PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between David Ryan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Mende (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Ryan
vs
Mende

170 cm
19
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

164 cm
19
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, David Ryan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andre Mende!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Illya Tyunina and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ryan fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Mende.
Ryan throws a quick inside leg kick.
Nice takedown defense from Ryan. No joy for Mende on that attempt.
Mende has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Andre Mende has been cut.
Ryan misses with a few strikes there.
Mende avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mende on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Ryan keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Ryan scores with a takedown into Mende's guard.
Ryan postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ryan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Ryan tries to free his leg and advance position but Mende is retaining full guard.
Ryan trying to control but Mende is working from the bottom.
Mende can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ryan controls the pace.
Ryan chips away with some ground and pound.
Ryan looking to pass the guard.

Mende throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mende looks gassed!
Mende utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ryan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mende trying to control the position.
Ryan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mende is keeping the position for now.
Mende tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ryan is in close to Mende's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ryan passes Mende's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ryan in particular looking to stall.
Ryan missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ryan 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.
Ryan trying to mount his opponent but Mende defends it.
Ryan is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Mende!
Ryan thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Mende gets back to half guard.
Mende makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Mende.
Ryan is stalling in the full guard.
Mende keeping moving, preventing Ryan from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ryan postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ryan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mende is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ryan preventing the sweep.

Mende looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Mende drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ryan tries to buck Mende off but Mende is having none of it.
Ryan is trying to control Mende's posture but Mende avoids it.
Mende trying to control the position but Ryan is working away.
Ryan manages to work his way to half guard, despite Mende's best efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ryan wants to get back to full guard.
Mende is looking to advance position but Ryan won't allow it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Ryan tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mende swivels and escapes.

Mende shoots in and bounces Ryan off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Mende in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mende is looking to stand up but Ryan won't let him.
Ryan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mende trying to control the position from guard on top but Ryan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ryan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ryan trying to keep a closed guard but Mende is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ryan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Ryan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Andre Mende's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Mende takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Ryan on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Mende looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Mende gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ryan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mende swats away the attempt to clinch by Ryan.
Ryan takes a swing at Mende's ribcage but misses.
Mende misses with a takedown attempt
and Ryan counters with a right hand to the body.

Ryan scores with a takedown into Mende's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mende keeping moving, preventing Ryan from controlling successfully.
Mende looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Mende working for a triangle but Ryan defends it easily.
Ryan preventing the sweep.
Mende is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ryan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mende is breathing heavily.
Ryan slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ryan wants to control but Mende is keeping him busy.
Mende takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's two 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.

Ryan goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Mende has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Ryan but great work by Mende.
Ryan prevents Mende from improving position.
Mende lands some shots froms side control.
Ryan tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Mende looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ryan is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Mende's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Ryan wants to get back to full guard but Mende has passed into side control.
Ryan keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Ryan tries to hold on but Mende pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ryan working to try and regain half guard.
Mende controlling the pace for now.
Ryan is trying desperately to improve position.
Ryan wants to hold on but Mende pushes him away.
Ryan is squirming around, avoiding Mende's attempts to control the action.
Ryan tries to lock up and control but Mende gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mende wants to control the pace but Ryan is squirming around nicely.
Ryan is looking to get to half guard.

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.

Mende is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Ryan has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Ryan gets back to half guard.
Ryan is looking to improve his position.
Mende seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ryan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ryan manages to get to full guard.
Mende tries to free his leg and advance position but Ryan is retaining full guard.
Mende trying to control the position from guard on top but Ryan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ryan controls Mende momentarily but Mende frees himself.
Ryan throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mende looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Ryan dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Andre Mende's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Mende tries to clinch up

and Ryan decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mende's guard.
David Ryan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mende trying to keep a closed guard but Ryan is proving a slippery customer.

Mende is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Mende looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ryan passes Mende's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Ryan looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Mende controlling the position for now.
Mende trying to control here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mende gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ryan won't allow Mende to sweep him here.

Mende is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ryan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mende swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Mende had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Ryan is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Mende Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Ryan's back instead.
Mende doesn't have the hooks in and Ryan manages to turn into his guard.
Mende wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Ryan trying to control but Mende is working from the bottom.
Ryan is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ryan being controlled here momentarily.
Mende working a defensive guard here.

Ryan postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Mende is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ryan, into his guard.
Mende is stalling in the full guard.
Mende stopping the sweep attempt from Ryan.
Ryan keeping moving, preventing Mende from controlling successfully.
Ryan tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ryan looking to control.

Mende decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Ryan drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ryan slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Ryan connects with a couple of short punches.
Ryan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ryan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mende is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Mende uses his free foot to push down on Ryan's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Ryan.

Mende gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Mende is looking to clinch but Ryan is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mende dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ryan. That did some damage!
Nice defenses there by Mende.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mende looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ryan shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mende as he jumps to the side.

Ryan gets caught flat footed, as Mende shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ryan throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mende passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Ryan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Andre Mende.
Well Ryan has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Ryan!