PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Toby Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Menzies (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Toby Garcia had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Garcia
vs
Menzies

170 cm
24
140 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

170 cm
22
140 lbs
5 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Toby Garcia !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Steve Menzies!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Donatello Bradman and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Menzies cracks Garcia with a right hand to the side of the head.
Menzies throws a series of strikes that have Garcia backpedaling.
Menzies stuffs the takedown.
Menzies connects with the punch.
Menzies feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Garcia s jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Menzies shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Garcia as he jumps to the side.
Menzies scores with a crisp jab that stopped Garcia in his tracks.
A jab from Menzies does it's job there.
Nice uppercut lands for Menzies. That snapped Garcia 's head back.
Menzies shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Garcia defends it nicely.
Menzies connects with a good right hand that stumbles Garcia . Garcia circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Menzies there.
Garcia misses with a takedown attempt - Menzies sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Menzies closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Garcia wants to improve his position but Menzies is controlling well.

Menzies is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Menzies throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Menzies throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Garcia trying to get back to full guard but Menzies takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Garcia tries to reverse the position but Menzies maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menzies has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Garcia 's face.
Garcia is trying to escape the mount.
Garcia taking shots to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Garcia is trying to escape the mount.
Garcia wants to control but Menzies is having none of it.
Menzies prevents Garcia from getting the reversal.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Menzies scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Menzies landing strikes from the mount and Garcia is in trouble!
Menzies tries to control but Garcia wriggling away.
Menzies lands a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menzies sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Garcia is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Menzies throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Menzies working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Menzies raining down shots from the mount!
BOOM! Menzies connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Menzies throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Garcia because Menzies loaded up on that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menzies thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Menzies postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Garcia looks a forlorn figure.
Menzies tries to control but Garcia wriggling away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Garcia is wriggling around trying to escape.
Menzies content just to control the position here.
Menzies throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Menzies throws some wild stikes that Garcia manages to avoid easily.
Menzies trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Menzies dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Garcia takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Menzies scores with a shot to the body.
Menzies lands the left hand.
A decent looking cross lands there for Menzies.
Nice sprawl there from Garcia as Menzies shoots in.
Garcia takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Toby Garcia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A punch lands to the side of Garcia 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Menzies lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Menzies will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Garcia throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Menzies tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Garcia is in Menzies's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menzies is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Garcia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Menzies wants to control but Garcia is keeping him busy.
Garcia blocking the ground and pound attempt from Menzies.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Garcia looking for submissions off his back.
Menzies is trying to control the action in half guard but Garcia is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Menzies decides to stand up.
Garcia stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Menzies.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Menzies looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice shot by Menzies.
Menzies connects with a body shot that sends Garcia 's belly button to the back.
Menzies throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Garcia stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Nice body punch from Menzies.
Garcia is trying hard to land a takedown here. Menzies sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Steve Menzies seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Garcia on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Garcia takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Menzies stuffs the takedown attempt from Garcia . Garcia gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Toby Garcia . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Menzies uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Garcia doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Menzies.

Menzies closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Garcia manages to work his way to half guard, despite Menzies's best efforts.
Menzies is keen to just control but Garcia is a slippery customer.

Garcia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Menzies has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Menzies trying to control the action but Garcia is working from the bottom.
Steve Menzies has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia is looking for a sweep. Menzies is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Menzies scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Menzies thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Garcia 's head.
Menzies is trying to control. Garcia wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Menzies is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Menzies is trying to control. Garcia wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Garcia trying to control from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Menzies seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Menzies wants to take a breather but Garcia is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Menzies showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Menzies scores with a jab. Garcia acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Menzies tries to close the distance and clinch but Garcia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Menzies's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Menzies duly obliges.

Menzies drives through and clinches with Garcia against the cage.
Garcia wants a takedown.
Garcia has Menzies pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Menzies manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Menzies is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Toby Garcia . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Menzies missing with knees to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Menzies.
Menzies tries to land knees in the clinch but Garcia avoids the damage to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Menzies.
Garcia is trying to pull guard but Menzies has him pressed against the cage.
Menzies lands a body shot in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Menzies manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Garcia throwing strikes from guard but Menzies blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menzies trying to keep a closed guard but Garcia is proving a slippery customer.
Menzies pulls Garcia in to control the position.
Menzies trying to keep a closed guard but Garcia is proving a slippery customer.

Garcia drops back, looking for a kneebar! Menzies looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Menzies looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Menzies!
Garcia gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Menzies prevents Garcia from improving his position.
Menzies passes into side control, despite Garcia 's attempt to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menzies cracks Garcia with a big right hand but Garcia just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Garcia tries to bench press Menzies off him but Menzies keeps the position.
Menzies trying to control the action but Garcia is working from the bottom.
Menzies misses with the ground and pound.
Menzies taking a breather here.
Garcia trying to control but Menzies flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Menzies softening up his opponent with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menzies keeps control of the position easily here as Garcia tries to buck him off.
Menzies is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Menzies avoiding Garcia 's attempts to control his hands.
Garcia rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Menzies trying to control the action but Garcia is working from the bottom.

Garcia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Menzies has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Menzies works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menzies lands a nice shot to the head.
Garcia keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Toby Garcia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Menzies working for a guillotine from mount but Garcia is in no mood to give up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Garcia is looking to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Menzies comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Menzies has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Menzies!
Steve Menzies made sure to mention his sponsor, XTREME PWNAGE: Down Under! in his post fight interview.