PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Austin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rob Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Austin
vs
Mendez

192 cm
30
245 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

200 cm
24
253 lbs
7 - 14 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steve Austin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 14 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rob Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Konstantin Menshow and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Austin pushes Mendez up against the cage in a clinch.
A right hand to the body from Austin.
Mendez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Austin has him pressed against the cage.
Austin lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Rob Mendez has been cut.

Austin successfully pulls guard.
Mendez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Mendez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Austin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mendez has managed to get both his arms back between Austin's legs - danger averted.
Austin keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Austin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Austin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Mendez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Austin looking for a sweep. Not yet Austin, not yet.

Mendez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Austin looking for a sweep. Not yet Austin, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Austin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mendez is aware though and is defending well.

Austin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mendez throws a big right hand that misses.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Austin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Mendez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mendez wants to control from the top but Austin keeps moving.
Austin keeping full guard, as Mendez tries to pass.
Mendez looking to sit in guard and control but Austin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Austin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Austin from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Austin postures up.
Mendez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Austin.

Mendez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Austin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Austin controlling from the top position.
Austin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mendez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Austin tries to free his leg and advance position but Mendez is retaining full guard.
Austin is working Mendez over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Mendez striking off his back but it's not causing Austin any problems.
Austin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mendez is keeping the position for now.
Mendez looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rob Mendez was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Austin scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Mendez doesn't seem bothered though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Austin pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Mendez back to the cage. Austin follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Austin throws a good cross that connects.

Austin pushes Mendez up against the cage in a clinch.
Austin scores with a shoulder strike.
Austin leaning against his opponent.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Austin.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Austin.
A nice right hand lands inside from Austin.
A short right from Austin.

Mendez successfully pulls guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Austin working some strikes from top position.

Mendez working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Austin has passed into half guard!
Mendez looks gassed!
Austin wants to free his trapped foot but Mendez is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Austin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rob Mendez's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mendez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Austin is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mendez.

Austin shoots in and gets a takedown into Mendez's guard.
Austin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Austin gets to his feet - Mendez follows without any prompting.
A right-left combo lands from Austin.
Mendez takes one to the chin there.
Austin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Austin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Steve Austin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mendez fails with the takedown
and Austin counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That has opened up Rob Mendez's cut even more.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Austin gets a takedown into half guard.
Austin scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Austin is trying to control the action in half guard but Mendez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mendez is looking to control Austin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mendez avoid being mounted?
Austin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mendez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Austin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mendez defending well though.
Mendez is trying to maintain the position but Austin is very close to passing his half guard.
Austin is nestled in close to Mendez, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Austin throws a strike but Mendez avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Austin is looking to work some ground and pound but Mendez has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez keeping moving, preventing Austin from controlling successfully.
Austin is looking to advance position but Mendez has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Mendez thowing shots but they're missing.
Austin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Steve Austin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Austin is working hard here to advance position.
Austin regains half guard.

Austin actively working from the bottom here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Austin manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mendez trying to control but Austin is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Austin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Austin keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Austin wants to sweep here but Mendez controlling him for the moment.
Austin manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Austin moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Mendez has worked his arm free - good work by Mendez!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Austin scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Austin working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Austin decides to stand back up.
Mendez is looking to clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mendez.
Mendez takes one on the chin but seems OK.

The cut above Rob Mendez's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Austin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mendez can do to turn this around?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Austin thows a body shot but no joy.
Mendez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Steve Austin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rob Mendez.
Austin misses with a low kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mendez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Austin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice shot by Austin.
Mendez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Austin makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Austin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rob Mendez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Austin moves into the clinch.
Austin lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Austin lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A short uppercut from Austin.
Mendez fails to pull guard.
A short right from Austin.
A short uppercut from Austin.
Austin digs a right hand into Mendez's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Mendez's gas tank.
Mendez is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Austin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Austin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mendezs head.

Rob Mendez's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Mendez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mendez's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Austin presses Mendez against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A short left from Austin.
A nice left hand lands by Austin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Austin stalls.

Austin has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Mendez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Austin 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.
Austin scores with punches to the body.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Rob Mendez's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Steve Austin!