PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Braga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and shawn mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anderson Braga had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Braga
vs
mendes

187 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

190 cm
24
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

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 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anderson Braga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of New York, shawn mendes!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Steve Montenegro and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

mendes feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
mendes pushes down on Braga's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Braga knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for mendes on the ground.

mendes decides to return to a standing position.
mendes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Braga tries to avoid it but mendes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Braga to the ground. Braga escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
mendes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
mendes closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Braga shoots for a takedown but mendes saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
mendes shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

mendes shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than mendes was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Braga is trying to escape the mount.
Braga is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braga tries to hold on but mendes pushes him away.
mendes in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
mendes controlling from mount.
Braga keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
mendes looks gassed!
Braga is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
mendes tries to control but Braga wriggling away.
mendes avoids the attempt from Braga to control.
Braga is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Braga has given up his back here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oooh a big shot gets through from mendes. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Braga wants to escape the position.
Will mendes go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

mendes is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Braga is defending well though. mendes let's go of the attempt for now.
Braga turns into mendes and is now in his guard.
mendes keeping moving, preventing Braga from controlling successfully.

Braga drops back, looking for a kneebar! mendes looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. mendes looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from mendes!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braga is trying to get back to half guard.
mendes wants to control but Braga is keeping him busy.
Braga tries to improve position but can't.
You can see the frustration on Braga's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Braga with a poor takedown

and mendes moves into the clinch.

mendes breaks the clinch.
Braga stuffs the takedown attempt from mendes. mendes gets slowly back to his feet.
mendes ducks right into an uppercut from Braga.

It looks like shawn mendes has been cut.
Braga throws a lazy head kick

and mendes holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

mendes pulls Braga into guard.
Braga postures up.
mendes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Braga has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of mendes is proving hard to escape from.
mendes wants to sweep but no luck.
Braga trying to control the position from guard on top but mendes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
mendes is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
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.
Braga showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Braga has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of mendes is proving hard to escape from.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Braga shoots and misses

and mendes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
mendes sitting in guard here, content to control.

Braga is looking for a triangle but mendes pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
mendes working some strikes from top position.
Braga is trying to control the position from the bottom.
mendes tries to free his leg and advance position but Braga is retaining full guard.
Braga 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 would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Braga tries to close the distance and clinch up but mendes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Braga fails in his attempt to clinch.
Braga dives in and grabs mendes's left leg, looking for a takedown. mendes pushes down on Braga's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anderson Braga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Braga misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
mendes takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Braga throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Braga looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? mendes is fending him off so far but Braga persists. Nope, mendes circles away and we're back to standing.
mendes lands with a kick to the temple. Braga shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
mendes has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from mendes there as he acknowledges the shot.
Braga scores with a three punch combo!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braga tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but mendes swivels and escapes.
mendes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Braga wants to clinch.
mendes circles away from the clinch attempt

and mendes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
mendes passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Braga!
Braga keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

shawn mendes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on shawn mendes's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A nice combination there by Braga.

mendes moves into the clinch.
Braga looking to slow down the pace here.
Braga jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as mendes walks away with a smile on his face. Braga gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Anderson Braga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Braga scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. mendes doesn't seem bothered though.
mendes stuffs the takedown.
Braga clinches but mendes breaks the clinch

and mendes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Braga's guard.
mendes stopping the sweep attempt from Braga.
mendes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braga trying to control the position.
Braga keeping moving, preventing mendes from controlling successfully.
Braga is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst mendes is controlling him.

mendes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Braga looks for a takedown but mendes sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anderson Braga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Braga is looking to clinch but mendes is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
mendes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Braga wants to clinch but mendes slips to the side

and mendes moves into the clinch.
mendes prevents a takedown attempt there.
mendes prevents the takedown attempt.
Braga is looking to control mendes's arms but mendes gets an underhook and turns him. Now Braga has his back to the cage.
mendes fails to pull the fight into his guard.
mendes taking a breather.
Braga tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. mendes just stands there and leans against the cage.
Braga is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Braga fails to pull guard.
Braga tries to pull guard but mendes won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Braga's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

mendes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Braga shoots in and drives through. mendes sprawls well.
mendes feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Braga's calf.
Braga tries to clinch but mendes moves out of range.

mendes scores a takedown into full mount!
Braga blocking the ground and pound.
Braga is looking to get to half guard.
Braga tries to hold on but mendes postures up.
mendes trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braga slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Braga tries to roll over but mendes keeps him under control.
mendes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Braga defending well though.
mendes is thwarting Braga's attempts to control the position.
Braga tries to roll over but mendes keeps him under control.

And that's the end of the fight!
shawn mendes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got mendes winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... shawn mendes!