PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Champion Holliday (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Filipe Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Holliday's entrance music is Method Man and Redman - Da Rockwilder. A fine choice. 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.

Holliday
vs
Mendes

178 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

183 cm
21
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Champion Holliday!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Filipe Mendes!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Sosuke Kotani and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holliday throws a right and a left that Mendes avoids nicely.
Mendes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Holliday throws out the jab.
Holliday fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mendes dodges the punch combination from Holliday.

Mendes looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Mendes stands and steps away. Holliday gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
A solid leg kick lands there for Holliday.

Mendes feints and as Holliday raises his hands in defense, Mendes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Holliday is looking for a triangle but Mendes pushes his legs off easily.
Mendes with a nice head shot there.
Holliday wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Holliday throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Holliday can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mendes controls the pace.
Holliday looking for a sweep. Not yet Holliday, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holliday keeping full guard, as Mendes tries to pass.

Holliday working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Mendes has passed into half guard!
Holliday is breathing heavily.

Mendes is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Holliday wants to improve his position but Mendes is controlling well.
Mendes passes to full mount!
Holliday tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Mendes looking to secure an arm triangle but Holliday defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mendes postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Holliday looks a forlorn figure.
Mendes controlling the pace for now.
Mendes prevents Holliday from getting the reversal.
Holliday wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Holliday breaks Mendes's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Holliday passes Mendes's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Holliday trying to mount his opponent but Mendes defends it.
Mendes is pressing down on Holliday's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holliday advances position into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holliday works to advance to full mount. Mendes defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Mendes wants to control but Holliday is having none of it.
Mendes can't escape the position.
Mendes regains half guard.
Mendes controlling the position for now.
Mendes has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Holliday is working away from the top position though.
Mendes regains full guard. Nicely done.
Holliday trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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

Mendes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Holliday is one step ahead there.
Holliday passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Mendes manages to work his way to half guard, despite Holliday's best efforts.
Holliday prevents Mendes from standing back up.

Mendes looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Holliday looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Mendes regains full guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Filipe Mendes dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mendes has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mendes managing to block the knees to the body from Holliday.
Holliday tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Holliday missing with knees to the body.

Mendes successfully pulls guard.

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

Mendes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mendes passes Holliday's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Mendes looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Mendes postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Holliday to stand up.

Mendes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Mendes controls the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Holliday tries to buck Mendes off but Mendes is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mendes stands up.
Mendes cracks the inside of Holliday's front leg.
Mendes throws a front kick that sends Holliday stumbling back into the cage.
A low kick from Holliday misses
and Mendes counters with a straight right hand.

Mendes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Filipe Mendes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mendes won't allow Holliday to sweep him here.

Holliday has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mendes can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Mendes trying to control but Holliday is working from the bottom.

Holliday working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mendes doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mendes manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mendes thows a big elbow that misses.

Holliday looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mendes stopping the sweep attempt from Holliday.
Mendes wants to control from the top but Holliday keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holliday lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Mendes!

Holliday working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Mendes looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Holliday! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Champion Holliday!