PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ezekiel Stone (ranked 5270 p4p, 0 weight class) and Victor Mendez (ranked 4707 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Stone
vs
Mendez

180 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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, Ezekiel Stone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Victor Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Hirohito Nitta and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stone throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mendez's waist but Mendez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Stone off to one side.

Stone rushes Mendez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Stone escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Victor Mendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stone shoots in but Mendez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Stone shoots for a takedown but Mendez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ezekiel Stone. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Stone fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mendez, pushing him back against the cage.
Mendez jumps guard but Stone turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Stone manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Mendez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Stone.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Mendez.
Stone dodges an elbow strike from Mendez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez misses with a knee to the head.
Stone wants a takedown but no success here.
Mendez tries to stall but Stone uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Stone is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mendez to keep the fight standing.
Mendez creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Stone's defenses.
Mendez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Stone is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mendez comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

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

Stone moves into the clinch.
Mendez tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Stone avoids it.
Mendez connects with a nasty looking knee right to Stone's face.
Mendez looks winded!
Stone is working for takedown but Mendez is calmly controlling the position for now.

Stone jumps guard and drags Mendez to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Stone looking for a sweep. Not yet Stone, not yet.
Stone is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone trying to strike off his back.
Mendez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Mendez throws a big right hand that misses.
Mendez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Stone is controlling Mendez's posture.
Stone tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mendez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stone is looking to stand up but Mendez isn't so interested in that idea.
Stone keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mendez as he jumps to the side.

Stone has closed the distance and engaged Mendez in a clinch.
Stone has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Mendez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Mendez misses with a hook from the clinch.

Stone breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mendez blocks a head kick by Stone.
The fighters circling - Mendez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Mendez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Stone sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Stone misses with a head kick.
Mendez changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Stone stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Stone wants it to stay on the feet.
Mendez has a takedown stuffed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mendez defends well and Stone ends up having to push Mendez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Stone swats away the attempt to clinch by Mendez.
Stone shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mendez sprawls well. Mendez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Stone gets slowly back to his feet.

Stone closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Stone just misses with a elbow thrown towards Mendez's brow.

Stone pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stone has a takedown stuffed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ezekiel Stone will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

No luck with that takedown attempt from Mendez.

Stone darts in and clinches Mendez up against the cage.
Mendez throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Mendez throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mendez trying to stall but Stone improves his position.
Stone is looking to take this one to the mat.
Mendez trying to stall but Stone improves his position.
Stone looking to slow down the pace here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mendez struggles to land a body shot inside as Stone controls his hands.

Mendez manages to break the clinch.
Mendez throws a sloppy body shot
and Stone counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Stone.
Mendez is breathing heavily.
Stone tries for a takedown but Mendez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Stone darts in and clinches Mendez up against the cage.

Stone pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mendez works Stone's body with a nice hook.
Mendez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Stone backs up against the cage.
Stone lands a lovely overhand right.
Mendez tries to clinch but Stone moves away
and Stone counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Stone gets a clinch.
Mendez lands a body shot in the clinch.
Mendez misses with some punches.

Stone escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mendez misses with a low kick.

Stone closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez throws an elbow but it misses.
Mendez looking to slow down the pace here.

Stone's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mendez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
As Stone backs off Mendez throws a huge counter combo but Stone manages to avoid it all.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ezekiel Stone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A nice combination there by Mendez.

Stone has taken the fight to the clinch.
Stone avoids a wild elbow strike from Mendez.
Mendez lands a nice shot to the body.
Stone wants a takedown.
Stone goes for a takedown in the clinch but Mendez prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez lands an elbow inside.
Nice body punch from Mendez - that landed with a thud.
Stone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Mendez just stands there and leans against the cage.

Stone manages to break the clinch.
Ezekiel Stone is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mendez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Stone throws a head kick but Mendez moves out of range.
Mendez throws a leg kick but Stone sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Left hook, right uppercut from Mendez.
Mendez stuffs the takedown.
Stone slips under a jab from Mendez.
Mendez lands a body shot.
Mendez throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Stone.
Mendez loads up on a big right hand but Stone slips the punch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mendez avoids the head kick by Stone.
Victor Mendez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Stone stuffs the takedown.
Stone fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mendez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Stone seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Stone motions for Mendez to come forward. Stone throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Stone rushes Mendez and presses him up against the cage.
Mendez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Stone stalling against the cage.
Stone blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Victor Mendez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Mendez has closed the distance and engaged Stone in a clinch.

Stone escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mendez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Mendez tries to bum rush Stone with a series of wild strikes but Stone uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Stone dives in and grabs Mendez's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mendez pushes down on Stone's head and hops out.
Mendez misses with a takedown attempt - Stone sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Stone changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Mendez stuffs the takedown attempt from Stone. Stone gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ezekiel Stone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stone with a lazy takedown attempt

and Mendez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Mendez is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Mendez lands a damaging elbow.
Mendez lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez leaning against his opponent.
Stone slowing the pace effectively.
Mendez misses with a body punch.
Mendez effectively controlling the action here.
Stone tries to score a body lock takedown but Mendez shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Stone manages to break the clinch.
Mendez has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Mendez shoots in looking for a takedown but Stone manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Mendez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Stone appears to be looking for a big counter.
Stone changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mendez tries to avoid it but Stone manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mendez to the ground. Mendez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mendez throws a lazy right hand but Stone sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mendez tries to clinch up.
Mendez takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone defending well as Mendez loads up on a big left hand.
Stone shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mendez defends it nicely.
Mendez looks to score with a jab to the body but Stone is just out of range.
As Mendez looks to move away, Stone throws a big counter combo but Mendez just gets out of the way.
Mendez looks to land a combination but Stone avoids it well.

Stone drives through and clinches with Mendez against the cage.

Stone pulls guard successfully.
Mendez trying to control but Stone is working from the bottom.
Mendez tries to free his leg and advance position but Stone is retaining full guard.

Mendez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone trying to keep a closed guard but Mendez is proving a slippery customer.
Mendez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Mendez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Mendez trying to control but Stone is working from the bottom.

Stone looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Mendez passes into side control.
Stone manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stone decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Mendez looks to land a right hand but Stone moved out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Stone.
Mendez scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Stone throws a right hand that Mendez ducks under and follows up with a left that Mendez also avoids with ease.
Stone shoots for a takedown but Mendez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Mendez has taken the fight to the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mendez using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Stone has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Stone breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mendez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Stone appears to be looking for a big counter.

And that's the end of the fight!
Victor Mendez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Victor Mendez!