PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sabas Mendiola (ranked 1166 p4p, 1856 weight class) and Vadim Volyas (ranked 164 p4p, 248 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mendiola
vs
Volyas

173 cm
24
179
7 - 3 - 0

184 cm
26
184
5 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Wrestler Wayfare

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sabas Mendiola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vadim Volyas!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Richard Clark and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendiola throws a poor cross that misses
and Volyas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mendiola throws a body shot but no joy.
Mendiola comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Mendiola swings for the body but Volyas moves out of range.
Mendiola fails with the takedown.
Mendiola misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Volyas takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Mendiola misses with a body shot.
Sabas Mendiola seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mendiola misses with a hook.
Mendiola darts in looking for a takedown but Volyas gets double underhooks and turns Mendiola into the cage.
Volyas throws out a counter right but Mendiola avoids it with no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendiola works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Volyas.
Mendiola misses with a punch to the body.
Mendiola struggles to land a body shot inside as Volyas controls his hands.
Volyas is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Volyas misses with a knee to the head.
Mendiola lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Volyas creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mendiola's defenses.
Mendiola tries a body shot but Volyas blocks it.
Mendiola lands a body punch in the clinch.
Mendiola misses with a hook to the ribs.
Volyas lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Sabas Mendiola has been cut.

Volyas breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mendiola looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Mendiola takes a swing at Volyas's ribcage but misses.
Volyas looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Mendiola forces Volyas back against the cage and clinches.
Mendiola lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Volyas prevents a body shot from Mendiola.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendiola tries to work over Volyas's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Volyas prevents a body shot from Mendiola.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mendiola lands a shot to the body.
Mendiola avoiding damage as Volyas throws knees to the body.
Mendiola lands with a short shot to the head.
Mendiola dodges an elbow strike from Volyas.
Mendiola working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Nice body punch from Mendiola - that landed with a thud.
Mendiola lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Mendiola blocks an elbow strike from Volyas.
Mendiola drops down looking for an ankle pick but Volyas pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sabas Mendiola. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mendiola closes the distance but Volyas moves to the side
and Volyas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mendiola tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Volyas was well out of range. Poor timing from Mendiola.
Mendiola digs a good body shot into Volyas's ribs.
Mendiola misses with a straight left.
Vadim Volyas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendiola tries to clinch but Volyas moves out of range.
Mendiola misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Volyas.
Volyas looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Mendiola shoots in but Volyas avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Volyas raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Volyas uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mendiola.
Mendiola misses with a wild body shot.
Mendiola moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromVolyas.
Volyas is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Mendiola throws a hook but Volyas avoids it easily.
A little jabbing left from Volyas on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Volyas swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendiola misses with a left hand
and Volyas counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Mendiola misses with a body shot.
It seemed like Volyas was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mendiola tries to clinch there but Volyas circles away.
Volyas shapes to counter with a head kick.
Mendiola throws an off balance right hand
and Volyas connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mendiola is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Volyas.
Mendiola steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Volyas.
Mendiola fails to land the takedown.
Mendiola dives in and grabs Volyas's left leg, looking for a takedown. Volyas pushes down on Mendiola's head and hops out.
Volyas looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Mendiola throws a lazy uppercut
and Volyas counters with a stiff right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sabas Mendiola dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sabas Mendiola's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Volyas ducks under a wild hook from Mendiola.
It seemed like Volyas was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mendiola goes for a double leg but Volyas avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Volyas continues to drive forward.
Volyas with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Volyas tries to land a knee to the head but Mendiola blocks with his arms.
Mendiola tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Mendiola swings wildly with an uppercut but Volyas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Volyas is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Mendiola is working Volyas over against the cage.
Volyas looking to slow down the pace here.
Mendiola blocks an elbow strike from Volyas.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mendiola has picked Volyas up - he's going for a ride! Mendiola dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Volyas is trying to stand back up but Mendiola is controlling him
Ground and pound from Mendiola.
Mendiola working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Mendiola is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Volyas is looking to escape.
Mendiola winds up and cracks Volyas with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Mendiola lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendiola is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Mendiola seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Mendiola working over Volyas with some ground and pound. Volyas looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

It looks like Vadim Volyas has been cut.
Volyas is looking to escape.
Mendiola scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Volyas wants to get back to his feet.
Mendiola landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Volyas has hold of Mendiola's hands but Mendiola slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Volyas wants to get back to full guard.
Volyas looks like he's trying to stand up.
Mendiola lands strikes from half guard.
Mendiola has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Nice strikes from Mendiola there.
Mendiola scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Mendiola winds up and cracks Volyas with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Volyas is rocked!
Mendiola is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Volyas is still in real trouble! Can Mendiola finish him?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mendiola is looking to take a break and control but Volyas is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mendiola lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Volyas seems to have recovered his senses.
Volyas is trying to stand up here but Mendiola is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Volyas is trying to get back to full guard.
Sabas Mendiola overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Volyas tries to kick Mendiola off but Mendiola keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Volyas is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Mendiola is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Volyas can do to turn this around?
Mendiola lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Mendiola scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That has opened up Vadim Volyas's cut even more.
Mendiola stops Volyas from getting back to his feet.
Mendiola looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Volyas is trying to get back to full guard.
Mendiola lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Volyas has hold of Mendiola's hands but Mendiola slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Volyas pushes Mendiola off looking to stand but Mendiola dives back in and keeps control.
Volyas is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mendiola is keen to just control but Volyas is a slippery customer.
Volyas on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Volyas on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

The cut above Vadim Volyas's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Vadim Volyas's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Sabas Mendiola!