PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brayden Abner (ranked 3008 p4p, 3057 weight class) and Luan Mesquita (ranked 339 p4p, 346 weight class). Luan Mesquita is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Abner
vs
Mesquita

186 cm
22
190
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
23
200
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Brayden Abner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Luan Mesquita!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Vladimir Khabensky and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mesquita lands with a good body shot.
Mesquita connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Abner tries to sprawl but Mesquita drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Abner keeping control of the position.
Abner pushes Mesquita off looking to stand but Mesquita dives back in and keeps control.
Abner wants to control but Mesquita is keeping busy.
Mesquita is looking to take a break and control but Abner is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mesquita working the head and body with strikes.
Abner is trying to stand up here but Mesquita is controlling him well.
Abner taking some punishment here, with Mesquita in his half guard.
Mesquita is looking to advance position but Abner won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abner is trying to stand.
Abner avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Mesquita.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Mesquita has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mesquita with the ground and pound but Abner uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Abner is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mesquita is looking to work some ground and pound but Abner has wrist control.
Mesquita in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mesquita throwing strikes from guard but Abner blocks nicely.
Mesquita lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Abner can't keep his opponent in guard - Mesquita advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abner blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mesquita.

Mesquita is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Abner sees it coming and defends easily.
Mesquita scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Mesquita seems to be looking for submissions.
Abner is controlling Mesquita's trapped leg to prevent Mesquita from advancing to side control.
Mesquita throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Abner works his way to full guard. Good work.

Mesquita drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Abner dives on top into guard.

Mesquita wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abner wants to get up but he can't break Mesquita's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Mesquita is trying to control the position from the bottom.

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

Abner stands and steps away. Mesquita gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Abner throws a leg kick but Mesquita checks it.
Mesquita avoids the body shot from Abner.
Mesquita lands a nice looking body shot.
Mesquita misses with an uppercut
and Abner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Abner looks to land a right hand but Mesquita moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Abner throws a leg kick that misses.
Mesquita fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Abner on the side of the head.
Mesquita scores with a hook.
Mesquita swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Abner.
Mesquita dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Mesquita.

Abner explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mesquita fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Abner manages to avoid it.
Abner wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Mesquita jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Abner throwing a counter right hand but Mesquita manages to avoid it.
Abner misses the shot to the body.
Mesquita looks like he wants to counter punch here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luan Mesquita dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mesquita misses with a hook.
Mesquita throws a jab but it's blocked by Abner.
Abner throws a head kick that misses.
Abner looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Mesquita uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Abner has time to react.
Mesquita looks to land a left hand but Abner moved out of range nicely.
Mesquita fails with a takedown attempt.
Abner is looking to counter the offense by Mesquita and move into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Abner misses with a low kick.
Mesquita looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Abner swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Abner lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Mesquita has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Mesquita and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Luan Mesquita seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Abner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
It looked like Abner wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abner tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mesquita was well out of range. Poor timing from Abner.
Mesquita throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Abner moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Mesquita connects with a looping right hand.
Mesquita lands a nice shot that snaps Abner's head back.
Mesquita blocks a head kick by Abner.
Abner throws a low kick but it's checked well by Mesquita.
Abner uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mesquita.
Abner slips a straight right by Mesquita.
Abner with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mesquita throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Abner stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Abner lands with a slapping head kick.
Abner staying out of range there.
Abner was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mesquita lands a nice hook to Abner's body. Abner takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Abner gets caught flat footed, as Mesquita shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Mesquita throws a big right hand that misses.
Abner is wriggling around but Mesquita manages to pass to half guard.
Abner is refusing to be controlled, as Mesquita sits in half guard.
Mesquita throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Abner wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abner wants to get back to full guard.
Abner blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mesquita.
Mesquita lands with a punch from half guard.

Mesquita is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Abner defends it well.
Abner is looking to escape.
Abner on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mesquita wants to control but Abner is keeping him busy.

Mesquita is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Abner is just riding it out for now. Mesquita eventually gives up the hold.
Mesquita stops Abner from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mesquita looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Mesquita is trying to control the action in half guard but Abner is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Mesquita is working for a submission of some sort.
Mesquita scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Mesquita not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Abner is refusing to be controlled, as Mesquita sits in half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luan Mesquita showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Abner's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Danga de danga de dang - Abner scores with a four punch combination!
Abner throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Mesquita goes for a double leg but Abner avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Abner continues to drive forward.
Abner ducks under a wild hook from Mesquita.
The crowd cheers as Abner lands an impressive looking overhand right. Mesquita doesn't seem phased though.

Mesquita closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Abner is working to avoid the ground and pound but Mesquita connects with a decent elbow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Abner can't do much from the bottom here.
Abner is looking for a sweep.
Mesquita wants to control but Abner is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abner is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Mesquita has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Mesquita in side control, throwing shots but Abner defends.
Mesquita in side control, throwing shots but Abner defends.
Mesquita working the ground and pound.
Abner is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Abner takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Mesquita working the head with strikes.
Abner is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Mesquita asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Abner on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Abner tries to get out of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abner dodges the ground and pound from Mesquita.
An elbow from Mesquita crashes against the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mesquita goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Abner rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Mesquita's guard! Nice work there by Abner!
Abner knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mesquita on the ground.

Mesquita is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Abner is aware though and is defending well.
Abner trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mesquita's guard.
Abner with a flurry of punches that miss.

Abner avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Mesquita had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Abner defends it easily.
Brayden Abner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abner throws a strike but Mesquita rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Luan Mesquita has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mesquita is stalling in the full guard.
Mesquita stops Abner from standing up.
Mesquita stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Abner swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four 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.
Abner looking for a sweep. Not yet Abner, not yet.
Mesquita trying to control the position from guard on top but Abner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mesquita lands a couple of digs.
Mesquita controlling from the top position.
Abner is pulling down on Mesquita's head to control his posture.
Luan Mesquita is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Mesquita avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Luan Mesquita.
Well Mesquita has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luan Mesquita!