PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Orlando Menez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fourie Du Preez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fourie Du Preez has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Orlando Menez's chin.

Menez
vs
Du Preez

170 cm
19
144 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

165 cm
19
143 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Elite Canadian Threads

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Orlando Menez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fourie Du Preez!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Sosuke Kotani and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Menez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Du Preez has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Menez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Du Preez circles away.
Menez shoots for a takedown but Du Preez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Orlando Menez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Du Preez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Du Preez seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Menez actively working from the bottom here.

Menez is defending against the submission attempts here by Du Preez.
Du Preez winds up and cracks Menez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Menez pushes Du Preez off looking to stand but Du Preez dives back in and keeps control.
Du Preez lands with a punch from half guard.
Du Preez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Menez is trying to stand up here but Du Preez is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Du Preez not doing much here.
Du Preez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Menez keeps working.
Du Preez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Menez is trying to stand.
Du Preez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Du Preez trying to control from Menez's half guard. Menez has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Du Preez throws a big right hand that misses.
Du Preez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Du Preez wants to take a breather but Menez is having none of it.
Du Preez throws a strike but Menez avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Du Preez wants to control from the top but Menez keeps moving.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Menez wants to stand but Du Preez is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menez trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Du Preez lands a couple of elbows.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Menez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Du Preez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Du Preez trying to control the position from guard on top but Menez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Du Preez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Menez wants to get back to his feet but Du Preez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Du Preez postures up in Menez's guard and throws a big left but Menez blocks it.
Du Preez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Menez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Du Preez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Du Preez trying to control the position from guard on top but Menez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Du Preez controls from within his opponent's guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Fourie Du Preez.
Du Preez throws a hook but Menez avoids it easily.
Orlando Menez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Menez drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Du Preez is looking for a sweep.
Du Preez has one of Menez's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
Du Preez is looking for a sweep.
Menez tries to score with some ground and pound. Du Preez controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
You can see the frustration on Du Preez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Du Preez tries to buck Menez off but Menez is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menez trying to control the action but Du Preez is working from the bottom.
Du Preez tries to buck Menez off but Menez is having none of it.
Du Preez stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Du Preez is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Menez's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Du Preez can do anything to dispel that myth.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Du Preez is controlling Menez's position as best he can from this difficult position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Du Preez is staying active underneath Menez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Du Preez is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Du Preez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Menez!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nice sprawl there from Du Preez as Menez shoots in.
Menez misses with a takedown

and Du Preez counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Fourie Du Preez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Du Preez is trying to control the action in half guard but Menez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Menez looks like he's trying to stand up.
Du Preez slows the pace down in half guard.
Du Preez's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Fourie Du Preez has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Menez stuffs the takedown attempt from Du Preez. Du Preez gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Orlando Menez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Du Preez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Menez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Menez throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Menez looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Menez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Du Preez as he jumps to the side.
Du Preez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Menez.
Menez with a lazy takedown attempt

and Du Preez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Du Preez seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Du Preez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menez keeping moving, preventing Du Preez from controlling successfully.
Menez is looking to stand up but Du Preez isn't so interested in that idea.
Du Preez trying to control the position from guard on top but Menez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Fourie Du Preez has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Du Preez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Menez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Du Preez counters with a shoot takedown. Menez fights it but they end up in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Du Preez won't allow Menez to get back to his feet.
Du Preez scoring with some ground and pound.
Menez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Du Preez is controlling him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Du Preez trying to control the position from guard on top but Menez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Du Preez slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Menez takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Du Preez is looking to take a break and control but Menez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Menez on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Menez wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Du Preez lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menez wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Du Preez tries to advance to mount but can't.
Du Preez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Menez keeps working.
Menez is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Du Preez landing strikes.
Menez is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Du Preez is controlling him well.
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.
Du Preez lands a decent elbow from side control.
Du Preez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Menez keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fourie Du Preez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Menez shoots and misses

and Du Preez counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Du Preez drops an elbow to the side of Menez's head.
Menez wants to get back to his feet.
Well, if Du Preez is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Du Preez passes to full mount!
Du Preez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
You get the feeling that Menez really doesn't like being in this position too much.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Du Preez lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Menez hang on?
Menez is in a horrible position here. Du Preez smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Menez is rocked!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menez is in a horrible position here. Du Preez smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Oh Menez is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The referee warns Menez that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Du Preez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Du Preez lands a big shot to the head and Menez winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Fourie Du Preez!
The defeated Orlando Menez had this to say: 'I'll be back soon better then ever!! Thanks guys!!!'.