PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Filipe Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Rust (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rust has chosen Marylin Manson - Sweet Dreams as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mendes
vs
Rust

183 cm
21
190 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

179 cm
22
183 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue 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 7 - 8 - 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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thomas Rust!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mendes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rust's guard.
Rust manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Mendes wants to control but Rust is having none of it.
Mendes is in all sorts of trouble here.
Mendes regains half guard.
Mendes has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rust is working away from the top position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rust wants to pass to mount but Mendes is defending the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rust looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rust thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mendes's head.
Mendes is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rust's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rust's back!
Rust rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Rust looks gassed!
Rust on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rust manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rust wants to sweep but no luck.

Rust 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.
Rust can't keep his opponent in guard - Mendes advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Mendes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rust is controlling Mendes's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Rust is not content to let Mendes control the position.

Rust looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes prevents Rust from improving his position.
Rust gets full guard.

Rust is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mendes won't allow Rust to sweep him here.
Mendes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rust is keeping the position for now.
Rust avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four 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.

Rust looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Rust is looking for a triangle but Mendes pushes his legs off easily.

Rust looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Rust has an active guard here but Mendes has managed to pass into half guard.

Mendes is working for a kimura but Rust is defending it quite comfortably.

Mendes is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Thomas Rust will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Mendes fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mendes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rust lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Mendes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mendes lands the left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rust lands with a kick to the temple. Mendes shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Rust lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Rust lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Rust checks a leg kick.
Rust scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rust takes a swing at Mendes's ribcage but misses.
Mendes misses with a hook. Rust ducked under it nicely.
Mendes explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Rust is breathing heavily.
Nice takedown defense from Rust. No joy for Mendes on that attempt.

Mendes decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Mendes tries to stand and escape but Rust actually recovers to full guard.

Rust isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Mendes stacks Rust on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Mendes!
Rust is trying to improve his position.

Mendes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rust tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mendes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rust prevents Mendes from moving into mount.

Mendes wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rust, who protects the arm well.
Mendes tries to move into full mount but can't pass Rust's legs.

Mendes stands up.
Mendes connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rust stuffs the takedown attempt from Mendes. Mendes gets slowly back to his feet.
Filipe Mendes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mendes tries to clinch up but Rust circles away and keeps his distance.
Rust throws a series of punches but Mendes moves out of range.
Thomas Rust is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A punch combination from Rust misses.
Mendes closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rust circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Filipe Mendes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rust throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mendes.
Mendes tries to clinch up but Rust circles away and keeps his distance.
Mendes moves in looking to clinch but Rust pushes him off.
Mendes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rust tries to avoid it but Mendes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rust to the ground. Rust escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rust jabs Mendes right on the nose. Mendes blinks but takes it well.
Mendes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rust as he jumps to the side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rust throws a nice looking combination but Mendes bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rust throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mendes shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rust as he avoids it easily.
Mendes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rust misses with a double jab.
Mendes tries to clinch up but Rust circles away and keeps his distance.
Mendes shoots in and drives through. Rust sprawls well.
Mendes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A head kick from Mendes lands but Rust takes it in his stride.
Mendes misses with the combination.
Rust shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mendes as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Filipe Mendes dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rust throws a hook but Mendes blocks it.
Rust swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Mendes throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rust's waist but Rust gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mendes off to one side.
Mendes misses with a wild body shot.
Mendes has his takedown stuffed
and Rust counters with a two punch combo.
Mendes misses with a takedown attempt - Rust sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Filipe Mendes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rust misses with a wild combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rust misses with the combination.
Mendes throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rust's waist but Rust gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mendes off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
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.
Rust takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Mendes gets a takedown into half guard.
Mendes controlling the pace.
Rust is looking for a sweep. Mendes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mendes keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Mendes gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Mendes misses with a takedown attempt - Rust sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rust goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Rust throws a nice looking combination but Mendes bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mendes throws a series of punches but Rust moves out of range.
Mendes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Rust counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Mendes throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rust counters with a good, hard body kick but Mendes shrugs it off.
Rust throws a one two combo.
Rust looks to land a combination. Mendes sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Rust stalks Mendes and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Mendes's face. Mendes staggers backwards, shaken.
Rust lands a two punch combo.
Mendes shoots and misses
and Rust counters with a big head kick but Mendes shrugs it off.
Rust misses with a series of wild punches.
Mendes lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Rust counters with a two punch combo.

Mendes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rust's guard.
Mendes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rust swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rust utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Rust had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Mendes is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Rust Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Mendes's back instead.
Mendes is trying to stand back up.
Mendes just trying to survive but Rust is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rust is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Mendes knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Mendes for a finish.
Mendes trying to control the hands but Rust breaks the grip.
Rust is hanging on to Mendes's back as he tries to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rust is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Rust trying to control momentarily.

Rust is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Mendes has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Rust has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Mendes taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Rust doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Thomas Rust!