PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Moseey Calvin (ranked 4949 p4p, 233 weight class) and Ricky Mendez (ranked 4976 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.

Calvin
vs
Mendez

182 cm
21
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
137 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Moseey Calvin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ricky Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Paul Gruel and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Calvin looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A slow jab from Mendez misses its intended target.
Sloppy strikes from Mendez. Those never looked like landing.
Calvin drops down looking for a counter takedown but Mendez sprawls and moves away.

Mendez tries to keep at a distance but Calvin has taken the fight into the clinch.
Calvin missing with knees to the body.
Mendez looking to stall.
Calvin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mendez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Calvin.
Calvin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Mendez gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Calvin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mendez tries to work over Calvin's front leg with a kick but Calvin checks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calvin is looking to clinch but Mendez is avoiding it.

Mendez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Mendez wants to get up but he can't break Calvin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Mendez passes Calvin's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Calvin wants to improve his position but Mendez is controlling well.
Calvin trying to control here.
Calvin wants to get back to full guard.
Calvin trying to control here.
Calvin taking some punishment here, with Mendez in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mendez is looking for a kimura here.
Mendez wants to control but Calvin is keeping him busy.
Calvin wants to improve his position but Mendez is controlling well.
Mendez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Calvin keeps working.
Calvin trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mendez decides to stand and escape the position.
Calvin tries to clinch up but Mendez circles away and keeps his distance.
Mendez let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Mendez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Calvin misses with a series of wild punches.
Mendez stuffs the takedown.
It seemed like Mendez was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Moseey Calvin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Calvin closes the distance looking to clinch
and Mendez counters with a good, hard body kick but Calvin shrugs it off.

Calvin gets caught napping as Mendez dives in and scores a takedown. Calvin manages to retain guard.
Calvin is breathing heavily.

Mendez drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Calvin dives on top into guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Calvin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mendez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mendez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez trying to control the position.
Mendez is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Mendez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mendez is trying to control the position but Calvin postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Mendez looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Calvin passes into side control.
Calvin working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Calvin throws a head kick but Mendez moves out of range.
A left and a right from Mendez both land. Nice combination.
Calvin fails with the takedown.
Calvin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Mendez dives in and scores a takedown into Calvin's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Calvin keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Mendez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez trying to control but Calvin is working from the bottom.
Calvin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mendez showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

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

Calvin gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Mendez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Calvin on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Mendez keeps the fight on the outside.
A little jabbing left from Mendez on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez throws a lazy right hand but Calvin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mendez looks to land a left hand but Calvin moved out of range nicely.
Calvin tries to counter with a takedown but Mendez is quick to defend against it.
Mendez connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Mendez misses with a looping left.
Calvin shoots in for a takedown but Mendez shows good takedown defense.
Despite the aggression on Mendez's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Moseey Calvin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mendez fails to land the takedown.
Calvin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Calvin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mendez as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Ricky Mendez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Calvin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mendez let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Mendez stuffs the takedown attempt from Calvin. Calvin gets slowly back to his feet.
Mendez works the jab nicely.
A head kick from Mendez lands but Calvin takes it in his stride.

Calvin is rocked!
Mendez missing with a left hand there. Calvin was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Oh Calvin is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Moseey Calvin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Calvin goes for a double leg but Mendez avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mendez continues to drive forward.
Calvin seems to have got his legs back now.
Mendez cracks Calvin with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Mendez just misses with a punch to the body.
Mendez shoots for a takedown but Calvin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Calvin tries for a takedown but Mendez circles away easily
and Mendez counters with a three punch combo that has Calvin backing up. Calvin nods at Mendez to acknowledge the strikes.
Calvin takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mendez goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
No luck for Calvin with that takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Mendez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Mendez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Calvin pinned against the cage. Calvin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mendez throws an overhand right that lands on Calvin's shoulder, as Calvin tries to avoid the shot.

Mendez closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Calvin's guard.
Calvin wants to stand and escape but Mendez is having none of it.
Calvin trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Calvin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mendez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mendez trying to control but Calvin is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mendez decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Calvin, up you get!
Mendez with a hook.
Horrible takedown attempt by Calvin or perhaps it was just good defense by Mendez, which made it look bad.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nice takedown defense from Mendez. No joy for Calvin on that attempt.
Calvin shoots in but Mendez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Mendez is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Moseey Calvin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Calvin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Mendez throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Calvin was covering up waiting for the punch and Mendez finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calvin keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Mendez is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Calvin keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Mendez looking to pass the guard.
Calvin keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Mendez slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez advances to mount.
Mendez avoids the attempt from Calvin to control.
Calvin is squirming around, avoiding Mendez's attempts to control the action.

Mendez looking for a guillotine from mount but Calvin is having none of it.

Mendez with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez avoids the attempt from Calvin to control.
Mendez lands a nice shot to the head.
Mendez looking to control but Calvin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Mendez is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Calvin is surviving well by controlling Mendez's body position as best he can.
Ricky Mendez is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Calvin is working to get back to half guard.
Moseey Calvin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Mendez goes for an armbar but Calvin turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Calvin.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Mendez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Mendez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Josh West scores the fight 27:30

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