PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Filipe Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoshida Satoru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mendes
vs
Satoru

183 cm
21
190 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

180 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Filipe Mendes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoshida Satoru!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Taro Takaoka and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendes shoots in and drives through. Satoru sprawls well.
Mendes shoots in but no luck this time.

Mendes forces Satoru back against the cage and clinches.
Satoru goes for a takedown attempt but Mendes pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Mendes darts in and clinches Satoru up against the cage.

Satoru is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Mendes can't fight it off and eventually Satoru manages to take the fight to the floor. Mendes looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mendes wants to sweep here but Satoru controlling him for the moment.
Satoru seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Satoru trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Satoru slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes tries to bench press Satoru off him but Satoru keeps the position.
Satoru wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mendes keeps working.
Satoru working away.
Mendes tries to bench press Satoru off him but Satoru keeps the position.
Mendes is not content to let Satoru control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mendes throws a sloppy head kick and Satoru moves out of range easily.

Satoru gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mendes stopping the sweep attempt from Satoru.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Satoru escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mendes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Satoru looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Mendes passes into half guard.
Mendes uses his free foot to push down on Satoru's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Satoru.
Satoru is desperately trying to improve his position but Mendes has a good base and remains in mount.
Satoru tries to hold on but Mendes pushes him away.
Satoru tries to reverse the position but Mendes maintains control.
Satoru looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Satoru tries to lock up and control but Mendes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Satoru regains half guard.
Mendes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Satoru is looking to control Mendes's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Satoru avoid being mounted?
Satoru is refusing to be controlled, as Mendes sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mendes is looking for a kimura here.
Satoru is pressing down on Mendes's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Satoru throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Satoru pulls Mendes in close to prevent any damage.
Satoru manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Mendes can't escape the position.
Mendes tries to hold on but Satoru postures up.
Satoru wants to take his opponent's back but Mendes doesn't allow it.
Mendes regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoshida Satoru dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Mendes scores a takedown into full mount!
Satoru takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Mendes trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Mendes is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Satoru can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Satoru sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Mendes wants to free his trapped foot but Satoru is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Satoru looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Satoru is breathing heavily.
Mendes passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mendes thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Mendes manages to capitalize on a mistake by Satoru to take his back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Mendes is persistently looking for the submission but Satoru is defending it well.
Mendes wants to control but Satoru is keeping busy.
Satoru rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Satoru manages to get to full guard.
Satoru controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mendes is looking to stand up but Satoru won't let him.
Satoru keeping moving, preventing Mendes from controlling successfully.
Yoshida Satoru has got the better of the ground game so far.

Mendes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Satoru keeping full guard, as Mendes tries to pass.
Mendes forces his way into half guard.
Satoru has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mendes is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is taking a breather. Satoru says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Satoru is trying is best to control the position here.
Mendes wants to stand up but Satoru has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Mendes trying to pass the guard but Satoru defending well.
Satoru is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Mendes scores with a couple of nice shots.
Satoru moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Mendes tries to stand but Satoru is controlling from the bottom.

Satoru had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Mendes is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Satoru Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Mendes's back instead.
Good control from Satoru.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Satoru has the hooks in. Mendes is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Satoru gets his hands free as Mendes looks to control.

Satoru is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Satoru looking for the RNC.

Mendes is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Yoshida Satoru will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Satoru.

Satoru gets the takedown into side control.
Satoru wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mendes keeps working.
Satoru controls the position from side control.
Mendes tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Satoru in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Satoru 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.
Mendes is trying to work for a sweep but Satoru has mounted him!
Mendes is trying to escape the mount.
Satoru trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mendes tries to hold on but Satoru pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Mendes is squirming around, avoiding Satoru's attempts to control the action.

Satoru looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Mendes is desperately trying to improve his position but Satoru has a good base and remains in mount.
Satoru controlling the position easily from mount.
Mendes sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Mendes is refusing to be controlled, as Satoru sits in half guard.
Satoru wants to free his trapped foot but Mendes is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Satoru wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mendes keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes pushes Satoru off looking to stand but Satoru dives back in and keeps control.
Mendes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mendes is trying to control but can't.
Mendes tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Satoru wants to control but Mendes is keeping him busy.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Satoru fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mendes with a hook.
Mendes misses with a two punch combination.

Satoru feints and as Mendes raises his hands in defense, Satoru changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Satoru passes into half guard.
Satoru is stalling here. Mendes is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Satoru seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Mendes has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Mendes cracks Satoru with a big right hand but Satoru just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes working away.
Satoru takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Mendes trying to control the position but Satoru is working away.
Satoru manages to get back to half guard.
Satoru trying to hold on to Mendes's head to control him but Mendes postures up.

Mendes seems to be looking for submissions.
Satoru is refusing to be controlled, as Mendes sits in half guard.
Satoru regains full guard. Nicely done.
Mendes trying to control the position from guard on top but Satoru is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Filipe Mendes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mendes stopping the sweep attempt from Satoru.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoshida Satoru comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Satoru winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yoshida Satoru!