PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tony Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rick Taylor has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mendez
vs
Taylor

200 cm
20
273 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

209 cm
22
240 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tony Mendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rick Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Stewart Dunkirk and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez shoots in but no luck this time.
Taylor misses with the combination.
Mendez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice shot lands for Taylor.
Taylor misses with the combination.
Mendez dodges the punch combination from Taylor.

Mendez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Taylor can do anything to dispel that myth.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom here.
Mendez lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Taylor down.
Mendez working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Taylor tries to buck Mendez off but Mendez is having none of it.
Taylor can't do much from the bottom here.
Mendez scoring with punches from side control.
Mendez lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor wants to control but Mendez postures up.
Mendez working the body and head with strikes.
Taylor looks gassed!
Mendez working the ground and pound from side control.
Mendez is chipping away with strikes.

Mendez has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Taylor swinging wilding here.
A nice leg kick lands there from Mendez.
Mendez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mendez tries to clinch up.
Mendez staying out of range there.
Taylor blocks a head kick by Mendez.
Rick Taylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mendez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Taylor moves away.

Mendez drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendez preventing the sweep.
Mendez stands up over Taylor, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Taylor trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to stand but Mendez is controlling the position.

Taylor pushes Mendez off and gets back to his feet.

Mendez tries to keep at a distance but Taylor has taken the fight into the clinch.

Mendez pulls Taylor into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Mendez looking for a sweep. Not yet Mendez, not yet.
Taylor wanted to stand there but Mendez had control of the position.

Mendez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Mendez striking off his back but it's not causing Taylor any problems.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mendez is on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mendez scoring with some ground and pound.
Taylor is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mendez postures up.
Mendez passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Mendez decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Mendez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taylor manages to avoid it.
Mendez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Taylor lands with an overhand left.
Taylor misses with a two punch combination.
Taylor blocks the body kick.
Mendez lands with a shot to the body.
Mendez throws a leg kick but Taylor checks it.
Mendez throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Mendez attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Taylor misses.
Taylor swinging wilding here.
Taylor keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mendez.
Taylor misses with a jab, cross combination.

Taylor has taken the fight to the clinch.

Taylor has hold of one of Mendez's legs. Mendez is fighting the takedown attempt but Taylor gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Mendez keeps moving.
Mendez wants to stand but Taylor is controlling the position.
Taylor advances to half guard.
Taylor looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Mendez gets full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mendez trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Mendez wants to sweep but no luck.

Mendez is looking for a triangle but Taylor pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Mendez dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Mendez feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Mendez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mendez cracks Taylor with a solid left hand.
Mendez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mendez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mendez lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Mendez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Taylor looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Taylor looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Taylor!

Taylor has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Taylor takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mendez misses with a double jab
and Taylor counters with a three punch combo that has Mendez backing up. Mendez nods at Taylor to acknowledge the strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taylor lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Taylor.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taylor buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Taylor throws a right and a left that both miss.
Taylor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez tries a head kick but it misses.
Taylor throws a combination that misses

and Mendez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Taylor's guard.
Mendez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Taylor keeping full guard, as Mendez tries to pass.
Mendez working some strikes from top position.
Mendez chips away with some ground and pound.

Mendez has gone for a leg lock! Taylor slips out almost immediately though and dives into Mendez's guard.

Taylor stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Taylor will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mendez tries to clinch but Taylor is having none of it.
Taylor jabs Mendez right on the nose. Mendez blinks but takes it well.Mendez throws a sloppy head kick
enabling Taylor to counter with a crisp jab.
Mendez throws a wild body kick that Taylor sees coming a mile off.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mendez.
Taylor misses with a double jab

and Mendez counters with a single leg into guard. Taylor didn't expect that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez stopping the sweep attempt from Taylor.

Mendez decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Taylor tries to bum rush Mendez with a series of wild strikes but Mendez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Taylor avoids the head kick by Mendez.
Taylor misses with the combination.
Mendez tries a head kick but it misses.
Mendez dodges the punch combination from Taylor.
Mendez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Taylor throws a right hand that Mendez ducks under and follows up with a left that Mendez also avoids with ease.

Mendez scores a takedown into full mount!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Mendez cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Taylor trying desperately to get to his feet.
Mendez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez lands with some strikes.
Tony Mendez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mendez lands a nice shot to the head.
Mendez with shots to the head and body - Taylor looks very uncomfortable down there.
Mendez avoids the attempt from Taylor to control.
Taylor really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Taylor is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Mendez lands a heavy elbow.
Taylor blocking the ground and pound.
Taylor is in a horrible position here. Mendez smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Taylor wants to hold on but Mendez pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Mendez cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Mendez is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Taylor has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Taylor!

Mendez pushes Taylor off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor misses with a series of wild punches.
Mendez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Taylor connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Mendez throws a sloppy head kick and Taylor moves out of range easily.
Mendez tries to bum rush Taylor with a series of wild strikes but Taylor uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mendez throws a push kick but Taylor slaps the foot to one side.
Mendez swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Taylor counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Mendez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mendez tries to pull guard but Taylor won't allow it.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mendez throws a predictable looking body shot

and Taylor moves into the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mendez looking for a takedown.

Taylor breaks the clinch.
Mendez throws a right and a left that Taylor avoids nicely.
Mendez connects with a vicious head kick that knocks Taylor to the floor! Mendez dives in looking for the finish!

Taylor is rocked!

It looks like Rick Taylor has been cut.
Mendez winds up and cracks Taylor with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Taylor is still in real trouble! Can Mendez finish him?
Ground and pound from Mendez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Mendez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rick Taylor's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mendez connects with a nice cross there... Taylor is looking wobbly and Mendez recognises it - he's rushed in and lands two more brutal shots that send Taylor to the canvas, out cold! A brutal finish to the fight - Mendez jumps onto the cage to celebrate with the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Tony Mendez!