PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John The Iron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitchell Menchaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The Iron comes to the cage accompanied by Slippin. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

The Iron
vs
Menchaka

183 cm
27
146 lbs
17 - 9 - 1

168 cm
22
143 lbs
12 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

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 17 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, John The Iron!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Mitchell Menchaka!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Chris Saunders and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed right hand from Menchaka misses the target.
Nice takedown defense from Menchaka. No joy for The Iron on that attempt.
The Iron tries to clinch but Menchaka moves away
and Menchaka counters with a stiff right hand.
Menchaka displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from The Iron.
The Iron tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Menchaka manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Menchaka looks to score with a jab to the body but The Iron is just out of range.
The Iron slips under a jab.
The Iron with a poor takedown
and Menchaka counters with a low kick, right behind The Iron 's knee.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John The Iron. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Menchaka scores with a leg kick.
Menchaka has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as The Iron is landing a low percentage of strikes.
The Iron chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Menchaka can pounce on him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The Iron darts in looking for a takedown but Menchaka gets double underhooks and turns The Iron into the cage.
The Iron misses with a punch on the inside.
The Iron scores with a nice hook to the head.
Menchaka tries to throw a body punch but The Iron avoids it by throwing Menchaka back against the cage.
The Iron tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
The Iron misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for The Iron.
Menchaka has a couple of punches blocked by The Iron.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Menchaka.
The Iron dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
The Iron really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Menchaka avoids a wild elbow strike from The Iron.
The Iron lands with a right to the head.
The Iron is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Menchaka is defending well.
The Iron is trying to drag Menchaka to the mat but Menchaka just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for The Iron.
The Iron drops down looking for an ankle pick but Menchaka pulls his leg out and moves away.
Menchaka misses with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The Iron looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Menchaka is fending him off so far but The Iron persists. Nope, Menchaka circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice cross by Menchaka.
We've been told by The Iron's head coaches at The Boom Boom Room that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
The Iron fails with an attempt to clinch.
The Iron has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from The Iron there as he acknowledges the shot.
The Iron shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Menchaka sprawls well. Menchaka wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. The Iron gets slowly back to his feet.
The Iron moves to clinch but Menchaka breaks away
and Menchaka counters with a nice body kick.
Menchaka fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Menchaka circles away from the clinch attempt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The Iron shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Menchaka as he avoids it easily.

The Iron drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Menchaka is trying to hold The Iron in close to prevent damage but The Iron has managed to pass into half guard.
Menchaka works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Iron preventing the sweep.
The Iron will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The Iron wants to pass the guard but Menchaka is keeping the position.
The Iron throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Menchaka is adopting a defensive guard.
Menchaka wants to improve his position but instead The Iron has moved into half guard.
The Iron is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Menchaka!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The Iron wants to control the pace but Menchaka is squirming around nicely.
Menchaka tries to hold on but The Iron postures up.
Menchaka working to try and regain half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
The Iron is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Menchaka is working to get back to half guard.
The Iron is landing with some decent strikes but Menchaka is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The Iron looking to control and managing it successfully.
The Iron can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Menchaka is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mitchell Menchaka will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

The Iron fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Menchaka avoids it really well and circles away.
Menchaka avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Menchaka circles away from the clinch attempt
and Menchaka counters with a lovely straight right hand!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The Iron misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Menchaka.
Menchaka stops a takedown attempt from The Iron.
Menchaka misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The Iron lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

The Iron successfully pulls guard.
The Iron is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Menchaka wants to pass the guard but The Iron is keeping the position.
The Iron controls Menchaka momentarily but Menchaka frees himself.
Menchaka must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The Iron looking to hit a scissor sweep but Menchaka is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The Iron looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The Iron is looking to stand up but Menchaka isn't so interested in that idea.
Menchaka looking to sit in guard and control but The Iron gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Menchaka is pulling down on The Iron's head. It's preventing any offense from The Iron, at least for the moment.
Menchaka is trying to keep The Iron in close.
The Iron pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Menchaka is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Iron with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Menchaka looking to control.
The Iron stands and throws Menchaka's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The Iron working away.
The Iron lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

The Iron goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Menchaka rolls with the submission and now he's on top in The Iron's guard! Nice work there by Menchaka!
Menchaka would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menchaka passes The Iron's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The Iron has his hands clasped together around Menchaka's back. He's all about the action.
The Iron is looking to improve his position.
The Iron trying to hold on to Menchaka's head to control him but Menchaka postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The Iron is doing well to control the position and prevent Menchaka from advancing to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John The Iron dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Menchaka lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
The Iron tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Menchaka swivels and escapes.
The Iron tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Menchaka defends well and The Iron ends up having to push Menchaka into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Menchaka cracks The Iron with a nice body shot.
Menchaka takes a shot to the head.

Menchaka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

The Iron clinches up with Menchaka and pushes him back against the cage.
Menchaka blocking some punches.

Menchaka breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Menchaka throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
John The Iron seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The Iron fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John The Iron. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The Iron tries to clinch up.
Menchaka ducks down and throws a hook to the body but The Iron moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menchaka misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from The Iron.
The Iron throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Menchaka's waist but Menchaka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing The Iron off to one side.
The Iron tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Menchaka manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The Iron checks a low kick from Menchaka.
Menchaka lands a lovely overhand right.
The Iron shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Menchaka pinned against the cage. Menchaka gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
The Iron fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
The Iron takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Mitchell Menchaka seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The Iron takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
The Iron keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menchaka just misses with a punch to the body.
The Iron tries to clinch but Menchaka moves out of range.
Mitchell Menchaka is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The Iron misses with a takedown attempt - Menchaka sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Menchaka getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
The Iron takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Menchaka thuds a left hand into The Iron's body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The Iron moves to clinch but Menchaka breaks away
and Menchaka counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Menchaka feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits The Irons jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
The Iron shoots in looking for a takedown. Menchaka tries to sprawl out of it but The Iron keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Menchaka manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The Iron throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Menchaka's waist but Menchaka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing The Iron off to one side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Iron will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
The Iron shoots in and drives through. Menchaka sprawls well.
Horrible takedown attempt by The Iron or perhaps it was just good defense by Menchaka, which made it look bad.
An inside leg kick lands from Menchaka.
Menchaka lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Menchaka.
The Iron takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
The Iron ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

The Iron shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than The Iron was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Menchaka is trying to get back to half guard.
Menchaka can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menchaka is looking to reverse the position.
Menchaka wants to control but The Iron postures up.

The Iron swings around for an armbar but Menchaka sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into The Iron's guard.
The Iron keeping moving, preventing Menchaka from controlling successfully.

The Iron is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Menchaka is aware though and is defending well.
The Iron controlling the position.
Menchaka is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mitchell Menchaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Menchaka has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mitchell Menchaka!
In his post fight interview, Mitchell Menchaka started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.