PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Korey Gaines (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabiano Mendonca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gaines
vs
Mendonca

190 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Korey Gaines!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fabiano Mendonca!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shirou Masuda and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Gaines crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Mendonca - the referee stops the clock and Gaines gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Mendonca. Gaines manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Gaines moves out of range as Mendonca throws a body kick.
Gaines throws a quick counter head kick but Mendonca was just out of range.
Gaines blocks a head kick by Mendonca.

Gaines clinches up with Mendonca and pushes him back against the cage.

Gaines escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mendonca throws a push kick but Gaines slaps the foot to one side.
Gaines feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Mendonca goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Mendonca tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick by Mendonca misses
and Gaines counters with a straight right hand.
Mendonca looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A quick step to the side and Gaines tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mendonca pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gaines fires out a quick counter leg kick but Mendonca just manages to avoid it.
Gaines moves out of range as Mendonca throws a body kick.
Gaines half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Mendonca throws a sloppy head kick and Gaines moves out of range easily.
Gaines quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Mendonca throws a lazy head kick
and Gaines counters with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gaines shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Mendonca is wriggling around but Gaines manages to pass to half guard.

Gaines looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Mendonca is trying to escape back to his feet but Gaines uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Gaines looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Mendonca is avoiding damage well.
Gaines taking a breather here.
Gaines has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
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.
Mendonca tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Gaines easily slips into full mount!
Gaines controlling the position easily from mount.
Mendonca trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaines pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Mendonca really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Mendonca is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gaines cracks Mendonca with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Gaines 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.
Mendonca wants to control but Gaines is having none of it.
Gaines looking to control but Mendonca is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gaines looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendonca tries to buck Gaines off but he can't manage it.
Gaines landing punches.
Mendonca is squirming around, avoiding Gaines's attempts to control the action.
Gaines takes Mendonca's back.
Mendonca is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mendonca tries a head kick but it misses.
Gaines blocks a head kick by Mendonca.
It appears Gaines was looking to counter with a kick there.
Gaines takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Mendonca throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
It appears Gaines was looking to counter with a kick there.

Gaines closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gaines takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Gaines working Mendonca over with strikes.
Mendonca trying to hold on to Gaines's head to control him but Gaines postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendonca wants to control but Gaines passes into side.
Mendonca wants to get back to his feet but Gaines is dominant here and he's now got Mendonca's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendonca trying to control the hands but Gaines breaks the grip.
Mendonca covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Even with his hooks in, Gaines manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Mendonca is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Gaines is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mendonca can do to turn this around?
Gaines scores with strikes from the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaines wants to control but Mendonca is keeping busy.
I would not like to be Mendonca right now.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Gaines's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Gaines lands a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaines is landing with strikes. Mendonca can't take much more of this.
Gaines scores with punches and elbows.
Mendonca trying to control the hands but Gaines won't let him.
Gaines really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Mendonca.
Gaines throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendonca is trying to get back to his feet but Gaines has full control of the position and if anything, Mendonca has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Gaines is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Gaines gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Gaines connects with a big shot to the side of Mendonca's head.
Gaines struggling to keep hold of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gaines is riding his opponent, not letting Mendonca buck him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Korey Gaines dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Mendonca throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mendonca tries a head kick but it misses.
Mendonca thuds his shin into the meat of Gaines's side.
Gaines takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Fabiano Mendonca is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gaines moves out of range of the body kick from Mendonca.
Mendonca throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gaines looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Mendonca misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mendonca keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Mendonca takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendonca misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gaines is looking to counter with a body kick.
Mendonca throws a sloppy head kick and Gaines moves out of range easily.
Gaines jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Mendonca misses with a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaines moves out of range of the body kick.

Gaines gets a clinch.

Gaines breaks the clinch.
Mendonca throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gaines is looking to counter with head kicks.

Gaines has Mendonca up against the cage in a clinch.
Gaines really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Gaines manages to break the clinch.
Gaines throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mendonca's waist but Mendonca gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gaines off to one side.
Mendonca unleashes a big counter combination but Gaines bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Gaines drives through with a takedown into Mendonca's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Mendonca pushes Gaines off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fabiano Mendonca seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Gaines drives through and clinches with Mendonca against the cage.
Gaines just leaning against Mendonca, taking a breather.

Gaines escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fabiano Mendonca is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mendonca misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Gaines rushes Mendonca and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gaines tries to score a body lock takedown but Mendonca shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Korey Gaines. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gaines keeps control of Mendonca as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gaines taking a breather.
Gaines prevents Mendonca from breaking the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendonca looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gaines has Mendonca pushed against the cage.

Gaines manages to break the clinch.
Mendonca throws a head kick that misses.
A counter left hand to the body from Gaines misses its target.
Mendonca throws a head kick that misses.
A little feinted left hand from Gaines on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Gaines moves into the clinch.

Gaines pulls Mendonca into guard.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Gaines utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mendonca really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gaines. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendonca wants to pass the guard but Gaines is keeping the position.
Gaines throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Gaines trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Mendonca got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gaines has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mendonca has managed to get both his arms back between Gaines's legs - danger averted.

Gaines has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mendonca can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Gaines trying to strike off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Korey Gaines.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gaines, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Korey Gaines!