmons throwing strikes here but Mendes is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Mendes is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Mendes bucks up and throws Simmons to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Mendes fails with the takedown

and Simmons counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Zak Simmons has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matheus Mendes.
Simmons is breathing heavily.

Mendes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Simmons lands a couple of elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mendes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Simmons manages to get himself to full guard.
Simmons looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes tries to free his leg and advance position but Simmons is retaining full guard.
Simmons is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mendes stops Simmons from standing up.
Simmons keeping moving, preventing Mendes from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

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

and Simmons counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mendes keeping control of the position.
Mendes wants to control but Simmons is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matheus Mendes will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Zak Simmons's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Mendes closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Simmons to the mat! Simmons manages to get full guard.
Simmons keeping moving, preventing Mendes from controlling successfully.
Mendes advances to half guard.
Mendes wants to control but Simmons is keeping him busy.
Mendes works his way into full mount!

Mendes get's back to his feet.
Zak Simmons is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mendes drives through and clinches with Simmons against the cage.

Mendes breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Simmons tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mendes sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Simmons somewhat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mendes doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Simmons counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Simmons is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Simmons looking to pass the guard.
Mendes is trying to keep Simmons in close.
Mendes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Simmons.
Mendes lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Simmons!
Mendes looking to finish Simmons with some ground and pound. This is bad for Simmons!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes looking to control but Simmons is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Simmons is working to get back to half guard.
Mendes in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Mendes tries to control but Simmons wriggling away.
Mendes with the ground and pound from mount.
Simmons is squirming around, avoiding Mendes's attempts to control the action.

Mendes gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mendes shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Simmons manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Mendes trying to control the position from guard on top but Simmons is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Simmons has momentary wrist control but Mendes slips an elbow through the middle.
Mendes wants to control from the top but Simmons keeps moving.
Mendes is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Simmons is working an open guard so Mendes takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mendes stuffs the takedown.
Mendes looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Mendes tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Simmons counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Mendes is trying to control but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mendes manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mendes doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matheus Mendes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Zak Simmons's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Simmons is defended easily by Mendes.
Mendes misses with a takedown attempt

so Simmons counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Mendes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mendes keeping moving, preventing Simmons from controlling successfully.
Mendes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mendes is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Mendes is trying to keep Simmons in close.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Matheus Mendes.
Mendes has his takedown stuffed

and Simmons counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mendes is pressing down on Simmons's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Simmons throws a big right hand that misses.
Mendes is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mendes stands up from half guard.
Simmons takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Mendes pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Mendes moves into range and clinches up with Simmons.
Simmons wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Mendes manages to break the clinch.
Mendes with a poor takedown

and Simmons counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Simmons.
Zak Simmons has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matheus Mendes.
Mendes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Simmons is looking to work some ground and pound but Mendes has wrist control.
Simmons 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.
Mendes doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Mendes is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Matheus Mendes wasn't active enough on the ground.

Simmons bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Simmons wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mendes keeps working.
Mendes regains half guard.
Simmons looks to land a strike but Mendes avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

Simmons is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Mendes has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Simmons is looking to defend but Mendes has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Simmons! Mendes pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Simmons taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Matheus Mendes!