PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arthur Menezes (ranked 52 p4p, 283 weight class) and John Edmonds (ranked 10 p4p, 43 weight class). Edmonds has chosen Frankie Smith - Double Dutch Bus as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Menezes
vs
Edmonds

180 cm
40
190
34 - 19 - 1

185 cm
35
190
34 - 21 - 1

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Vegan Gains

Fantasy Threads
Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 34 - 19 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Arthur Menezes!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 21 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Edmonds!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Skip Squint and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Edmonds steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Menezes.

Menezes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Edmonds did well to prevent Menezes getting side control.
Edmonds is trying to get back to full guard.
Edmonds is looking to control Menezes's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Edmonds avoid being mounted?

Edmonds is defending against the submission attempts here by Menezes.

Menezes is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Edmonds tries to get to full guard but Menezes has control of the leg.
Menezes is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Menezes is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Edmonds is just riding it out for now. Menezes eventually gives up the hold.
Menezes works his way into side control.
Menezes working away.

Menezes tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Menezes has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Edmonds tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Menezes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

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.
Menezes has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Menezes misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Menezes looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Edmonds is avoiding damage well.
Menezes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Edmonds keeps working.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Menezes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Edmonds tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menezes advances nicely into full mount.
Menezes tries to control but Edmonds wriggling away.
Edmonds is looking to improve his position but Menezes isn't that keen on the idea.

Menezes goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Edmonds is on top in guard.
Edmonds wants to control from the top but Menezes keeps moving.

Menezes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Edmonds gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edmonds trying to control the position from guard on top but Menezes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Menezes looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Edmonds trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Edmonds trying to control the position from guard on top but Menezes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Menezes is looking for a triangle but Edmonds pushes his legs off easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Menezes has his foot on Edmonds's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Edmonds works his way back into a safe position though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Menezes 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.

Edmonds misses with a looping right.
Menezes appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Edmonds misses with a straight right.
Edmonds misses the jab.
Menezes jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice defenses there by Edmonds.
Edmonds stuns Menezes with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Menezes misses with an uppercut
and Edmonds counters with a left to the body.
Good shot there by Edmonds.
Edmonds throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Menezes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Edmonds moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Edmonds avoids the body shot from Menezes.
Edmonds jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Edmonds throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Menezes changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Menezes missing with a left hand there. Edmonds was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Good standup being displayed there by Menezes as he connects with a hook.
Menezes takes one to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Menezes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Edmonds moves away.
Menezes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
John Edmonds seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edmonds throws a jab when Menezes was well out of range.
Menezes throws the left hand but Edmonds avoids the punch easily.
Edmonds stuffs the takedown attempt from Menezes. Menezes gets slowly back to his feet.
Edmonds circles away from the clinch attempt.
Menezes ducks under a wild hook from Edmonds.
Menezes lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Menezes throws a body shot but no joy.
Edmonds misses with an uppercut. Menezes saw that one coming.
Menezes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A swing and a miss from Menezes.
Edmonds looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Menezes shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Edmonds but Edmonds pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Menezes shoots in for a takedown but Edmonds shows good takedown defense.
Edmonds appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arthur Menezes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Edmonds looks to throw the jab but Menezes is out of range.
Edmonds keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Menezes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Edmonds! But no joy.
Menezes jabs at Edmonds's body.
Menezes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Edmonds sprawls well. Edmonds wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Menezes gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menezes fails with an attempt to clinch.
A little jabbing left from Edmonds on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Menezes throws a body punch but Edmonds moves out of range.
Menezes closes the distance and clinches up with Edmonds, looking for a takedown. Menezes pushes Edmonds against the cage but Edmonds circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Edmonds shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Edmonds throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Menezes was covering up waiting for the punch and Edmonds finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Menezes looking for a guillotine here but Edmonds defends easily.
Edmonds slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Menezes keeping moving, preventing Edmonds from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menezes is trying to control the position but Edmonds postures up.

Menezes is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Edmonds got a little sloppy there for a moment and Menezes has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Edmonds has managed to get both his arms back between Menezes's legs - danger averted.

Edmonds drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Edmonds jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Edmonds must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Edmonds trying to control the position from guard on top but Menezes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Edmonds works a leg free and moves into half guard.

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.

Menezes looking for submissions off his back.
Edmonds tries to pass the half guard into mount. Menezes knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Menezes trying to control but Edmonds postures up.

Edmonds seems to be working for a kimura but Menezes defends the submission attempt.

Menezes is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Edmonds pulls his head out easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

John Edmonds showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Menezes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Edmonds paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fighters circling - Menezes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Edmonds throws a right hand that Menezes ducks under and follows up with a left that Menezes also avoids with ease.
Menezes changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Edmonds avoids the body shot from Menezes.
Menezes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Edmonds.
A big left from Edmonds misses.
Edmonds looks to land a left hand but Menezes moved out of range nicely.
Some wild striking there from Edmonds.
Menezes digs a good hook to Edmonds's body.
Edmonds avoids the body shot from Menezes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Edmonds takes one to the chin there.

Edmonds manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Menezes on his heels. He'll look to pass Menezes's guard now, I'm sure.
Edmonds stays in close to Menezes's body and controls the position.

Edmonds is posturing up here but Menezes has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Edmonds tries to roll out but it's too tight and Edmonds has to tap! Slick submission there by Menezes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Arthur Menezes!
Arthur Menezes retains his middleweight title!