PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Greg Steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kiko Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Greg Steel has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Greg Steel seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Steel
vs
Mendez

178 cm
25
211 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

191 cm
24
211 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Greg Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kiko Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Paul Gruel and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Steel defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mendez.
A thudding body kick lands there by Steel!
Steel throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mendez has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Mendez closes the distance and clinches up with Steel, looking for a takedown. Mendez pushes Steel against the cage but Steel circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Steel throws a low kick, looking for Mendez's leg but Mendez calmly moves out of range.
Steel will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Steel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mendez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mendez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Steel tries to avoid it but Mendez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Steel to the ground. Steel escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Greg Steel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kiko Mendez.
Steel pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Mendez back to the cage. Steel follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Steel misses with a jab, cross combination.
Steel misses with the combination.
Steel looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mendez avoids the head kick by Steel.
Nice takedown defense from Steel. No joy for Mendez on that attempt.
Mendez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Steel counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel misses with a few strikes there.

Mendez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Steel looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Steel could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Mendez looks winded!
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Mendez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Steel is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Mendez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Steel has escaped the position, nice work there.
Steel tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mendez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Steel, who protects the arm well.
Steel knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mendez on the ground.
You can see the frustration on Steel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Steel tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mendez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

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

Mendez tries for a kimura but Steel is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez is looking to take a break and control but Steel is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Mendez looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Mendez looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Mendez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Steel is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez tries to move into full mount but can't pass Steel's legs.
Steel is trying to get back to half guard.

Mendez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Steel knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Mendez tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Mendez has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kiko Mendez dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Steel lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Mendez backs up against the cage.
Steel throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Steel lands with a cross.
Steel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sloppy strikes from Steel. Those never looked like landing.
Steel throws a series of punches but Mendez avoids them all with ease.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mendez.
Steel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mendez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mendez fails with a takedown attempt.
Mendez has a takedown stuffed.
Greg Steel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kiko Mendez.
Mendez takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel misses with a double jab.
No joy there for Steel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mendez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Steel with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Mendez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mendez is breathing heavily.
Steel stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Steel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mendez.
Steel looks to land a combination but Mendez avoids it well.
Steel shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Mendez eats them both and turns towards Steel to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Steel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mendez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Steel as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez has a takedown stuffed.
Steel scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Steel misses with a head kick.
Mendez shoots for a double leg takedown but Steel sprawls well. He's pushed Mendez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mendez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Steel.
Steel lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Mendez backs up against the cage.
Steel's jab looks to have found its range, popping Mendez under the eye.
A nice combination there by Steel.
Mendez dodges the punch combination from Steel.
Steel misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez avoids a kick to the body.
Mendez shoots in but no luck this time.
Mendez dives in for a single leg takedown but Steel sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Steel has had enough of the clinch but Mendez keeps him there for the moment.
Mendez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Steel is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Steel breaks from the clinch.
Steel misses with the combination.
Mendez shoots in for a takedown but Steel shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mendez has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Steel lands with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steel misses with a series of wild punches.
Steel throws a right hand that Mendez ducks under and follows up with a left that Mendez also avoids with ease.
Steel throws a right hand that Mendez ducks under and follows up with a left that Mendez also avoids with ease.
Steel stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Steel wants it to stay on the feet.
A nice combination there by Steel.
No joy there for Steel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Steel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Steel lands with a cross.

Mendez shoots in and bounces Steel off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steel scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Greg Steel dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mendez takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Mendez checks a leg kick nicely.
Mendez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Danga de danga de dang - Steel scores with a four punch combination!
Steel lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Mendez backs up against the cage.
Steel lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Mendez circles away quickly and effectively.
No joy there for Steel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mendez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Steel.
Mendez shoots in but no luck this time.
Steel throws a series of punches but Mendez moves out of range.
Mendez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Steel swivels and escapes.
Greg Steel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kiko Mendez.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Steel misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel misses with a body kick.
Steel misses with a jab, cross combination.
Steel throws a series of punches but Mendez moves out of range.
Greg Steel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Mendez closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Steel did well to prevent Mendez getting side control.

Mendez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Steel has managed to free his arm - good work.

Mendez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Mendez is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Mendez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Steel doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Mendez.
Steel might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mendez is trying to work for a kimura but Steel is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steel trying to control here.
Kiko Mendez has got the better of the ground game so far.

Mendez is working for a kimura but Steel is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel is not content to let Mendez control the position.
Steel tries to kick Mendez off but Mendez keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Mendez is trying to work for a kimura but Steel is defending well.

Mendez has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Steel defend it? Mendez steps over the head and cranks it - Steel is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Mendez!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Kiko Mendez!
After winning the bout, Kiko Mendez thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.