PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Charles Menezes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Swardson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Menezes kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Charlinho, o menino que só queria estudar - Hermes & Renato. Charles Menezes has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Menezes
vs
Swardson

225 cm
26
300 lbs
10 - 14 - 1

187 cm
23
274 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Charles Menezes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nick Swardson!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Leandro Rodrigues and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Swardson clinches with his opponent.
Menezes blocks the elbow strike.

Swardson breaks from the clinch.

Menezes tries to keep at a distance but Swardson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Swardson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Menezes blocks it with crossed arms.

Swardson manages to break the clinch.
Swardson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Menezes.
Menezes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Swardson moves into range and clinches up with Menezes.
Menezes blocks the elbow strike.
Menezes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The referee calls for Swardson to work.
Swardson trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swardson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Menezes takes an elbow to the temple.

Swardson manages to break the clinch.
Swardson misses with a body kick.
Menezes throws a right hand that Swardson ducks under and follows up with a left that Swardson also avoids with ease.
Nick Swardson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Swardson throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Menezes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Swardson tries to close the distance and clinch but Menezes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Some wild striking there from Menezes.
Some wild striking there from Menezes.
Menezes misses with a wild combination.
Menezes fails with the takedown
and Swardson counters with a good low kick that Menezes was not able to check.
Menezes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Swardson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swardson throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Menezes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Swardson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Menezes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Menezes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Menezes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Menezes is breathing heavily.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
You can see the frustration on Swardson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Swardson gets back to half guard.
Menezes knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Swardson on the ground.
Swardson gets back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Swardson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Menezes loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Swardson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menezes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Menezes got a little sloppy there for a moment and Swardson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Menezes has managed to get both his arms back between Swardson's legs - danger averted.
Menezes has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Menezes is looking to work some ground and pound but Swardson has wrist control.

Swardson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Menezes defends well.
Menezes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Swardson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Swardson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Menezes.
Swardson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Menezes stopping the sweep attempt from Swardson.
Swardson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Menezes.

Swardson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Swardson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Menezes defends well.
Swardson has Menezes pulled in close to control his posture.

Swardson pushes Menezes off and scrambles back to his feet.
Menezes misses with the combination.
Swardson is looking to slow Menezes down with leg kicks.
Menezes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Swardson tries to avoid it but Menezes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Swardson to the ground. Swardson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Charles Menezes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Swardson rushes Menezes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Swardson tries a knee to the head but Menezes blocks it.
Menezes can't find room to land a body shot as Swardson controls the action.
Swardson tries to land knees in the clinch but Menezes avoids the damage to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Swardson throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Menezes.
Menezes misses with a wild combination.
Menezes ducks under a wild hook from Swardson.
Menezes lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Swardson circles away quickly and effectively.
Swardson leaves Menezes with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Menezes has a takedown stuffed.
Swardson turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Menezes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Menezes being controlled against the cage.
Swardson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Menezes avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Swardson breaks the clinch.
Swardson misses with a head kick.
Charles Menezes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Swardson clinches with his opponent.
Menezes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Menezes blocks the elbow strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Swardson just misses with a elbow thrown towards Menezes's brow.

Menezes has hold of one of Swardson's legs. Swardson is fighting the takedown attempt but Menezes gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Menezes postures up in Swardson's guard and throws a big left but Swardson blocks it.
Menezes postures up.
Swardson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Menezes is one step ahead there.

Swardson looking for a guillotine here but Menezes defends easily.
Swardson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swardson pulls Menezes in close to his closed guard and prevents Menezes from doing any damage or advancing position.
Menezes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Menezes is looking to pass into half guard but Swardson pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Swardson is in guard.
Swardson throwing strikes from guard but Menezes blocks nicely.
Menezes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Swardson is looking to work some ground and pound but Menezes has wrist control.
Swardson stays in close to Menezes's body and controls the position.
Menezes keeping full guard, as Swardson tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swardson pushes down on Menezes's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Swardson is looking to take a break and control but Menezes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Swardson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Swardson controlling the pace.
Swardson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Menezes's head.
Swardson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Swardson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Menezes on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Menezes tries to get out of the position.
Swardson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Menezes keeps working.
Swardson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Menezes is defending against the submission attempts here by Swardson.
Swardson wants to take a breather but Menezes is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Swardson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Menezes takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Menezes manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Swardson on his heels. He'll look to pass Swardson's guard now, I'm sure.

Swardson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Menezes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Swardson striking off his back but it's not causing Menezes any problems.

Swardson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Menezes doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Swardson is tightening it up a little... Menezes has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Menezes reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Menezes taps out! Nice BJJ there by Swardson!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Nick Swardson!
After the fight, Nick Swardson was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.