PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tiago Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mendez comes to the ring accompanied by Trap Door. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Mendez
vs
Cross

184 cm
23
180 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

190 cm
21
193 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Tiago Mendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, David Cross!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Glass and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mendez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cross sprawls well. Cross wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mendez gets slowly back to his feet.
Cross throws a good cross that connects.
Mendez tries for a takedown but Cross sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Some wild striking there from Cross.
Cross stuffs the takedown attempt from Mendez. Mendez gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tiago Mendez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cross throws a push kick but Mendez slaps the foot to one side.
Mendez fails with the takedown.
Cross looks to throw the jab but Mendez is out of range.
Mendez looks for a takedown but Cross sprawls well.
Mendez fails with an attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez fails to land the takedown.
Mendez gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Mendez swings for the body but Cross moves out of range.
Cross ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mendez moves away.

Mendez gets caught flat footed, as Cross shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez wants to stand and escape but Cross is having none of it.
Cross pushing down on Mendez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Cross prevents Mendez from improving his position.
Mendez is trying to control but can't.
Cross is just content to waste time from the top position. Mendez takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Mendez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Cross from controlling successfully.
Mendez 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mendez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cross's guard.

Mendez stands and steps away. Cross gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Mendez wants to clinch up but Cross keeps it at a distance.
Cross ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Mendez blocks a jab.
Mendez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Cross misses the jab.
Cross misses with a shot to the body

and Mendez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Mendez postures up.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Cross is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cross is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez is looking to improve his position.
Cross is looking to advance position but Mendez won't allow it.
Mendez is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Mendez trying to hold on to Cross's head to control him but Cross postures up.

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.
Mendez tries to roll over but Cross keeps him under control.
Mendez trying to control here.
Mendez is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Mendez looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Cross is trying to maintain the position but Mendez is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tiago Mendez will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mendez takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Mendez is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A jab from Cross finds it's way through Mendez's defenses.
Mendez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cross.
Cross swings for the body but Mendez moves out of range.
Mendez misses with a double jab.

Mendez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Mendez is keen to just control but Cross is a slippery customer.
Cross wants to improve his position but Mendez is controlling well.
Mendez is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Cross gets back to full guard.
Cross lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Mendez!
Mendez working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez wants to control but Cross is having none of it.
Cross trying to control but Mendez is having none of it.
Cross moves to back control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mendez looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Mendez rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Mendez wants to improve his position but Cross is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mendez actively working from the bottom here.
Mendez is not content to let Cross control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cross cracks Mendez with an open hand slap.
Mendez throws a one two combo.
Cross wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Mendez takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cross keeps the fight on the outside.
Cross tries to score with a low kick but Mendez moves his leg out of the way.
Cross swats away the attempt to clinch by Mendez.
Mendez with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Cross to score with a decent uppercut.
Mendez fails to land the takedown.
Cross misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mendez.
Cross displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mendez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tiago Mendez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cross lands a nice looking body shot.
Mendez moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mendez.
Mendez tries to clinch up.
Cross stuns Mendez with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Cross throws a low kick but Mendez avoids it.
Mendez walks into a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but David Cross will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Cross pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cross looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Mendez fails to land with a series of punches.
Nice body punch from Mendez.
Cross lands a nice shot that snaps Mendez's head back.
Mendez checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Cross throws a combination. Mendez tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Tiago Mendez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cross misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mendez.
Jab from Cross.
Mendez ducks under a wild hook from Cross.
Nice shot by Cross.
Cross wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Donk. Cross catches Mendez right on the button with a cross.
Cross connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
David Cross seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mendez tries to clinch but Cross is having none of it.
Cross shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mendez but Mendez pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cross ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mendez moves away.
Mendez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cross sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A punch combination from Mendez misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Cross paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cross just misses with a punch to the body.
Cross cracks Mendez with a good jab.
Cross lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Mendez backs up against the ropes.
Mendez takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Cross fails with a takedown attempt.
Mendez blocks a leg kick.
Cross throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mendez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mendez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tiago Mendez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cross throws a nice looking combination but Mendez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mendez misses with a takedown attempt - Cross sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mendez moves out of range as Cross strikes.
Cross connects with a crisp jab.
Cross throws the left hand but Mendez avoids the punch easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cross looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Mendez working a defensive guard here.
Cross pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mendez is keeping the position for now.
Cross won't allow Mendez to sweep him here.
Mendez is working hard here to advance position.

Mendez looking for a guillotine here but Cross defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cross won't allow Mendez to sweep him here.
Cross controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cross must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Cross from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Cross cracks Mendez with a right hand to the side of the head.
Cross scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
An inside leg kick from Cross misses.
Cross misses with an uppercut. Mendez saw that one coming.
Cross lands a nice shot to the body.

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.
Cross will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Mendez gets a takedown into half guard.

Mendez decides to stand up.
Mendez takes a jab right on the kisser.
Cross cracks Mendez with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.
Cross looks to land a body kick but Mendez moved away.
Mendez cracks Cross with a right hand to the side of the head.
Cross swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cross dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mendez lands with an uppercut that bounces Cross off the ropes and back into rage.
Mendez looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Cross with a jab.
Cross jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Cross shoots in for a takedown but Mendez shows good takedown defense.
Cross thows a body shot but no joy.
Cross lands a lovely overhand right.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Cross comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cross has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 William Gold scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Cross!