PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Caleb Cohen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miguel Mendiola (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cohen comes to the cage accompanied by Wait and Bleed by Slipknot. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Cohen
vs
Mendiola

185 cm
22
180 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

180 cm
20
183 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Caleb Cohen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Miguel Mendiola!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Tarja Halkonen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendiola throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cohen misses with a two punch combination.
Cohen misses with a double jab

and Mendiola counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Cohen!
Mendiola scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Cohen?
Mendiola lands with some strikes.
Cohen tries to hold on but Mendiola pushes him away.
Mendiola lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Mendiola moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Cohen has worked his arm free - good work by Cohen!
Mendiola scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Cohen to see if he's OK.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cohen manages to work his way to half guard, despite Mendiola's best efforts.

Cohen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mendiola pulls his head out easily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mendiola lands a nice short elbow.
Mendiola is keen to just control but Cohen is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendiola prevents Cohen from improving his position.

Cohen actively working from the bottom here.
Cohen trying to control here.

Cohen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mendiola pulls his head out easily.
Mendiola winds up and cracks Cohen with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Mendiola looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cohen with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Mendiola not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cohen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mendiola lands strikes from half guard.
Mendiola missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Cohen is not content to let Mendiola control the position.
Mendiola is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendiola misses with a head shot. Cohen uses the momentum to regain guard.
Mendiola is stalling in the full guard.
Mendiola has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cohen controls Mendiola momentarily but Mendiola frees himself.
Mendiola is looking to work some ground and pound but Cohen has wrist control.

Cohen is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mendiola defends well.
Mendiola looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mendiola trying to control but Cohen is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendiola working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Cohen's head.
Cohen trying to control the position.
Mendiola throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mendiola trying to control but Cohen is working from the bottom.

Cohen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Mendiola forces his way into half guard.
Mendiola missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four 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.
Mendiola working the head and body with strikes.

Cohen looking for a kimura from the bottom but Mendiola passes into side control!
Mendiola is looking to take a break and control but Cohen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mendiola looks up at the clock and then as Cohen takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Mendiola smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Check out the look on Mendiola's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Cohen dodges the ground and pound from Mendiola.
Cohen is trying to control Mendiola's posture but Mendiola avoids it.
Mendiola cracks Cohen with a big elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mendiola working away.
Cohen is looking to reverse the position.
Cohen manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Mendiola thows a huge punch but Cohen dodges it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Mendiola dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cohen fails with the takedown

and Mendiola counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mendiola works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mendiola thows a huge punch but Cohen dodges it nicely.
Cohen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cohen.
Mendiola thows a big elbow that misses.
Mendiola trying to control but Cohen is working from the bottom.

Cohen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendiola working some strikes from top position.
Mendiola throws a strike but Cohen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Miguel Mendiola has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mendiola is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Mendiola keeping moving, preventing Cohen from controlling successfully.
Cohen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Cohen trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendiola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two 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.
Cohen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mendiola is keeping the position for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Cohen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mendiola counters with a shoot takedown. Cohen fights it but they end up in guard.
Cohen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mendiola throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mendiola is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendiola keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cohen's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendiola pushing down on Cohen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Mendiola not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Cohen is looking for a sweep. Mendiola is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Cohen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cohen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Cohen regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Mendiola.
Cohen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Cohen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mendiola is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mendiola works over Cohen with some ground and pound from guard.
Mendiola working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Mendiola postures up and lands a big shot to Cohen's brow.
Mendiola throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Cohen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendiola looking to pass the guard.
Mendiola works over Cohen with some ground and pound from guard.
Mendiola is working Cohen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Mendiola postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Mendiola thows a big elbow that misses.
Cohen controls Mendiola momentarily but Mendiola frees himself.

Cohen had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Mendiola defends it easily.
Mendiola lands a couple of digs.
Mendiola distracts Cohen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Mendiola got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cohen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mendiola has managed to get both his arms back between Cohen's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cohen displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Cohen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cohen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mendiola has his takedown stuffed

and Cohen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mendiola is looking for a sweep. Cohen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cohen trying to control the action but Mendiola is working from the bottom.

Cohen is looking for a kimura but Mendiola is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Cohen to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cohen is working for a kimura but Mendiola is defending it quite comfortably.

Cohen is trying to work for a kimura but Mendiola is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mendiola is refusing to be controlled, as Cohen sits in half guard.

Cohen is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Mendiola still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Mendiola has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Mendiola working the ground and pound.

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.
Cohen wants to control but Mendiola postures up.
Cohen taking a bit of punishment here - Mendiola scoring with strikes.
Mendiola lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Cohen down.
Mendiola wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cohen keeps working.
Cohen is working to avoid the ground and pound but Mendiola connects with a decent elbow.
Mendiola is chipping away with strikes.
Mendiola cracks Cohen with a big elbow.
Cohen tries to improve position but can't.
Mendiola cracks Cohen with a big elbow.
Mendiola lands some shots froms side control.
Mendiola lands some shots froms side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cohen struggling a bit here.
Mendiola lands a few punches from side control.
Cohen sneaks back into half guard.
Mendiola seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mendiola lands a nice short elbow.
Cohen taking some punishment here, with Mendiola in his half guard.
Mendiola throwing shots but Cohen is blocking nicely.
Cohen won't allow Mendiola to pass to mount.

Cohen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cohen wants to control but Mendiola is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cohen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mendiola pulls his head out easily.
Mendiola working over Cohen with some ground and pound. Cohen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Cohen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mendiola looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Cohen trying to control from the bottom.
Mendiola wants to free his trapped foot but Cohen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Mendiola working the head and body with strikes.
Mendiola has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Cohen is looking to improve his position but Mendiola isn't that keen on the idea.
Caleb Cohen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Miguel Mendiola is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Mendiola swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Cohen is now in Mendiola's guard. A big mistake from Mendiola there, giving up the dominant position!

And that's the end of the fight!
Miguel Mendiola comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Mendiola 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Miguel Mendiola!