PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jake Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johny Utah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jake Mendes could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Johny Utah's chin.

Mendes
vs
Utah

173 cm
32
157 lbs
12 - 14 - 0

192 cm
26
162 lbs
8 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 14 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jake Mendes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Johny Utah!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Viktor Lagutenko and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mendes gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mendes jumps guard but Utah turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Mendes has Utah pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Utah manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Mendes is trying to trip Utah. He has hold of a leg but Utah is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Mendes persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Utah is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Mendes gets to his feet - Utah follows without any prompting.
Mendes has been working on his balance at Bobby B's, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Utah.
Utah misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mendes defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Utah.
An attempted straight right counter from Mendes misses the target.
Utah shoots for a double leg takedown but Mendes sprawls well. He's pushed Utah's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jake Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johny Utah.
Mendes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Mendes moves into range and clinches up with Utah.
Utah tries to stall but Mendes uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Utah wants to get back to striking at distance but Mendes won't allow it.

Utah decides to pull guard.
Mendes might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Mendes engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mendes stands up and waves to Utah to follow him.
Mendes is looking to clinch but Utah is avoiding it.
Mendes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jake Mendes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Utah shoots in but no luck this time.
Mendes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Good exchange - Mendes coming out on top.

It looks like Johny Utah has been cut.
Utah shoots for a double leg takedown but Mendes sprawls well. He's pushed Utah's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mendes dips to his left and cracks Utah with an uppercut!

Utah is rocked!
Mendes stuns Utah with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mendes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Utah.
Mendes misses with a wild combination.
Utah is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Mendes with a body shot.
Nice takedown defense from Mendes. No joy for Utah on that attempt.

Mendes moves into range and clinches up with Utah.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mendes wants a takedown but no success here.
Utah tries to stall but Mendes uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Utah jumps guard but Mendes stands there with Utah around his waist. Utah gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Utah is trying to push Mendes away but Mendes has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Mendes jumps guard.
Utah being controlled here momentarily.

Mendes has his feet on Utah's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Utah uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Mendes.

Mendes has managed to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Utah escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Mendes instigates a clinch.
Utah is trying to pull guard but Mendes has him pressed against the cage.
Utah is working for takedown but Mendes is calmly controlling the position for now.
Utah tries to circle away but Mendes has him pinned against the cage.

Mendes gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Mendes prevents Utah from improving his position.
Mendes content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Mendes postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Utah to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mendes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Utah jumps guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendes sitting in guard here, content to control.
Utah looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mendes is one step ahead there.

Mendes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Utah, up you get!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Mendes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Johny Utah's cut.
That's time! Mendes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mendes clinches.

Mendes gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Mendes won't allow Utah to sweep him here.

Mendes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Mendes tries to clinch up.
Utah fails with the takedown.
No luck for Utah with that takedown attempt.
Mendes lands a nice looking body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Utah is defended easily by Mendes.
Jake Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johny Utah.
Mendes tries to clinch
and Utah counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Mendes tries to clinch but Utah is having none of it.

Mendes pushes Utah up against the cage in a clinch.

Mendes gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mendes stands up and beckons Utah to join him on the feet.
Utah shoots in but Mendes avoids the takedown attempt easily.
It looked like Mendes wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Mendes scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mendes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mendes cracks a nice hook into Utah's ribs.
Mendes wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Utah is breathing heavily.
An inside leg kick lands from Mendes.

Mendes has Utah up against the cage in a clinch.

Mendes turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Mendes manages to end up in side control.
Utah being controlled for a moment.

Mendes stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes misses with a low kick.
Mendes fails with an attempt to clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Utah swats away the attempt to clinch by Mendes.
Mendes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Mendes instigates a clinch.
Mendes is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Utah is defending well.
Mendes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Utah gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Mendes gets control of Utah's arms and successfully pulls guard. Mendes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is adopting a defensive guard.
Mendes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Utah manages to get himself to full guard.

Mendes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Utah looking for a sweep. Not yet Utah, not yet.
Mendes is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Utah trying to keep a closed guard but Mendes is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mendes's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Mendes stands and steps away. Utah gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Jake Mendes is winning the standup battle so far.

Mendes gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Utah prevents a takedown attempt there.

Mendes lands a takedown into guard.
Mendes controls from within his opponent's guard.

Mendes stands up and waves to Utah to follow him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Mendes dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Johny Utah's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Mendes tries to clinch but Utah moves out of range.
Utah looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Mendes takes the fight into the clinch.
Mendes is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Utah pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Utah is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mendes to keep the fight standing.
Mendes is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Utah gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Utah's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mendes displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Utah.
Mendes throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Utah swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mendes digs a good hook to Utah's body.
Johny Utah is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Utah.
Jake Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johny Utah.
Utah tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mendes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mendes is looking to clinch but Utah is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Utah.
Mendes lands with a straight right. Utah didn't see that one coming.
Mendes throws a shot to the body.
Horrible takedown attempt by Utah or perhaps it was just good defense by Mendes, which made it look bad.
Utah takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mendes is looking to clinch.

Mendes gets a clinch.
Mendes is looking for a takedown.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Mendes is trying to pull guard but Utah turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Mendes is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Utah is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes avoiding damage as Utah throws knees to the body.
Mendes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Utah.
Utah can't find room to land a body shot as Mendes controls the action.
Utah 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. Utah gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mendes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Utah can do to turn this around?

Mendes closes the distance and clinches.

Mendes pulls guard effortlessly.
Mendes pulls Utah in to control the position.
Mendes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mendes looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johny Utah has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mendes continues to stall.
Utah wants to stand and escape but instead Mendes has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Utah can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mendes controls the pace.

Mendes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Utah, up you get!
Jake Mendes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mendes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mendes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mendes drops his hands momentarily and Utah takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Utah throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mendes.
A little feinted left hand from Mendes on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Mendes gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Utah misses with the head strike.
A nice right hand lands inside from Utah.
Utah lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Utah prevents the takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Utah doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Utah's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jake Mendes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Mendes closes the distance and pushes Utah back into the cage.
A hook to the body from Utah.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Mendes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mendes 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27

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