PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Robson Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cyril Kivel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Mendes
vs
Kivel

183 cm
33
161 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

188 cm
30
107 lbs
6 - 14 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good elbows
Determined

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 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Robson Mendes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cyril Kivel!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kivel thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Mendes if he has to take too many more of those.
Mendes takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Sloppy strikes from Kivel. Those never looked like landing.
Left hook, right uppercut from Kivel.
Kivel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mendes.
Kivel with a nice cross.
Kivel throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mendes misses with a low kick as Kivel jumps back.
Mendes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mendes throws a jab when Kivel was well out of range.
A lazy left from Kivel finds it's target.
Mendes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kivel throws a front kick aimed at Mendes's knee but Mendes avoids it well.
Kivel displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mendes throws out the jab.
Mendes is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Kivel.
Kivel looks to land a combination. Mendes sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kivel swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kivel throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Mendes misses with a few strikes there.
Kivel wants to slow Mendes down by chopping away at his legs.
An inside leg kick lands from Kivel.
Cyril Kivel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mendes throws a hook but Kivel blocks it.
Kivel showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mendes.
Mendes slips a jab and a cross from Kivel.
Kivel throws a leg kick but Mendes moved away.
Kivel is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kivel's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Kivel duly obliges.
Kivel uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Mendes.
Kivel scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mendes throws a push kick but Kivel slaps the foot to one side.
Mendes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Some wild striking there from Kivel.
Kivel checks a low kick from Mendes.
Kivel avoids the body shot from Mendes.
Kivel swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Mendes misses with a two punch combination.
Kivel throws a right and a left that Mendes avoids nicely.
Kivel defending well as Mendes loads up on a big left hand.
Left hook, right uppercut from Kivel.
Kivel blocks a head kick by Mendes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Mendes blocks the leg kick.
Mendes throws a nice looking combination but Kivel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kivel checks a low kick from Mendes.
Mendes blocks a leg kick.
Mendes throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Mendes throws a sloppy head kick and Kivel moves out of range easily.
Kivel throws a low kick but Mendes avoids it.
Kivel checks a leg kick nicely.
Kivel scoring well with a low kick there.
Kivel looks to land a body kick but Mendes moved away.
Kivel looks gassed!
Kivel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kivel avoids the head kick by Mendes.
Kivel misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kivel pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mendes needs to keep his hands up - Kivel had a free shot at his head there.
Mendes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kivel fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Mendes misses with a head kick.
Kivel tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mendes was well out of range. Poor timing from Kivel.
A head kick misses from Mendes.
Mendes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mendes moves out of range of the leg kick from Kivel.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A bone on bone clash there as Kivel blocks the leg kick.
Kivel punishes Mendes's body with a nice straight punch.
Sloppy strikes from Mendes. Those never looked like landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyril Kivel dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A head kick by Mendes misses
letting Kivel counter with a right hand.
Kivel looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kivel lands a nice looking body shot.
A big left from Mendes misses.
Kivel scores with a shot to the body.
Kivel pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Mendes back to the cage. Kivel follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Kivel lands with an uppercut that bounces Mendes off the cage and back into range.
Mendes throws a push kick but Kivel slaps the foot to one side.
No joy there for Kivel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kivel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mendes throws a sloppy head kick
and Kivel counters with a straight right hand.
Kivel throws a series of punches but Mendes avoids them all with ease.
Mendes looks to throw a body kick
and Kivel counters with a two punch combo.
Kivel is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kivel wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Kivel pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Mendes misses with a combination
and Kivel counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Kivel throws a low kick but Mendes avoids it.
Mendes has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Kivel pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kivel tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Mendes throws a jab when Kivel was well out of range.
Kivel moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Mendes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mendes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes just misses with a punch to the body.
Kivel displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Mendes fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kivel avoids the body shot from Mendes.
A head kick misses from Mendes.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Mendes checks a leg kick.
A head kick misses from Mendes.
Mendes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mendes tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Kivel is able to avoid easily.
Kivel throws a low kick but Mendes avoids it.
Mendes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kivel cracks the inside of Mendes's front leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Mendes does no damage.
Kivel connects with a leg kick. Mendes looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Kivel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mendes swinging wildly here.
Kivel dodges the punch combination from Mendes.
Kivel swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Mendes counters with a two punch combo.
Kivel misses with a two punch combination.
Kivel throws a leg kick that misses.
Mendes tries a head kick but it misses.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Kivel. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Kivel misses with the combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Mendes.
Kivel avoids the head kick by Mendes.
Mendes throws a series of punches but Kivel avoids them all with ease.
Mendes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mendes misses with a combination
and Kivel counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mendes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mendes throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kivel moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Kivel fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mendes manages to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyril Kivel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Mendes checks the leg kick nicely there.
Cyril Kivel seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mendes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kivel jabs Mendes to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Mendes moves out of range of the body kick from Kivel.
Kivel tests Mendes's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mendes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kivel.
Mendes throws a sloppy head kick and Kivel moves out of range easily.
Kivel moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Kivel comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Kivel connects with a leg kick. Mendes looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Kivel works Mendes's body with a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kivel looks to land a combination. Mendes sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Kivel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mendes walks into a stiff left hand from Kivel.
Robson Mendes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A lazy body kick from Mendes
and Kivel counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mendes throws a predictable looking body shot
and Kivel counters with a series of strikes. Mendes will be more careful next time no doubt.
Kivel fails to land with a series of punches.
Kivel is working the combinations to good effect here.
Mendes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mendes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kivel misses with a series of wild punches.
Mendes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kivel connects with a leg kick. Mendes looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kivel throws a body kick that misses.
Mendes swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kivel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kivel tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sloppy strikes from Mendes. Those never looked like landing.
Kivel slips a jab from Mendes.
Kivel uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mendes.
Mendes on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kivel throws a right hand that Mendes ducks under and follows up with a left that Mendes also avoids with ease.
Kivel checks a leg kick nicely.
A head kick misses from Mendes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kivel throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kivel throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mendes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kivel avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kivel slips a jab and a cross from Mendes.
Mendes throws a lazy right hand but Kivel sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kivel avoids a punch combination nicely.
A solid leg kick lands there for Kivel.
Mendes throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kivel throws a right and a left that Mendes avoids nicely.
Kivel uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mendes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mendes misses with a body kick.
Kivel moves out of range as Mendes throws a body kick.
Mendes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mendes misses with a few strikes there.
Mendes takes one to the side of the head.
Mendes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kivel moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kivel misses with a jab, cross combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mendes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kivel moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kivel lands with a kick to the temple. Mendes shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Robson Mendes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cyril Kivel is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Mendes throws a head kick but Kivel moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cyril Kivel.
Well Kivel 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cyril Kivel!