PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Max Mendes (ranked 4305 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sammy Mo (ranked 6159 p4p, 0 weight class). Max Mendes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mendes
vs
Mo

180 cm
25
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
250 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Max Mendes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sammy Mo!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mendes avoiding damage.

Mo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mo closes the distance and clinches up with Mendes, looking for a takedown. Mo pushes Mendes against the cage but Mendes circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mo tries to land a body kick

and Mendes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Mendes is taking a breather. Mo says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Mo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mo trying to control from the bottom.
Mendes lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mendes is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Mo is just riding it out for now. Mendes eventually gives up the hold.

Mo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mendes pulls his head out easily.
Mendes is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Mendes has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Mendes scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Mendes wants to stand up but Mo has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mendes trying to mount his opponent but Mo defends it.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mendes in particular looking to stall.
Mendes looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mo with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Mendes wants to pass the guard but Mo is defending well.

Mendes is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Mo sees it coming and defends easily.
Mo looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Mendes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mo gets full guard.
Mendes lands a couple of elbows.
Mo has a closed guard, preventing Mendes from standing up.
Mendes keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Mo's head.
Mendes tries to stand but Mo is controlling from the bottom.
Mendes forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mo manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mo throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mendes might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Mendes chips away with some ground and pound.
Mendes with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Mo being controlled here, momentarily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mo is trying to control the position but Mendes postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mendes working some strikes from top position.
Mendes wants to stand but Mo is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mo has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Mendes has passed into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Mendes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Donk. Mendes catches Mo right on the button with a cross.
Max Mendes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mendes closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Mo's guard.
Mo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mendes is one step ahead there.
Mendes lands a couple of digs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Mo 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.
Mo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mendes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes wanted to stand there but Mo had control of the position.
Mendes controlling from the top position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Mo moves to clinch but Mendes breaks away

and Mendes counters with a single leg into guard. Mo didn't expect that.
Mo wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Mendes manages to pass to side control.
Mo is breathing heavily.

Mendes controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Mendes looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Mendes seems to be working for a kimura but Mo defends the submission attempt.

Mo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes wants to stand up but Mo is controlling the position.
Mo is trying to stand.
Max Mendes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mo is looking to get back to full guard here but Mendes has managed to pass to side control instead.
Mendes controls the position.
Mo isn't going anywhere.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mendes works to advance to full mount. Mo defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Mo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Mendes looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Mendes looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Mendes content just to control the position here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mendes seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Mo for as long as he can get away with.

Mendes working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Mendes dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Mendes closes the distance and pushes Mo back into the cage.
Mendes wants to take the fight to the mat but Mo manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

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

Mendes gets a takedown into half guard.

Mo makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mo fails with an attempt to clinch.

Mendes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Mo did well to prevent Mendes getting side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mendes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Mo is looking for a sweep. Mendes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mo keeps trying to improve his position.
Mendes is nestled in close to Mo, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Mo tries to kick Mendes off but Mendes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mendes is taking a breather. Mo says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Mendes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mo can do to turn this around?
Mendes winds up and cracks Mo with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Mendes content to control rather than advance.
Mendes tries to stand but can't do so whilst Mo controls his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mendes wants to stand up but Mo manages to regain full guard.
Mendes sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Mo's guard.
Mendes trying to control the pace.
Mendes has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Mendes.
Mo trying to control but Mendes postures up.
Mo wants to improve his position but Mendes is controlling well.

Mendes is looking for a kimura but Mo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mendes to get the leverage.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mendes in particular looking to stall.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mo wants to clinch.
Mendes went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

Mendes looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mo is looking to control Mendes's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mo avoid being mounted?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mo wants to get back to full guard.
Sammy Mo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Max Mendes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Mendes is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Mo has managed to free his arm - good work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Max 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Max Mendes!