PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Atlas Kivi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tuco Mendoza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mendoza has chosen Lamb of God - Descending as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kivi
vs
Mendoza

175 cm
20
160 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

177 cm
20
162 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Burning Fist Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Atlas Kivi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tuco Mendoza!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendoza scores with a body shot.

Mendoza looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Kivi!
Kivi tries to hold on but Mendoza pushes him away.
Mendoza prevents Kivi from getting the reversal.
Kivi is squirming around, avoiding Mendoza's attempts to control the action.
Kivi tries to reverse the position but Mendoza maintains control.
Mendoza throws some wild stikes that Kivi manages to avoid easily.
Kivi is trying to escape the mount.
Mendoza avoids the attempt from Kivi to control.
Kivi is in a horrible position here. Mendoza smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mendoza unloads with some shots from mount but Kivi bucks and avoids them well.
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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendoza controlling from the full mount.
Mendoza postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kivi looks a forlorn figure.
Kivi tries to reverse the position but Mendoza maintains control.
Kivi wants to control but Mendoza is having none of it.
Kivi is trying to escape the mount.
Mendoza punishing his opponent with strikes.
Mendoza throws some wild stikes that Kivi manages to avoid easily.
Kivi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kivi is squirming around, avoiding Mendoza's attempts to control the action.
Kivi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kivi is squirming around, avoiding Mendoza's attempts to control the action.
Mendoza thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kivi gets back to half guard.
Kivi trying to control from the bottom.
Mendoza seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kivi does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Mendoza wants to pass to mount but Kivi is defending the position.
Mendoza throwing shots but Kivi is blocking nicely.
Mendoza performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Mendoza not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mendoza missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kivi is looking to improve his position.
Mendoza missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Mendoza looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kivi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mendoza tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kivi knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kivi is looking to control Mendoza's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kivi avoid being mounted?
Mendoza is trying to control the action in half guard but Kivi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kivi is looking to improve his position.
Mendoza is looking to take a break and control but Kivi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mendoza trying to pass the guard but Kivi defending well.
Mendoza throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mendoza works his way into full mount!
Mendoza controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Kivi is looking to improve his position but Mendoza isn't that keen on the idea.
Mendoza looking to finish Kivi with some ground and pound. This is bad for Kivi!
Kivi is squirming around, avoiding Mendoza's attempts to control the action.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kivi tries to lock up and control but Mendoza gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mendoza misses with a head shot.
Kivi tries to hold on but Mendoza pushes him away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Mendoza is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Kivi to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Kivi shrugs it off.
Mendoza looking to ground and pound but Kivi is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kivi throws a hook to the side of Mendoza's head but Mendoza sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kivi misses with a takedown attempt

and Mendoza counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Mendoza is keen to just control but Kivi is a slippery customer.
Kivi is trying to get back to full guard.
Kivi is staying active underneath Mendoza, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mendoza throwing shots but Kivi is blocking nicely.
Mendoza wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kivi keeps working.
Kivi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mendoza trying to control the action but Kivi is working from the bottom.
Kivi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Kivi moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mendoza trying to control but Kivi is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendoza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kivi is keeping the position for now.
Mendoza wants to control from the top but Kivi keeps moving.
Mendoza loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kivi pulls Mendoza in close to his closed guard and prevents Mendoza from doing any damage or advancing position.
Mendoza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kivi is keeping the position for now.
Mendoza trying to control but Kivi is working from the bottom.
Mendoza must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Mendoza might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kivi kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tuco Mendoza.
Nice sprawl there from Mendoza as Kivi shoots in.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza dives in and grabs Kivi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kivi pushes down on Mendoza's head and hops out.

Kivi forces Mendoza back against the ropes and clinches.
Mendoza goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kivi looking to throw knees to the head but Mendoza is blocking nicely.

Kivi gets control of Mendoza's arms and successfully pulls guard. Kivi will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Kivi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Kivi looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Mendoza trying to control but Kivi postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kivi wants to control but Mendoza is keeping him busy.
Mendoza is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kivi is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Mendoza tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Tuco Mendoza has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kivi unloading with bombs!
Kivi wants to control the pace but Mendoza is squirming around nicely.
Mendoza tries to hold on but Kivi pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza is wriggling around trying to escape.
Mendoza takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Kivi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kivi wants to take Mendoza's back but he can't do it this time.
Kivi controlling from the full mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mendoza wants to hold on but Kivi pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Atlas Kivi will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Kivi shoots in for a takedown but Mendoza shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Kivi moves into the clinch.
Kivi throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Kivi missing with knees to the body.
Mendoza is pressed up against the ropes. Kivi has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mendoza down to the mat. Mendoza avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Kivi doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Kivi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mendoza wants to improve his position but Kivi is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kivi is working for a kimura but Mendoza is defending it quite comfortably.
Mendoza is looking for a sweep. Kivi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mendoza gets back to full guard.
Mendoza trying to keep a closed guard but Kivi is proving a slippery customer.
Kivi trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendoza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kivi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kivi trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendoza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kivi lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Mendoza keeping moving, preventing Kivi from controlling successfully.
Mendoza trying to control the position.
Mendoza keeping moving, preventing Kivi from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Kivi won't allow Mendoza to sweep him here.
Kiviis looking to pass into half guard but Mendoza pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Mendoza is in guard.
Kivi 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.
Mendoza stays in close to Kivi's body and controls the position.
Kivi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mendoza is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kivi thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kivi dives in and grabs Mendoza's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mendoza pushes down on Kivi's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Atlas Kivi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kivi shoots in for a double leg but Mendoza sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nice takedown defense from Mendoza. No joy for Kivi on that attempt.
Mendoza thuds a left hand into Kivi's body.
Mendoza stuffs the takedown attempt from Kivi. Kivi gets slowly back to his feet.
Atlas Kivi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kivi shoots in looking for a takedown but Mendoza manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kivi's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Mendoza feints and as Kivi raises his hands in defense, Mendoza changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mendoza wants to control from the top but Kivi keeps moving.
Mendoza looking to pass the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Atlas Kivi.
I think Kivi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Atlas Kivi!