PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Darnell Cane (ranked 1406 p4p, 186 weight class) and Arthur Menezes (ranked 436 p4p, 63 weight class). Arthur Menezes is staring across the ring at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Cane
vs
Menezes

188 cm
35
203 lbs
22 - 13 - 1

180 cm
27
190 lbs
18 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 22 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Darnell Cane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Arthur Menezes!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yuuki Gou and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Menezes throws a body shot but no joy.
Menezes jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cane jabs Menezes to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Cane has a takedown stuffed.

Menezes rushes Cane and presses him up against the ropes.
Menezes throws a head punch that misses.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Menezes fails to pull guard.
Menezes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Menezes prevents the takedown attempt.

Menezes pulls guard.
Cane throws a big right hand that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cane postures up.
Cane throws a big elbow that misses.
Cane throws a big right hand that misses.
Cane working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Menezes has his foot on Cane's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cane works his way back into a safe position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cane is in close to Menezes's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Cane throws a strike but Menezes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Cane is trying to keep Menezes in close.
Menezes passes into half guard.
Cane is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Menezes jumps into side control!
Cane tries to bench press Menezes off him but Menezes keeps the position.
Menezes wants to control but Cane is keeping him busy.
Cane stops Menezes from passing to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cane tries to buck Menezes off but Menezes is having none of it.

Menezes working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Menezes fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Cane dodges the ground and pound from Menezes.
Menezes is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Cane will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Menezes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cane keeps working.
I wouldn't like to be where Cane is right now.
Menezes has control of an arm but Cane manages to advance to Menezes's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cane avoiding Menezes 's attempts to control his hands.
Cane is striking from the back but Menezes escapes and manages to recover to half guard.

Menezes is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Cane pulls his head out easily.
Cane frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
BOOM! Cane connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Menezes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cane looking to ground and pound but Menezes is blocking nicely.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Cane with the ground and pound from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cane throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Cane goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Menezes is on top in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cane controls Menezes momentarily but Menezes frees himself.
Menezes trying to control the position from guard on top but Cane is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Menezes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cane definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Cane lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Cane lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Menezes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
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 Darnell Cane will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Menezes checks a leg kick.
Cane fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Menezes manages to avoid it.
Menezes stuns Cane with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Cane looks to land a left hand but Menezes moved out of range nicely.
Menezes feints the counter takedown.
Menezes digs a good body shot into Cane's ribs.
Menezes digs a good hook to Cane's body.

Menezes closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Cane goes for a takedown in the clinch but Menezes prevents it.
Menezes controlling the action here for a moment.

Menezes manages to break the clinch.
Cane throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Menezes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Menezes swings for the body but Cane moves out of range.
Menezes throws a looping overhand right but Cane ducks down to avoid it.
Menezes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cane does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Menezes throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Menezes scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menezes misses with a looping left.
Menezes takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Cane misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Menezes.
Menezes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cane lands a body shot.
Cane needs to keep his hands up - Menezes had a free shot at his head there.
Cane waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Menezes.
A swing and a miss from Cane.
Menezes scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
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.
Menezes lands with an overhand left.
Cane shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Menezes throws a lazy uppercut
and Cane counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
No luck for Menezes with that takedown attempt.
Menezes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cane moves away.
Menezes loads up on a big right hand but Cane slips the punch.
Cane was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Cane throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cane tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Menezes was well out of range. Poor timing from Cane.
Menezes uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cane.
Menezes drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Cane defends it well.
Menezes fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
A telegraphed right hand from Menezes misses the target.
Cane missing with a left hand there. Menezes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Arthur Menezes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cane throws a jab but it's blocked by Menezes.
Menezes just misses with a punch to the body.
Cane cracks Menezes with a good jab.
Menezes just misses with a punch to the body.
Menezes shoots for a double leg takedown but Cane sprawls well. He's pushed Menezes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Menezes looks to land a right hand but Cane moved out of range.

Cane shoots in and bounces Menezes off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Cane postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cane postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cane missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Cane cracks Menezes with a solid left hand.
Cane throws a strike but Menezes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Cane not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cane holds on and takes a little breather.
Menezes engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Menezes stopping the sweep attempt from Cane.
Menezes wants to control from the top but Cane keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cane looking for a sweep. Not yet Cane, not yet.
Cane looking to control but Menezes passes into half guard.
Menezes trying to control the action but Cane is working from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Cane manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Menezes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Cane wants to sweep but no luck.
Cane keeping moving, preventing Menezes from controlling successfully.
Cane looking to control but Menezes passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Arthur Menezes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Menezes throws a jab when Cane was well out of range.
Cane ducks under a wild hook from Menezes.
Good standup being displayed there by Menezes as he connects with a hook.
Menezes cracks Cane with a right hand to the side of the head.
Cane stuns Menezes with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Cane ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Menezes moves away.
Cane defending well as Menezes loads up on a big left hand.
Menezes bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Cane's head backwards.
Cane tests Menezes's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cane cracks Menezes with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.
Menezes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cane attempts a counter takedown but Menezes avoids it well and moves away.
Menezes uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cane.
Menezes feints the counter takedown.
Cane misses with a wild body shot.
Cane takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Menezes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Menezes doesn't manage to clinch there - Cane circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menezes lands with a hook. Cane tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Menezes throws a predictable looking body shot
and Cane counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Menezes cracks Cane with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Cane misses with an uppercut.
Menezes throws out a loose jab but Cane uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cane takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Cane jabs Menezes to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A big left from Menezes misses.
Cane is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Menezes.
Menezes uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cane.
Cane looks to score with a jab to the body but Menezes is just out of range.
Menezes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Menezes misses the shot to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Cane misses the target.
Menezes on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Cane displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Menezes throws out the jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Menezes throws a nice looking combination but Cane bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Arthur Menezes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Menezes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menezes connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Cane's hands.

Menezes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Cane did well to prevent Menezes getting side control.
Menezes is controlling the pace.
Menezes lands with a punch from half guard.

Menezes seems to be working for a kimura but Cane defends the submission attempt.
Cane tries to get to full guard but Menezes has control of the leg.

Menezes is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cane doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Menezes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cane gets back to full guard.

Cane looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Menezes postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Cane is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Menezes, into his guard.

Menezes throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cane throws a big right hand that misses.
Cane working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cane working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Cane advances to half guard.

Menezes looking for submissions off his back.
Cane looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Cane looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Cane misses with a head shot. Menezes uses the momentum to regain guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Arthur Menezes.
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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:29

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