PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jamar Lawal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tiago Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lawal comes to the cage accompanied by E.S. Posthumus Unstoppable . Mendez has chosen Trap Door as his entrance music. This should be fireworks!

Lawal
vs
Mendez

188 cm
29
179 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

184 cm
38
180 lbs
26 - 28 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jamar Lawal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 28 - 0, fighting out of London, Tiago Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, James Atkins and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mendez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Mendez is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Mendez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Lawal trying to control but Mendez postures up.
Lawal knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mendez on the ground.
Lawal is trying to get back to full guard.
Mendez prevents Lawal from standing back up.
Lawal is looking for a sweep. Mendez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mendez is thwarting Lawal's attempts to control the position.
Mendez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Lawal does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lawal connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mendez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez darts in looking for a takedown but Lawal gets double underhooks and turns Mendez into the cage.

Mendez successfully pulls guard.

Mendez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Mendez keeping full guard, as Lawal tries to pass.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lawal accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mendez has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Mendez is looking for a triangle but Lawal pushes his legs off easily.
Mendez wants to sweep here but Lawal controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Lawal from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lawal got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mendez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lawal has managed to get both his arms back between Mendez's legs - danger averted.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mendez manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Lawal tries to lock up and control but Mendez gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Lawal holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Mendez tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

Mendez looking for a guillotine from mount but Lawal is having none of it.
Lawal wants to hold on but Mendez pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawal is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Lawal is working hard here to advance position.
Lawal tries to lock up and control but Mendez gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Lawal is squirming around, avoiding Mendez's attempts to control the action.
Lawal is bucking up trying to escape but Mendez cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Lawal is in all sorts of trouble here.
Mendez unloads with some shots from mount but Lawal bucks and avoids them well.
Lawal slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Lawal gets back to full guard.
Mendez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mendez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Lawal is trying to keep Mendez in close.
Lawal 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mendez trying to control but Lawal is working from the bottom.
Lawal is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jamar Lawal wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Lawal throws a leg kick but Mendez sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Mendez slips under a jab from Lawal.

Mendez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Lawal looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Mendez working the ground and pound from side control.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mendez tries to advance to mount but Lawal denies him.
You can see the frustration on Lawal's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Mendez working his ground and pound in the gym.
Mendez is looking to take a break and control but Lawal is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiago Mendez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mendez fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Lawal sprawls well initially but Mendez persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Lawal has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mendez is working away from the top position though.
Mendez trying to mount his opponent but Lawal defends it.
Mendez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mendez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Mendez thows a huge punch but Lawal dodges it nicely.
Lawal tries to roll over but Mendez keeps him under control.

Mendez seems to be working for a kimura but Lawal defends the submission attempt.
Lawal trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez prevents Lawal from improving his position.
Mendez is keen to just control but Lawal is a slippery customer.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Mendez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Lawal sees it coming and defends easily.
Lawal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lawal moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lawal keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Mendez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mendez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mendez is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Lawal is trying to control the position but Mendez postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Mendez is working Lawal over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lawal controlling Mendez's posture.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

We're going to have a standup here because Jamar Lawal wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Mendez goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Mendez.
Mendez trying to control the position but Lawal is working away.
Lawal is trying to control Mendez's posture but Mendez avoids it.
Lawal is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawal prevents Mendez from improving position.
Tiago Mendez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lawal tries to bench press Mendez off him but Mendez keeps the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lawal stops Mendez from passing to mount.
Mendez landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Lawal is looking for a sweep.
Mendez working away.
Mendez works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

Mendez decides to stand back up.
Mendez throws a nice looking combination but Lawal bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lawal throws a jab when Mendez was well out of range.
A low kick from Lawal is predictable there
enabling Mendez to counter with a crisp jab.
Tiago Mendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mendez scores with a nice body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Lawal misses with a series of wild punches.
Lawal is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Lawal throws a shot from downtown. Mendez moves away and avoids it.
Lawal throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mendez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lawal wants to slow Mendez down by chopping away at his legs.
Mendez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lawal avoids the head kick by Mendez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiago Mendez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Mendez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lawal as he jumps to the side.
Mendez throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Both fighters circling a little - Mendez finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lawal paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lawal keeps the fight on the outside.

Mendez gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Mendez has Lawal pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Mendez pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Lawal tumbling to the mat - Mendez dives into Lawal's guard.
Mendez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lawal swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez postures up.
Mendez won't allow Lawal to sweep him here.
Mendez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lawal throws a leg kick that is checked
and Mendez counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
No joy there for Mendez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Lawal throws a leg kick but Mendez moved away.
Mendez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Lawal takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Mendez has his takedown stuffed
and Lawal counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Jamar Lawal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawal throws a leg kick
and Mendez counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A big right from Lawal misses.
Lawal looks to score with a jab to the body but Mendez is just out of range.
Mendez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Jamar Lawal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiago Mendez.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mendez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lawal misses with a leg kick.
Mendez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawal throws a body punch but Mendez moves out of range.
Lawal throws a big shot that misses.
Lawal misses with a low kick as Mendez jumps back.
Mendez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lawal as he jumps to the side.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Lawal lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Mendez has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Mendez and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

Mendez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Lawal manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Lawal looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Mendez wants to pass the guard but Lawal is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Mendez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mendez wants to control from the top but Lawal keeps moving.
Lawal trying to control the position.

Mendez drops back looking for a leg! Lawal is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lawal manages to kick Mendez off! Mendez jumps back into Lawal's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mendez trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tiago Mendez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mendez 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tiago Mendez!
Tiago Mendez seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.