PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lyoto Yoshida (ranked 2795 p4p, 329 weight class) and Arthur Menezes (ranked 468 p4p, 68 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Yoshida
vs
Menezes

196 cm
25
189 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

180 cm
27
190 lbs
17 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lyoto Yoshida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Arthur Menezes!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Shimada and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Menezes manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Yoshida on his heels. He'll look to pass Yoshida's guard now, I'm sure.
Yoshida keeping moving, preventing Menezes from controlling successfully.
Yoshida will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Yoshida working a defensive guard but Menezes manages to pass into side control anyway.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Menezes tries to score with some ground and pound. Yoshida controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Yoshida is not content to let Menezes control the position.

Menezes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Menezes tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida being controlled for a moment.

Menezes wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Yoshida, who protects the arm well.
Menezes wants to control but Yoshida is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Menezes tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Menezes has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Yoshida tries to improve position but can't.
Menezes tries to advance to mount but Yoshida instead regains half guard.
Well, if Menezes is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida trying to get back to full guard but Menezes takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Yoshida is looking to improve his position but Menezes isn't that keen on the idea.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Menezes looking for a guillotine from mount but Yoshida is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Yoshida regains half guard.
Menezes passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Yoshida!
Yoshida gets back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yoshida is looking for a sweep. Menezes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Yoshida slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Menezes preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Menezes dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Yoshida circles away from the clinch attempt

and Yoshida counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Yoshida.
Yoshida wants to pass the guard but Menezes is keeping the position.

Menezes looking for a guillotine here but Yoshida defends easily.
Yoshida has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Yoshida trying to control the position from guard on top but Menezes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Menezes is looking for a triangle but Yoshida pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yoshida trying to control but Menezes is working from the bottom.
Arthur Menezes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Yoshida pushing down on Menezes's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Menezes manages to get to full guard.
Yoshida looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Menezes is controlling Yoshida's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Yoshida controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Yoshida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Menezes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Menezes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yoshida is one step ahead there.
Menezes keeping moving, preventing Yoshida from controlling successfully.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Yoshida moves into the clinch.
Menezes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Yoshida taking a breather.

Menezes drags the fight down to the ground.
Yoshida is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Menezes wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Yoshida is now in half guard.
Yoshida controlling the action here.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Menezes is concentrating on defense, preventing Yoshida from advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida is trying to control the action in half guard but Menezes is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Yoshida is just content to waste time from the top position. Menezes takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Menezes throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Menezes is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yoshida slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyoto Yoshida dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Yoshida is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Menezes wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Menezes clinches up with Yoshida and pushes him back against the ropes.
Menezes's coach down at Soul Supremacy Rio was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Menezes's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Yoshida goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Menezes decides to pull guard.
Yoshida trying to control the position from guard on top but Menezes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yoshida is really struggling to control Menezes but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Menezes looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yoshida trying to control but Menezes is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Menezes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Menezes looking to control.
Yoshida looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Menezes working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Yoshida doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Yoshida manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Menezes throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Yoshida escapes and throws Menezes's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Menezes is looking to regain half guard here but Yoshida keeps moving and retains side control.
Menezes is not content to let Yoshida control the position.
Yoshida just content to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida is looking to take a break and control but Menezes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Yoshida throws an elbow but Menezes slips to the side and avoids it well.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The fighters circling - Menezes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Menezes misses with a body shot.
Yoshida changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Menezes lands with a cross.
Nice shot by Menezes.
Yoshida jabs Menezes right on the nose. Menezes blinks but takes it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menezes scores with a three punch combo!
Menezes avoids the body shot from Yoshida.
Yoshida gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Menezes.
Menezes swings for the body but Yoshida moves out of range.
Menezes swats away the attempt to clinch by Yoshida.
Yoshida misses the shot to the body.
Menezes takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Menezes lunges at Yoshida with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Yoshida's hand.
Menezes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Menezes's corner calls for a 1-2. Menezes obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Yoshida shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Menezes sprawls well. Menezes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Yoshida gets slowly back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yoshida throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Menezes scores with a jab. Yoshida acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Menezes scores with a hook to the body. Yoshida takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arthur Menezes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Menezes 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arthur Menezes!