PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bryce Helix (ranked 544 p4p, 819 weight class) and Luiz Mendoza (ranked 39 p4p, 58 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Helix
vs
Mendoza

167 cm
28
140
16 - 10 - 0

164 cm
32
135
18 - 12 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Conviction
Conquer

Shadow Realm Apparel
Bondi MMA ðŸï¸

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 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bryce Helix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 12 - 1, fighting out of London, Luiz Mendoza!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Andrew Berry and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendoza is looking to chop away at Helix's legs.
Helix was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Mendoza throws an off balance right hand
and Helix counters with a stiff right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Helix. Mendoza does a little dance to reset his feet.
Helix throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mendoza sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A little jabbing left from Mendoza on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Mendoza misses with a body shot.
Mendoza scores with a body shot.
Mendoza misses with a body punch
letting Helix counter with a right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mendoza. Helix does a little dance to reset his feet.
Helix misses with a straight right.
A lazy body kick from Helix

and Mendoza counters with a takedown into side control.
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!
Helix tries to improve position but can't.
Mendoza in side control lands a decent elbow.
Mendoza lands a nice forearm strike.
Helix avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Mendoza.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Mendoza working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helix is looking for a sweep.
Mendoza lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Helix is trying to work for a sweep but Mendoza has mounted him!
Helix is trying to escape the mount.
Mendoza landing strikes from the mount.
Mendoza trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mendoza prevents Helix from getting the reversal.
Mendoza trying to control but Helix is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Mendoza punching from mount but Helix doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Helix holds on for dear life, controlling Mendoza's posture momentarily.
Mendoza tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Helix avoids a series of strikes thrown by Mendoza.
Helix is in a horrible position here. Mendoza smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza avoids the attempt from Helix to control.
Mendoza scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Helix?
Mendoza has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mendoza can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Helix is looking to escape.
Mendoza with shots to the head and body - Helix looks very uncomfortable down there.
Mendoza trying to control but Helix is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Helix is working to get back to half guard.
Mendoza trying to control but Helix is having none of it.
Helix can't escape the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Mendoza dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Helix throws a jab when Mendoza was well out of range.
Mendoza has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Helix.
Helix lands with a kick to the ribs.
Helix misses with a straight left.
Helix jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Helix throws a hook but Mendoza blocks it.
Helix throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Mendoza cracks Helix with a right hand to the side of the head.
Mendoza throws a front kick aimed at Helix's knee but Helix avoids it well.
Mendoza has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mendoza throws a body punch but Helix moves out of range.
Helix lands with a cross.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Helix tries a low kick but Mendoza avoids it.
Helix doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Mendoza lands with a thumping leg kick.
Helix misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Mendoza counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Mendoza is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helix is refusing to be controlled, as Mendoza sits in half guard.
Helix regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Mendoza.
Mendoza throws a big elbow that misses.
Mendoza working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Helix's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Helix utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Helix utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Helix pulls Mendoza in close to his closed guard and prevents Mendoza from doing any damage or advancing position.
Mendoza trying to control the position from guard on top but Helix is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mendoza postures up.
Helix wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Mendoza is now in half guard.
Helix tries to roll over but Mendoza keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza working Helix over with strikes.
Helix slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mendoza is looking to work some ground and pound but Helix has wrist control.
Helix is adopting a defensive guard.
Mendoza working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Helix managing to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mendoza closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Helix throws a body punch but Mendoza moves out of range.
Helix checks a low kick from Mendoza.
Mendoza with the inside leg kick.
Mendoza comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Helix lands a really nice looking cross but Mendoza seems unphased.
Mendoza is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Helix rather than just go for the knockout.
Helix scores with a hook to the body. Mendoza takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Mendoza slips under a jab.
A nice side step and Mendoza releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Mendoza cracks a nice hook into Helix's ribs.
Helix avoids the body shot from Mendoza.
Mendoza scores with a one two! Helix had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Bryce Helix is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice defenses there by Mendoza.
Helix backing away here, and Mendoza unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Mendoza showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mendoza throws a wild body kick that Helix sees coming a mile off.
Helix misses with a hook. Mendoza ducked under it nicely.
Mendoza keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Helix.
Helix backing away here, and Mendoza unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Mendoza looks to score with a jab to the body but Helix is just out of range.
Mendoza slips a jab from Helix.
Helix throws a right hand that misses

and Mendoza counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mendoza missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Mendoza is looking for a kimura but Helix is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mendoza to get the leverage.
Mendoza throwing shots but Helix is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendoza thows a huge punch but Helix dodges it nicely.
Mendoza has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Mendoza looking to land elbow strikes but Helix uses the position to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helix trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Helix is looking to get to half guard.

Mendoza is working for a guillotine from mount but Helix frees his head quite easily.
Helix is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helix is working hard here to advance position.
Helix is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mendoza misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Mendoza lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Helix hang on?
Mendoza misses with a head shot.
Mendoza trying to control but Helix is having none of it.
Helix can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza with shots to the head and body - Helix looks very uncomfortable down there.
Mendoza working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Mendoza scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Mendoza misses with a head shot.

Mendoza has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Helix is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Luiz Mendoza!
After the fight, Luiz Mendoza was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.