PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chad Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dumaham Bijan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Mendes
vs
Bijan

175 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
26
146 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Chad Mendes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dumaham Bijan!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendes is looking to clinch.
Mendes has a takedown stuffed.
Bijan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bijan swats away the attempt to clinch by Mendes.
Mendes tries to bum rush Bijan with a series of wild strikes but Bijan uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bijan lands with a kick to the ribs.
Bijan fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendes dives in for a single leg takedown but Bijan sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Bijan throws a counter combo.
Bijan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mendes pinned against the cage. Mendes gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Chad Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dumaham Bijan.
Mendes fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bijan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mendes but Mendes pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Bijan has managed to clinch.

Bijan has clasped his hands together around Mendes's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendes tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bijan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Bijan tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Bijan in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Mendes wants to control but Bijan postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes trying his best to control but Bijan has mounted him.
Bijan trying to control but Mendes is having none of it.
Bijan sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Mendes wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Bijan misses with a punch to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bijan working for a choke but Mendes is defending well.
Bijan lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Mendes is trying to get back to his feet but Bijan has full control of the position and if anything, Mendes has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Mendes tries to escape the position.
Bijan keeps control of the position easily here as Mendes tries to buck him off.
It looks like Bijan 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Bijan's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Mendes is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Bijan looking to break Mendes's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Mendes remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Bijan will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bijan is hanging on to Mendes's back as he tries to escape.
Mendes trying to control the action but Bijan just sinks the hooks in.
Bijan controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dumaham Bijan dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mendes throws a sloppy head kick and Bijan moves out of range easily.
Bijan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mendes as he avoids it easily.

Mendes darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Mendes wants to stand up but Bijan is controlling the position.
Bijan is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bijan is still trying to improve position.
Bijan slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bijan controlling Mendes's posture.

Bijan has his foot on Mendes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mendes works his way back into a safe position though.
Bijan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mendes controls the pace.
Mendes trying to control but Bijan is working from the bottom.
Bijan trying to keep a closed guard but Mendes is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Chad Mendes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mendes tries to clinch but fails miserably
letting Bijan counter with a right hand.
Bijan takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Bijan takes the fight into the clinch.
Mendes is pressed up against the cage. Bijan has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mendes down to the mat. Mendes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bijan shoots in looking for a takedown but Mendes manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bijan's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Chad Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dumaham Bijan.
Bijan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mendes appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Bijan moves into range and clinches up with Mendes.
Bijan goes for a takedown in the clinch but Mendes prevents it.
Mendes is pressed up against the cage. Bijan has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mendes down to the mat. Mendes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bijan is breathing heavily.
Bijan stuffs the takedown attempt from Mendes. Mendes gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mendes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Bijan trying to keep a closed guard but Mendes is proving a slippery customer.
Mendes wants to control from the top but Bijan keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bijan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Dumaham Bijan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bijan being controlled here, momentarily.
Bijan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes wants to control from the top but Bijan keeps moving.
Mendes content to stall in guard here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Bijan darts in and clinches Mendes up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Chad Mendes will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Mendes pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Mendes has Bijan up against the cage in a clinch.
Bijan leaning his opponent against the cage.
Mendes tries to pull guard but Bijan holds him up against the cage and eventually Mendes drops back down to his feet.
Mendes has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bijan after a bit of a struggle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendes tries to pull guard but Bijan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chad Mendes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bijan is stalling here.
Bijan wants a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bijan is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mendes to keep the fight standing.

Mendes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Bijan has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mendes prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mendes fails to pull guard.
Bijan keeps control of Mendes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mendes is trying to pull guard but Bijan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Bijan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mendes lands a nice looking body kick.
Mendes defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bijan.

Bijan clinches.
Mendes tries to pull guard but Bijan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mendes pulls guard effortlessly.
Bijan controlling from the top position.
Mendes has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Bijan has passed into side control.
Mendes tries to bench press Bijan off him but Bijan keeps the position.
Mendes is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Bijan's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Bijan is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is not content to let Bijan control the position.
Mendes is looking to control Bijan's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mendes avoid being mounted?
Mendes is trying to stand.
Bijan thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mendes's head.
Bijan content to control rather than advance.

That's four 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.
Bijan is trying to control. Mendes wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
No luck for Bijan with that takedown attempt.
Mendes seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bijan connects with a leg kick. Mendes looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Bijan moves into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dumaham Bijan.
I think Bijan has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dumaham Bijan!