PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dick Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Filipe Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson comes to the cage accompanied by Chic - Good Times. Dick Johnson had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Johnson
vs
Mendes

185 cm
18
184 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
21
190 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 Tokyo, Dick Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Filipe Mendes!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yukihiro Shimada and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Mendes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mendes looks for a takedown but Johnson sprawls well.
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Johnson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Mendes or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnson which made him look bad.
Dick Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Filipe Mendes.

Mendes pushes Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mendes backwards.

Mendes jumps guard.
Johnson postures up in Mendes's guard and throws a big left but Mendes blocks it.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Johnson connects with a couple of short punches.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Mendes keeps moving.

Mendes looking for a guillotine here but Johnson defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mendes is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.
Mendes 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.
Mendes has Johnson pulled in close to control his posture.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Mendes keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing.

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.
Mendes keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Mendes counters by clinching up.
Johnson is breathing heavily.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Mendes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mendes pushes down on Johnson's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Mendes content to control rather than advance.
I looks like Mendes might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Mendes trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Mendes prevents Johnson from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control but Mendes postures up.
Mendes wants to get back to his feet.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Mendes.
Johnson seems a little lost for a moment, as Mendes dominates the positioning.
Johnson taking punishment in the form of punches.
Johnson tries to bench press Mendes off him but Mendes keeps the position.
Mendes trying to control the position but Johnson is working away.
Johnson prevents Mendes from moving into mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Johnson struggling a bit here.

Mendes stands up.
Johnson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mendes.
Johnson throws a sloppy body shot

and Mendes counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mendes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mendes controlling from the top position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Filipe Mendes dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Mendes scores with a three punch combo!

Mendes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mendes trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mendes content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Mendes wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Mendes won't allow Johnson to sweep him here.
Johnson throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mendes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mendes distracts Johnson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mendes pushing down on Johnson's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Johnson has a hand on Mendes's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Mendes takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Mendes is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to hold on but Mendes postures up.
Johnson sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Johnson keeping hold of Mendes's head, controlling as best he can.
Johnson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Johnson.
Johnson has control of Mendes's left arm, preventing Mendes from doing any damage.
Mendes trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Mendes being controlled here momentarily.
Johnson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mendes on the ground.
Mendes pushes down on Johnson's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Filipe Mendes has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mendes gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Mendes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Johnson swivels and escapes.

Mendes rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.
Mendes tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Johnson.
Mendes looking to stall.
Mendes wants a takedown.
Dick Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Filipe Mendes.
Mendes tries to pull guard but Johnson holds him up against the cage and eventually Mendes drops back down to his feet.

Mendes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dick Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson wants to clinch.

Mendes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnson, pushing him back against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Mendes.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Johnson.
Johnson can't find room to land a body shot as Mendes controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mendes pulls guard successfully.
Johnson trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.
Mendes looking for a sweep. Not yet Mendes, not yet.
Mendes is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.
Mendes wants to stand but Johnson is controlling the position.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Mendes keeps moving.
Johnson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Johnson passes Mendes's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Johnson working over Mendes with some ground and pound. Mendes looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Johnson is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but Mendes defending well.
Johnson is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is not content to let Johnson control the position.
Johnson working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Mendes's thigh. Mendes counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Mendes is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson fails with the takedown.
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Mendes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Johnson's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Johnson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mendes can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Mendes passes Johnson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Filipe Mendes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Mendes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Johnson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Mendes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Johnson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Mendes counters with a takedown into side control.

Mendes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Johnson tries to buck Mendes off but Mendes is having none of it.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom here.
Johnson misses with a strike from the bottom.
Johnson tries to improve position but can't.

Mendes is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Johnson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mendes working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Mendes easily slips into full mount!
Mendes looking to control but Johnson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Johnson tries to reverse the position but Mendes maintains control.
Mendes controlling the position easily from mount.
Mendes looking to control but Johnson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Mendes might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Johnson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Johnson wants to hold on but Mendes pushes him away.

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.

Mendes get's back to his feet.
Mendes tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.

Mendes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Johnson's guard.
Mendes preventing the sweep.
Johnson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Johnson has his hands on Mendes's head, controlling the position.

Johnson is looking for a triangle but Mendes pushes his legs off easily.
Mendes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mendes postures up.
Mendes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mendes pushing down on Johnson's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Johnson trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Johnson tries to lock up and control but Mendes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Mendes has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Johnson's face.
Johnson tries to hold on but Mendes postures up.
Mendes working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Mendes looking to control but Johnson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Johnson has given up his back here.
Mendes lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Johnson is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Johnson prevents Mendes from getting a body triangle.
Johnson trying to control but not successfully.

Mendes has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Johnson has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
I would not like to be Johnson right now.
Johnson trying to control the action but Mendes just sinks the hooks in.
Mendes lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Johnson hold on?!
Mendes is hanging on to Johnson's back as he tries to escape.
Mendes not allowing Johnson to control his hands.
Johnson rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Dick Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson wants to improve his position but Mendes is controlling well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Johnson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Mendes slips a nice elbow through Johnson's hands, connecting with Johnson's forehead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Filipe Mendes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mendes 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 26:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Filipe Mendes!