PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Iivana Jalo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jalo comes into the arena with Aino Venna - Waltz to Paris blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Jalo
vs
Mendez

203 cm
27
266 lbs
21 - 13 - 0

200 cm
42
268 lbs
50 - 28 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Hellbent

Cripplers Corner

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 21 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Iivana Jalo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 50 - 28 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Tony Mendez!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Russell Pearce and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez's corner calls for a 1-2. Mendez obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Jalo connects with a single shot there.
Jalo throws a body shot but no joy.
Jalo throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mendez looks to throw the jab but Jalo is out of range.
Mendez wants to land a leg kick but Jalo is out of range.
Mendez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Jalo defends it nicely.
Mendez misses the jab.
Jalo definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Mendez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jalo bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Mendez's head backwards.
Mendez takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Jalo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Jalo throws a hook but Mendez blocks it.
Mendez takes a swing at Jalo's ribcage but misses.
Jalo throws out a loose jab but Mendez uses good head movement to avoid it.

Mendez drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jalo is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Mendez.
Jalo taking punishment in the form of punches.
Mendez trying to control the action but Jalo is working from the bottom.
Mendez working the ground and pound but Jalo is defending the strikes.

Mendez tries for a kimura but Jalo is defending well.
Mendez tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jalo is trying to improve his position.
Mendez tries to advance to mount but Jalo denies him.
Mendez in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Mendez tries to advance to mount but Jalo denies him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jalo tries to bench press Mendez off him but Mendez keeps the position.
Mendez looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Jalo is avoiding damage well.
Jalo struggling a bit here.
Mendez throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Jalo defending against the ground and pound.
Mendez wants to control but Jalo is keeping him busy.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mendez ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jalo throws a right hand that misses
and Mendez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mendez ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Jalo.

Mendez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Jalo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Mendez cracks Jalo with a big elbow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Mendez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Jalo knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Mendez throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Mendez is looking to take a break and control but Jalo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Mendez dominated that round.
That's time! Jalo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Jalo misses the jab.
Iivana Jalo is winning the standup battle so far.
The fighters circling - Jalo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mendez. Jalo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Jalo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mendez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Jalo.
Good shot there by Mendez.
A solid leg kick lands there for Mendez.
Mendez swings widly with a right hand
and Jalo counters with a straight right hand.
Jalo lands a slapping body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez moves away from the strike by Jalo.
Mendez looks to land a right hand but Jalo moved out of range.
Mendez throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Mendez cracks Jalo with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Mendez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mendez. Jalo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Jalo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Mendez doesn't seem bothered though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Jalo was well out of range. Poor timing from Mendez.
Jalo scores with a nice strike.
Iivana Jalo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mendez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mendez swings for the body but Jalo moves out of range.
Mendez lands a nice shot to the body.
Mendez swings for the body but Jalo moves out of range.
Jalo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Mendez counters with a nice uppercut.
Jalo swinging wildly here.
Jalo missing with a left hand there. Mendez was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Jalo slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Mendez just misses with a punch to the body.
Mendez buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Jalo slaps away a takedown attempt from Mendez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Mendez is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Jalo rather than just go for the knockout.
Mendez misses with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez looks to land a left hand but Jalo moved out of range nicely.
A jab from Jalo finds it's way through Mendez's defenses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mendez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Jalo scores with a jab to the body.
Mendez is breathing heavily.
Mendez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Jalo manages to avoid it.
Mendez looks to land a right hand but Jalo moved out of range.
Mendez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jalo stuns Mendez with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Jalo lands a right hook to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Jalo. Mendez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Jalo works Mendez's body with a nice hook.
Mendez misses with a hook
and Jalo counters with a straight right hand.
Jalo punishes Mendez's body with a nice straight punch.
Jalo throws the left hand but Mendez avoids the punch easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jalo is looking to clinch but Mendez is avoiding it.
Jalo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mendez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Jalo scores with a crisp jab that stopped Mendez in his tracks.
Mendez blocks a jab.
Mendez throws a hook but Jalo avoids it easily.
Jalo lands a jab to Mendez's midsection.
Jalo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A telegraphed right hand from Jalo misses the target.
Jalo misses with a hook.
Jalo throws the left hand but Mendez avoids the punch easily.
Jalo throws an overhand right that lands on Mendez's shoulder, as Mendez tries to avoid the shot.
Jalo throws a nice looking combination but Mendez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Jalo misses the jab.
Mendez throws out a loose jab but Jalo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mendez throws a shot from downtown. Jalo moves away and avoids it.
Jalo scores with a decent looking hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jalo moves away from the strike by Mendez.
Mendez slips a straight right by Jalo.
Jalo works Mendez's body with a nice hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mendez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Iivana Jalo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Mendez.
Mendez misses with an uppercut.
Jalo misses with an uppercut. Mendez saw that one coming.
Mendez jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Jalo avoids the body shot from Mendez.
Mendez throws out a loose jab but Jalo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mendez takes one to the chin there.
Jalo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Jalo scores with the left hand. Mendez knows he should have avoided that one.
Jalo swings away with a body shot that misses

and Mendez counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mendez.
Mendez is looking to work some ground and pound but Jalo has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Iivana Jalo dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Jalo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mendez.
Jalo stuffs the takedown attempt from Mendez. Mendez gets slowly back to his feet.
Jab from Mendez.
Jalo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Jalo looks to throw the jab but Mendez is out of range.
Mendez scores with a leg kick.
Mendez throws a hook but Jalo avoids it easily.
Jab from Jalo.
Mendez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jalo misses the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jalo throws out a loose jab but Mendez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Jalo lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Jalo ducks under a wild hook from Mendez.
A jab from Jalo misses.

Mendez closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Jalo's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jalo is trying to keep Mendez in close.
Mendez postures up in Jalo's guard and throws a big left but Jalo blocks it.
Mendez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mendez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mendez throws an elbow that misses. Jalo uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Mendez's guard. Nice move by Jalo!

Mendez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mendez is pulling down on Jalo's head. It's preventing any offense from Jalo, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Mendez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Jalo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Mendez has his foot on Jalo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Jalo works his way back into a safe position though.
Jalo engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Tony Mendez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Jalo from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez looking for a sweep. Not yet Mendez, not yet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Mendez loads up on a big right hand but Jalo slips the punch.
Mendez misses with a looping right.
Jalo throws a hook but Mendez avoids it easily.
Jalo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Mendez.
Mendez throws a front kick aimed at Jalo's knee but Jalo avoids it well.
Jalo throws a body punch but Mendez moves out of range.
Jalo lands a glancing blow to the side of Mendez's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Jalo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Mendez.
Mendez throws a body punch but Jalo moves out of range.
Mendez shoots for a takedown but Jalo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jalo wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Mendez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mendez takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Mendez pivots, looking for a leg kick but Jalo is out of range and Mendez settles back down.
Jalo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Mendez closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Jalo to the mat! Jalo manages to get full guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mendez forces his way into half guard.
Mendez scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Jalo gets back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tony Mendez.
I think Mendez 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Mendez!
A very excited looking Tony Mendez made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.