PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Enzo Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddie Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eddie Mendez struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 206.4lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Eddie Mendez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Souza
vs
Mendez

188 cm
24
200 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

190 cm
21
220 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

[MMABR] Killer Bee Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Enzo Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eddie Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Felipe Paraventi and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Souza scores with a jab to the jaw.
Mendez is looking to clinch but Souza is avoiding it.

A jab-cross combination lands for Souza and sends Mendez crashing to the mat! Souza follows him down to the mat - Mendez regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

It looks like Eddie Mendez has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Souza not doing much here.
Mendez is trying to stand back up but Souza is controlling him
Souza keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Mendez has hold of Souza's hands but Souza slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Souza 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.
Souza stops Mendez from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza is controlling the pace.

Souza stands up and beckons Mendez to join him on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez wants to clinch up but Souza keeps it at a distance.
A shot to de liver by Souza. Beautiful body shot.
Mendez looks gassed!
Mendez moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Mendez dodges the punch combination from Souza.
Souza throws a right and a left that both miss.
Souza throws a series of punches but Mendez avoids them all with ease.
Souza connects with a right hand. Mendez shakes it off.
Souza avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
No joy there for Souza, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mendez moves in looking to clinch but Souza pushes him off.
Mendez throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Mendez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mendez dodges the punch combination from Souza.
Souza looks to land a combination but Mendez avoids it well.
Souza misses with the combination.
Nice uppercut there from Souza.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Souza duly obliges.
Souza lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Mendez circles away quickly and effectively.
Mendez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Souza counters with a straight right hand.
Mendez takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Souza throws a right hand that Mendez ducks under and follows up with a left that Mendez also avoids with ease.
Souza throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Souza throws a series of punches but Mendez moves out of range.
Souza circles away from the clinch attempt
and Souza counters with a left and a right that stings Mendez.
Souza misses with a wild body shot.
Mendez tries to clinch but Souza moves away
and Souza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mendez lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Mendez wants to clinch but Souza slips to the side
and Souza counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Eddie Mendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Souza circles away from the clinch attempt
and Souza counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mendez tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Souza counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Mendez wants to clinch but Souza slips to the side
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.
Mendez looks to clinch
and Souza counters with a right hand to the body.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch but Souza swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mendez throws a series of strikes that have Souza backpedaling.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Souza paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Souza tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mendez was well out of range. Poor timing from Souza.
Mendez moves in looking to clinch but Souza pushes him off.
Mendez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mendez is looking to clinch but Souza is avoiding it.
No joy there for Souza, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Souza throws a lazy right hand but Mendez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Souza throws a lazy right hand but Mendez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mendez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mendez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Souza avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mendez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Souza.
Mendez is looking to clinch but Souza is avoiding it.
Souza stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Mendez.
Mendez wants to clinch
and Souza counters with a left to the body.
Souza takes a swing at Mendez's ribcage but misses.
Souza is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Souza looks to land a right hand but Mendez moved out of range.
Mendez tries to clinch up
and Souza counters with a right hand to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mendez wants to clinch but Souza slips to the side
and Souza counters with a right hand to the body.
Mendez wants to clinch
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
and Mendez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mendez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enzo Souza dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Eddie Mendez's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mendez lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Mendez tries to clinch but Souza moves away
and Souza counters with a straight right hand.
Souza throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mendez.
Souza misses with a series of wild punches.
Mendez wants to clinch but Souza slips to the side
and Souza counters with a nice uppercut.
Souza comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Mendez wants to clinch but Souza slips to the side
and Souza makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Enzo Souza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Souza wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Souza lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Mendez doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Souza throws a right hand that Mendez ducks under and follows up with a left that Mendez also avoids with ease.

Mendez clinches up against the cage.
Souza lands a body shot.
Souza stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Souza jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mendez walks away with a smile on his face. Souza gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mendez tries to clinch
and Souza counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Souza circles away from the clinch attempt
and Souza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Souza dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mendez looks to clinch
and Souza counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Mendez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Souza throws out the jab.
Mendez tries to clinch up.
Souza keeps the fight on the outside.
Mendez closes the distance looking to clinch
and Souza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A punch lands to the side of Mendez 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Souza throws a series of punches but Mendez moves out of range.
Mendez closes the distance looking to clinch
and Souza counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Mendez tries to clinch but Souza moves away
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.
Mendez is looking to clinch.
Souza fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Souza is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Mendez.
Mendez has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Mendez doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Mendez closes the distance but Souza moves to the side
and Souza counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Mendez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Souza counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Mendez throws a right and a left that Souza avoids nicely.
Enzo Souza is winning the standup battle so far.
Souza rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mendez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mendez tries to clinch up
and Souza cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mendez closes the distance looking to clinch
and Souza connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mendez darts in trying to clinch
enabling Souza to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez clinches but Souza breaks the clinch
and Souza counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Mendez closes the distance but Souza moves to the side
and Souza counters with a straight right hand.
Souza throws a series of punches but Mendez avoids them all with ease.
Mendez throws a nice outside leg kick.
Mendez closes the distance but Souza moves to the side
and Souza counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mendez thinking.
Mendez tries to clinch up
and Souza cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Souza swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mendez tries to clinch up but Souza circles away and keeps his distance.
Souza fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mendez manages to avoid it.
Mendez darts in trying to clinch
and Souza counters with a lovely straight right hand!

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.

Mendez forces Souza back against the cage and clinches.
Mendez scores with a knee to the head.
Souza tries to break the clinch but Mendez is controlling the position.
Mendez tries to land a knee to the head but Souza blocks with his arms.
A frustrated look appears on Souza's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Souza manages to pull guard.
Mendez tries to stand but Souza is controlling from the bottom.

Mendez decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Mendez looks to clinch
and Souza counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Souza looks to score with a jab to the body but Mendez is just out of range.
Souza is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mendez can do to turn this around?
Souza will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mendez takes a shot to the body in his stride.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enzo Souza dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Eddie Mendez's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Souza swinging wildly here.
Mendez wants to clinch
and Souza cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Mendez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Souza.
Mendez takes a jab right on the kisser.
Souza punishes Mendez's body with a nice straight punch.
Mendez takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Mendez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
letting Souza counter with a right hand.
Souza looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mendez clinches but Souza breaks the clinch
and Souza counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mendez thinking.
Souza scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Souza throws a right and a left that Mendez avoids nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A big right from Souza misses.
Mendez clinches but Souza breaks the clinch
and Souza counters with a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez darts in trying to clinch
and Souza counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mendez on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Mendez fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Souza.
Mendez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Souza counters with a two punch combo.

Mendez moves into the clinch successfully.
Souza leaning his opponent against the cage.
Mendez connects with a knee to the head.
Mendez tries a knee to the head but Souza blocks it.
Souza lands a shot to the body.
Souza taking a breather.
Mendez lands a knee to the head.
Mendez looking to throw knees to the head but Souza is blocking nicely.
Mendez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Souza tries to pull guard but Mendez holds him up against the cage and eventually Souza drops back down to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mendez with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Mendez misses with a knee to the head.
Souza wants to break the clinch but can't.
Souza lands a body punch in the clinch.
Mendez tries to land a knee to the head but Souza blocks with his arms.
Mendez tries to land a knee to the head but Souza blocks with his arms.
Mendez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mendez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mendez misses with a knee to the head.
Mendez misses with a knee strike.
Mendez throws a knee to the head but misses.
Souza tries to pull guard but Mendez holds him up against the cage and eventually Souza drops back down to his feet.
Mendez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mendez tries to land a knee to the head but Souza blocks with his arms.
Mendez throws a knee to the head but misses.

Souza gets control of Mendez's arms and successfully pulls guard. Souza will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Souza has control of Mendez's left arm, preventing Mendez from doing any damage.
Mendez wanted to stand there but Souza had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mendez is controlling him.
Mendez has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Souza is proving hard to escape from.
Souza bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mendez's guard.
Souza sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mendez wants to stand and escape but Souza is having none of it.
Souza seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Enzo Souza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Souza wants to control from the top but Mendez keeps moving.
Souza won't allow Mendez to get back to his feet.
Souza stays in close to Mendez's body and controls the position.

Souza gets to his feet. Mendez looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Eddie Mendez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A combination from Souza does no damage.
Mendez wants to clinch but Souza slips to the side
and Souza counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Mendez thinking.
Mendez throws a series of punches but Souza avoids them all with ease.
Mendez looks to clinch
and Souza counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Souza throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Mendez stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

And that's the end of the fight!
Enzo Souza showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Souza, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:26
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:26
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Enzo Souza!