PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jesus Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Shaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jesus Mendes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mendes
vs
Shaw

180 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
157 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Knock Out Artistry
Knock Out Artistry

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jesus Mendes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sam Shaw!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shaw listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
No joy there for Shaw, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Shaw tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mendes was well out of range. Poor timing from Shaw.
Mendes on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Mendes tries to clinch but Shaw moves out of range.

Mendes gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Shaw to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Mendes can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Shaw controls the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
I looks like Shaw 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.
Shaw's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mendes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Shaw trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shaw stays in close to Mendes's body and controls the position.
Shaw trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Shaw not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Shaw trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.
Mendes wants to stand and escape but Shaw is having none of it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mendes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shaw fails with a takedown attempt.
Jesus Mendes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shaw misses the shot to the body.
Shaw looks to throw the jab but Mendes is out of range.
Shaw swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Shaw thows a body shot but no joy.
Shaw throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mendes blocks a jab.
Shaw avoids the head kick by Mendes.
Mendes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Shaw.
Shaw scores with the left hand. Mendes knows he should have avoided that one.
Shaw throws an overhand right that lands on Mendes's shoulder, as Mendes tries to avoid the shot.
Shaw misses with a body shot.
Mendes misses with a head kick.
Shaw misses with a wild body shot.

That's four 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.

Shaw shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Mendes napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Shaw is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Mendes has escaped the position, nice work there.
Shaw looks gassed!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Shaw working away.
Mendes is looking to reverse the position.
Shaw 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.
Mendes is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Shaw has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Shaw is looking to take a break and control but Mendes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Shaw dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Shaw swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mendes avoids the body shot from Shaw.
Shaw fails with a takedown attempt.
Shaw avoids the head kick by Mendes.
Shaw shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mendes as he jumps to the side.
Shaw will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mendes leaves Shaw with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Jesus Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Shaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from Mendes.
Mendes is looking to clinch.
Shaw is breathing heavily.
Mendes tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shaw misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Shaw misses with a body shot.
Mendes ducks under a wild hook from Shaw.
Sam Shaw is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mendes tries to close the distance and clinch but Shaw swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mendes throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Sam Shaw seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mendes is looking to clinch but Shaw is avoiding it.
Shaw misses with a looping left.
Shaw misses with a wild body shot.
A jab from Shaw does it's job there.
Shaw blocks a head kick by Mendes.
Mendes dodges the punch combination from Shaw.
Mendes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Some wild striking there from Shaw.
Shaw throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Shaw misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mendes.
Mendes connects with a high kick.
Good shot there by Shaw.
Shaw digs a good body shot into Mendes's ribs.
A left lands for Shaw.
Mendes tries to clinch there but Shaw circles away.
Mendes blocks a jab.

Shaw drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mendes wants to sweep here but Shaw controlling him for the moment.
Shaw stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mendes swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes 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.

Shaw is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Mendes is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Mendes has escaped and now he's on top!

Shaw looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Mendes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Mendes wants to stand but Shaw is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mendes is fighting to break Shaw's control of his arms but Shaw is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Shaw showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Mendes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Shaw is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Mendes rather than just go for the knockout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mendes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shaw scores with a nice right hand.
Mendes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shaw swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mendes moves in looking to clinch but Shaw pushes him off.
Shaw takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Shaw looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Shaw will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Shaw throws a shot to the body.
Shaw swings for the body but Mendes moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Shaw.
Shaw takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mendes doesn't manage to clinch there - Shaw circles away.
Shaw blocks a head kick by Mendes.
Mendes feints and then cracks Shaw's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Shaw down.
Mendes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Shaw.
Mendes tries to close the distance and clinch but Shaw swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mendes tries to clinch but Shaw is having none of it.
Mendes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Shaw.
Shaw swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mendes tries to close the distance and clinch but Shaw swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mendes is looking to clinch.
Shaw circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shaw swinging wildly here.

Shaw feints and as Mendes raises his hands in defense, Shaw changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes controls Shaw momentarily but Shaw frees himself.
Shaw stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mendes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Shaw trying to control but Mendes is working from the bottom.
Mendes keeping full guard, as Shaw tries to pass.
Shaw postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes looking to control.
Mendes is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Shaw is controlling him.

Shaw thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mendes throws a sloppy head kick and Shaw moves out of range easily.
Shaw misses with a wild body shot.
Mendes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four 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 throws a sloppy head kick and Shaw moves out of range easily.
Mendes is looking to clinch but Shaw is avoiding it.
Mendes tries to clinch but Shaw moves out of range.
Shaw lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Mendes circles away quickly and effectively.
Shaw thows a left - swing and a miss!
Shaw lands a right hook to the body.
Sam Shaw is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mendes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Shaw throws out the jab.
Mendes wants to clinch up but Shaw keeps it at a distance.
Mendes tries to clinch up.
Shaw shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mendes sprawls well. Mendes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Shaw gets slowly back to his feet.
Jesus Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Shaw.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mendes tries to clinch up but Shaw circles away and keeps his distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sam Shaw comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shaw has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sam Shaw!