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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Mendes (ranked 3043 p4p, 150 weight class) and Ashton Knuckles (ranked 7678 p4p, 281 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?
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| 175 cm
24
143 lbs
8 - 3 - 0 |
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160 cm
28
147 lbs
7 - 13 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter fighter
KO power |
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Good wrestler
Good kicks
Powerful |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Mendes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
7 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ashton Knuckles!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knuckles gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Knuckles prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mendes blocks the elbow strike.
Knuckles lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Mendes is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Knuckles gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mendes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Knuckles's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mendes takes the fight into the clinch.
Knuckles throws an elbow that misses.
Mendes tries for a takedown but Knuckles manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael Mendes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knuckles is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Mendes can't fight it off and eventually Knuckles manages to take the fight to the floor. Mendes looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Knuckles loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Knuckles is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Knuckles in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Knuckles trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.
Knuckles with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mendes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Knuckles not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Knuckles trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.
Knuckles throwing strikes but missing.
Knuckles wants to control from the top but Mendes keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Knuckles trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mendes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mendes seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
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.
Knuckles postures up in Mendes's guard and throws a big left but Mendes blocks it.
Knuckles is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Knuckles rushes Mendes and presses him up against the cage.
Mendes prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mendes blocks the elbow strike.
Knuckles landing knees to the body.
Knuckles softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Knuckles escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Knuckles moves into the clinch.
Knuckles crunches a lovely knee into Mendes's ribcage.
Knuckles wants a takedown.
Knuckles throws a punch but it's blocked by Mendes.
Knuckles lands a nice knee to the body.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles trying to control the position but instead, Mendes has worked for underhooks and has pushed Knuckles into the cage.
Knuckles tightens his grip and picks Mendes up, before dumping him to the ground. Mendes manages to land in guard.
Knuckles passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Knuckles working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Knuckles tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Knuckles scores with punches from side control.
Knuckles throwing strikes but Mendes manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Mendes trying to control the action but Knuckles is working from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Knuckles tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mendes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Knuckles is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Knuckles is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Ashton Knuckles dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!
Mendes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Knuckles sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mendes somewhat.
Knuckles shoots in and drives through. Mendes sprawls well.
Mendes half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Knuckles closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mendes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Knuckles creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Ashton Knuckles seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Knuckles misses with a hook to the ribs.
Knuckles breaks the clinch.
Knuckles clinches.
Knuckles has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendes can't get the takedown.
Knuckles throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mendess head.
Knuckles has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mendes is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Knuckles misses with a knee to the head.
Knuckles pulls guard.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes looking to pass the guard.
Mendes trying to control the position from guard on top but Knuckles is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Knuckles wants to hit a switch here but Mendes passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Knuckles there!
Knuckles is in all sorts of trouble here.
Mendes controlling his opponent.
Knuckles is wriggling around trying to escape.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Knuckles tries to hold on but Mendes pushes him away.
Knuckles can't escape the position.
Mendes controlling from the full mount.
Mendes avoids the attempt from Knuckles to control.
Mendes looking to control and managing it successfully.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes prevents Knuckles from getting the reversal.
Knuckles gets back to half guard.
Mendes slows the pace down in half guard.
Knuckles is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Mendes jumps into side control!
Mendes tries to move to mount but Knuckles blocks the move with his legs.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles is looking for a sweep.
Knuckles is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Mendes off and has taken his back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mendes rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Knuckles not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Knuckles not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Knuckles not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Knuckles is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Mendes reverses the position - he's now on top in Knuckles's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Knuckles trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Ashton Knuckles will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!
Knuckles scores with a crisp jab that stopped Mendes in his tracks.
Knuckles goes for a double leg but Mendes avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mendes continues to drive forward.
Knuckles gets a clinch.
Mendes is looking to take this one to the mat.
Knuckles breaks from the clinch.
Knuckles lands a nice looking body shot.
Knuckles has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Knuckles looks to throw a body kick
and Mendes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ashton Knuckles has got the better of the ground game so far.
Knuckles tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Knuckles wants to control but Mendes is keeping busy.
Knuckles wants to control the action here but instead Mendes manages to pass to full mount!
Knuckles is trying desperately to improve position.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Knuckles throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Mendes controlling from the full mount.
Knuckles tries to hold on but Mendes pushes him away.
Knuckles is trying to escape the mount.
Knuckles regains half guard.
Mendes works his way into side control.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles keeping his opponent close.
Knuckles is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Mendes's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Mendes prevents Knuckles from improving his position.
Knuckles manages to get to full guard.
Knuckles wants to sweep but no luck.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles keeping moving, preventing Mendes from controlling successfully.
Mendes sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mendes trying to control but Knuckles is working from the bottom.
The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Knuckles clinches up with Mendes and pushes him back against the cage.
Mendes looking for a takedown.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mendes wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rafael Mendes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knuckles throws an elbow but it misses.
Mendes gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Knuckles has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mendes is working away from the top position though.
Mendes is working for a submission of some sort.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Knuckles is looking for a sweep. Mendes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rafael Mendes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ashton Knuckles is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mendes is nestled in close to Knuckles, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ashton Knuckles.
I've got Knuckles 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ashton Knuckles!
Ashton Knuckles gave a mention to Juggernaut And Gladiators(90% Laundry) in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
35% |
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