PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arthur Menezes (ranked 131 p4p, 893 weight class) and Henry Lancaster (ranked 20 p4p, 113 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Menezes
vs
Lancaster

180 cm
43
190
42 - 23 - 1

183 cm
39
185
33 - 25 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

NARCOS

Northern Zombie

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 42 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Arthur Menezes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Henry Lancaster!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Sano and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Menezes throws a shot from downtown. Lancaster moves away and avoids it.
Menezes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lancaster moves away.
Menezes lands a nice hook to Lancaster's body. Lancaster takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Menezes with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Lancaster pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Menezes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Menezes dodges the punch combination from Lancaster.
Menezes throws out a powerful jab.
Lancaster misses with a hook. Menezes ducked under it nicely.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Lancaster throws a leg kick but Menezes checks it.
Lancaster has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Menezes throws a body punch but Lancaster moves out of range.
Lancaster lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Menezes circles away quickly and effectively.
Lancaster walks into a jab.
Lancaster throws a right hand that Menezes ducks under and follows up with a left that Menezes also avoids with ease.
A big left from Lancaster misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lancaster throws a body punch but Menezes moves out of range.
Lancaster misses the jab.

Menezes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Menezes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Lancaster has escaped the position, nice work there.

Menezes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lancaster is looking to reverse the position.
Menezes wants to control but Lancaster is keeping him busy.

Menezes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Lancaster has escaped the position, nice work there.
Lancaster is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Menezes is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Menezes tries to control but Lancaster wriggling away.

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 controlling the position easily from mount.
Lancaster is trying to escape the mount.
Menezes content just to control the position here.
Lancaster tries to lock up and control but Menezes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Menezes unloads with some shots from mount but Lancaster bucks and avoids them well.
Lancaster is squirming around, avoiding Menezes's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lancaster is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Menezes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lancaster is looking to escape.

Menezes working for a guillotine from mount but Lancaster is in no mood to give up.
Lancaster slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Lancaster is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menezes is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Lancaster reverses the position - he's now on top in Menezes's guard.

Menezes is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Lancaster stands up from Menezes's guard - Lancaster perhaps looking for a knockout.
Menezes avoids the head kick by Lancaster.
Menezes seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
The fighters circling - Menezes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Menezes scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Lancaster doesn't seem bothered though.
Lancaster misses with a right hand

and Menezes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
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!
Lancaster is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Menezes dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lancaster throws a big shot that misses.
Lancaster throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Henry Lancaster seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Menezes throws a shot to the body.
Menezes with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Menezes takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Menezes checks a leg kick.
Menezes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lancaster manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice uppercut lands for Menezes. That snapped Lancaster's head back.
Lancaster throws a poor cross that misses

and Menezes counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Menezes.
Menezes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lancaster is keeping the position for now.
Menezes stands and throws Lancaster's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The strikes coming from Menezes are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Lancaster tries to improve position but can't.
Lancaster dodges the ground and pound from Menezes.

Menezes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Lancaster has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lancaster is not content to let Menezes control the position.
Lancaster is trying to get back to half guard.
Lancaster regains half guard.
Menezes takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Menezes is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Lancaster defends it well.

Lancaster actively working from the bottom here.

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.
Lancaster controlling the position well.
Lancaster gets full guard.
Menezes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Menezes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Menezes looking to sit in guard and control but Lancaster gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Menezes looking to control but Lancaster passes into half guard.

Lancaster decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Henry Lancaster is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menezes slips under a jab from Lancaster.
Lancaster looks to land a combination but Menezes avoids it well.
Menezes tries to clinch there but Lancaster circles away.
Lancaster ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lancaster is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Menezes with a body shot.
Lancaster takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Lancaster tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Menezes was well out of range. Poor timing from Lancaster.
Lancaster takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Lancaster throws a big shot that misses.
Menezes lands a right hook to the body.
Menezes throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Lancaster stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Menezes stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Menezes is looking to wear down Lancaster with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Menezes lands a really nice looking cross but Lancaster seems unphased.
Menezes takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Jab from Menezes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Menezes drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Lancaster manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Menezes manages to get himself to full guard.

Lancaster trying to stand up but can't free himself from Menezes's guard.
Menezes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lancaster can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Menezes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lancaster stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Menezes scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Lancaster is looking to regain half guard here but Menezes keeps moving and retains side control.
Lancaster manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Menezes is trying to control. Lancaster wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Menezes 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.
Lancaster tries to roll over but Menezes keeps him under control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Menezes dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Menezes closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Lancaster fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Menezes has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Menezes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Menezes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lancaster.
Lancaster throws a looping overhand right but Menezes ducks down to avoid it.
Menezes wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Lancaster scores with a jab. Menezes acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Lancaster misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Menezes lands a body shot.
Menezes misses with a hook. Lancaster ducked under it nicely.
Lancaster avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Menezes shoots in for a takedown but Lancaster shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Lancaster lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Menezes slips a straight right by Lancaster.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Menezes shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lancaster manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Menezes prevents Lancaster from getting back to his feet.
Lancaster is controlling Menezes's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lancaster looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lancaster keeping moving, preventing Menezes from controlling successfully.
Menezes wants to pass the guard but Lancaster is keeping the position.
Menezes passes into half guard.
Lancaster wants to get back to full guard but Menezes has mounted him!
Menezes working some short elbows here. He postures up to throw some more ground and pound but Lancaster slips a leg through to get back to half guard. Nice work.
Henry Lancaster has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menezes working over Lancaster with some ground and pound. Lancaster looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Lancaster trying to get back to full guard but Menezes takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Menezes tries to control but Lancaster wriggling away.
Menezes blocks Lancaster's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Poor strikes thrown by Menezes there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Menezes wants to control the pace but Lancaster is squirming around nicely.

Menezes moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Lancaster has worked his arm free - good work by Lancaster!
Menezes creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Lancaster sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lancaster gets back to half guard.

Menezes is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Lancaster is just riding it out for now. Menezes eventually gives up the hold.
Lancaster controlling the position well.
Menezes content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's four 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.
Arthur Menezes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lancaster wants to improve his position but Menezes is controlling well.
Menezes controlling the pace.
Arthur Menezes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lancaster manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Menezes is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Menezes wants to pass the guard but Lancaster is keeping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Arthur Menezes.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Menezes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

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