PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Vedran Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cruz Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Russo
vs
Mendes

183 cm
26
155 lbs
3 - 1 - 1

177 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Vedran Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cruz Mendes!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Russo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mendes sprawls well. Mendes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Russo gets slowly back to his feet.
Russo walks into a stiff left hand from Mendes.
A head kick from Mendes lands but Russo takes it in his stride.
Russo shoots for a takedown but Mendes saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mendes defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Russo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vedran Russo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Russo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cruz Mendes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Russo misses with a wild body shot.

Russo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mendes has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mendes can't get the takedown.
Russo goes for a takedown attempt but Mendes pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Russo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Mendes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo shoots in but no luck this time.
Russo misses with a combination
and Mendes counters with an inside leg kick.
Mendes throws a body kick the misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Mendes lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Russo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Mendes avoids it really well and circles away.
Mendes works the jab nicely.
Russo avoids the head kick by Mendes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes connects with a single shot there.
Russo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mendes sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mendes scores with a leg kick.
Mendes thuds his right hand into Russo's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Mendes explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Russo looks for a takedown but Mendes sprawls well.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Mendes. Russo shrugs it off though.
Mendes goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Mendes connects with a leg kick. Russo looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Russo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Russo blocks a head kick by Mendes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes slaps away a takedown attempt from Russo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Mendes throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Russo avoids a kick to the body.
Russo takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Mendes connects with a right hand. Russo shakes it off.
Russo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mendes circles away.
Russo blocks a head kick by Mendes.
Russo takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Horrible takedown by Russo or perhaps it was just good defense by Mendes which made him look bad.
Russo is breathing heavily.
Russo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Mendes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo misses with a low kick.
Horrible takedown by Russo or perhaps it was just good defense by Mendes which made him look bad.
Russo takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Mendes cracks Russo with an open hand slap.
Mendes scores with a nice head shot.
Mendes connects with a right hand. Russo shakes it off.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mendes lands with an overhand left.
A head kick misses from Mendes.
Mendes is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Russo had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Mendes throws a head kick that half lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cruz Mendes dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mendes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Mendes showed some decent athleticism there.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Russo tries to kick Mendes off but Mendes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mendes seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Russo is trying to control but can't.
Mendes really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Russo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The fighters are battling for position here. Russo manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mendes preventing the sweep.

Russo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mendes defends well.
Mendes wants to stand but Russo has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Russo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mendes can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Russo has his foot on Mendes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mendes works his way back into a safe position though.
Mendes tries to stand but Russo is controlling from the bottom.
Russo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mendes manages to get himself to full guard.
Russo is pushing down on Mendes's leg trying to pass to half guard. Mendes is fighting to maintain full guard but Russo has managed to sneak the leg through.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes wants to control but Russo passes into side.
Russo passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Mendes!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Mendes can do anything to dispel that myth.

Russo jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Mendes manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Russo stands up.
Mendes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Russo. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mendes buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Mendes tries to land a front kick but Russo steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Russo takes a kick to the side of the head.
Mendes is looking to land body kicks.
Mendes looks to score with a jab to the body but Russo is just out of range.
Russo closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Russo is defended easily by Mendes.
Russo shoots in for a double leg but Mendes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes connects with a jab.
Mendes moves out of range of the body kick.
Russo misses with a low kick.
Mendes pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
A slapping leg kick lands for Mendes.
Mendes throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Russo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vedran Russo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mendes throws a sloppy head kick and Russo moves out of range easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Vedran Russo will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A punch lands to the side of Russo 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Russo looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mendes displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Russo.
Russo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mendes as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vedran Russo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Russo looks for a takedown but Mendes sprawls well.
Cruz Mendes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mendes throws a sloppy head kick

and Russo counters by moving into the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Russo tries to pull guard but Mendes forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Russo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mendes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mendes cracks the inside of Russo's front leg.
Russo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mendes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mendes.
Russo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mendes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Russo tries to clinch but Mendes moves out of range.
Mendes throws a lazy body kick

and Russo holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Russo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mendes.
Russo dives in and grabs Mendes's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mendes pushes down on Russo's head and hops out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes scores with a kick to the midsection.
Mendes throws a half hearted mid kick.
Mendes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mendes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mendes connects with an inside leg kick.
Mendes looks to land a body kick but Russo moved away.
Russo drops his hands momentarily and Mendes takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Mendes pushes Russo away with a front kick.
Mendes swats away the attempt to clinch by Russo.
Mendes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo tries to move into range but Mendes moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Mendes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Mendes.
Mendes lands with a thumping leg kick.

Russo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mendes has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mendes tries to break free but Russo pushes him back against the cage.
Mendes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Russo stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Mendes has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes misses with a hook to the ribs.

Russo jumps into guard, dragging Mendes to the mat.

Russo is looking for a triangle but Mendes pushes his legs off easily.
Mendes wants to stand and escape but instead Russo has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Russo trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cruz Mendes.
I think Mendes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight for Cruz Mendes!
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight for Cruz Mendes!
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight for Cruz Mendes!

Cruz Mendes wins by unanimous decision!
Cruz Mendes was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.