PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Mendez (ranked 638 p4p, 197 weight class) and Mac Anudo (ranked 84 p4p, 29 weight class). Joe Mendez could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Mac Anudo's chin.

Mendez
vs
Anudo

188 cm
31
275
16 - 8 - 0

199 cm
31
265
19 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Fast

NARCOS
Shadow Realm Apparel

Northern Zombie
Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joe Mendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 6 - 1, fighting out of New York, Mac Anudo!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Alyssa Summers and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anudo tries to clinch there but Mendez circles away.

Anudo closes the distance and pushes Mendez back into the cage.
Mendez throws a punch but it's blocked by Anudo.
Mendez misses with a punch on the inside.
Mendez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Anudo backwards.
A nice left hand lands by Anudo.
Mendez misses with a punch to the body.
I was talking to Mendez's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Mendez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Mendez misses with a hook from the clinch.

Anudo manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mendez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Anudo wants to improve his position but Mendez is controlling well.
Anudo on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mendez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Anudo defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Anudo to regain full guard.

Mendez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mendez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Anudo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Anudo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mendez manages to get himself to full guard.

Anudo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Anudo looking to pass the guard.
Mendez wants to stand and escape but Anudo is having none of it.
Anudo has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Thunder Gym. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez is trying to control the position but Anudo postures up.
Mendez looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Mendez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Anudo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mendez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Anudo's guard.

Mendez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Mendez lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Anudo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Mendez scoring with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez stopping the sweep attempt from Anudo.
Mendez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mendez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Mendez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Mendez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Anudo wants to sweep here but Mendez controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mendez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mendez is looking to advance position but Anudo has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Anudo punishing his opponent with strikes.
Mendez tries to hold on but Anudo pushes him away.
Anudo throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Mendez because Anudo loaded up on that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anudo is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Mendez can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Mendez is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Mendez tries to lock up and control but Anudo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mendez is working to get back to half guard.
Anudo avoids the attempt from Mendez to control.
Mendez tries to reverse the position but Anudo maintains control.
Mendez tries to hold on but Anudo postures up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Anudo is landing with some decent strikes but Mendez is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mac Anudo dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Mendez pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Anudo back to the cage. Mendez follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

It looks like Mac Anudo has been cut.
Anudo tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mendez defends well and Anudo ends up having to push Mendez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Anudo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mendez moves away.
Mendez misses with the combination.

Mendez gets caught napping as Anudo dives in and scores a takedown. Mendez manages to retain guard.
Mendez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mendez is trying to control the position but Anudo postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Anudo from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anudo throws a big right hand that misses.
Mendez seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Anudo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Anudo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Mendez.
Anudo moves out of range as Mendez throws a body kick.
Anudo is looking to clinch but Mendez is avoiding it.
Mac Anudo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
An inside leg kick from Mendez misses.
Anudo now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Mendez scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Mendez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Anudo was well out of range. Poor timing from Mendez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez slips a jab from Anudo.
Mendez appears to be looking for a big counter.
Mendez takes a kick to the side of the head.
A clash of legs there as Anudo blocks the low kick.
Anudo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mendez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mendez swings for the body but Anudo moves out of range.
Mendez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Anudo tries to avoid it but Mendez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Anudo to the ground. Anudo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Anudo tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mendez defends well and Anudo ends up having to push Mendez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Mendez attempts a counter takedown but Anudo avoids it well and moves away.
Anudo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Anudo works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Anudo lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Anudo misses with a hook to the body

and Mendez counters with a series of strikes that sends Anudo to the canvas! Mendez follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!
Anudo wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Anudo working for a triangle but Mendez defends it easily.
Anudo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Anudo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mendez is aware though and is defending well.
Mendez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Anudo tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Anudo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Anudo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mendez throws a big elbow that misses.
Mendez throws a big elbow that misses.
Mendez scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez throwing strikes from guard but Anudo blocks nicely.

Anudo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mendez is aware though and is defending well.
Mac Anudo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mendez lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mendez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mendez throws a strike but Anudo rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Mendez wants to get back to his feet but Anudo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Anudo tries to free his leg and advance position but Mendez is retaining full guard.
Mendez wants to sweep here but Anudo controlling him for the moment.
Mendez can't keep his opponent in guard - Anudo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mac Anudo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mac Anudo's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mendez swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A nice leg kick from Anudo, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mendez stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Anudo.
Anudo shoots in but no luck this time.

A jab-cross combination lands for Mendez and sends Anudo crashing to the mat! Mendez follows him down to the mat - Anudo regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Anudo is rocked!
Mendez lands a massive shot from half guard that has rocked Anudo! More strikes land and this one is all over! Mendez jumps to his feet and is applauded loudly by the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Joe Mendez!