PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Oliveira Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wagner Cavalcante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mendez comes into the arena with Rihanna - We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris blaring out of the sound system. Wagner Cavalcante told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Oliveira Mendez
vs
Cavalcante

190 cm
26
206 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

181 cm
25
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Prefers standup

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Oliveira Mendez!
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, Wagner Cavalcante!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Leandro Rodrigues and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cavalcante looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mendez is fending him off so far but Cavalcante persists. Nope, Mendez circles away and we're back to standing.
Cavalcante misses with a takedown attempt - Mendez sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Mendez gets a clinch.
Mendez blocks an elbow strike.
Cavalcante is trying to drag Mendez to the mat but Mendez just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Ricardo Oliveira Mendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wagner Cavalcante.
Mendez putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Cavalcante in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Cavalcante drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mendez pulls his leg out and moves away.
Cavalcante avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mendez is looking to clinch but Cavalcante is avoiding it.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Mendez.
Nice body kick there by Mendez.

Mendez closes the distance and clinches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Mendez breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez thumps Cavalcante with a low kick.

Cavalcante has closed the distance and engaged Mendez in a clinch.
Cavalcante looking to slow down the pace here.
Mendez is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Cavalcante looks gassed!
Mendez with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Cavalcante wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mendez landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A frustrated look appears on Cavalcante's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Cavalcante takes an elbow to the temple.
Cavalcante takes an elbow to the temple.

Mendez manages to break the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cavalcante circles away from the clinch attempt.

Mendez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mendez using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Cavalcante has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cavalcante is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Mendez is defending well.

Mendez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mendez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Cavalcante moves into the clinch.

Mendez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ricardo Oliveira Mendez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mendez fails with an attempt to clinch.

Mendez clinches up against the cage.
Mendez landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Mendez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mendez lands with a straight right. Cavalcante didn't see that one coming.
Cavalcante shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mendez defends it nicely.

Mendez clinches up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mendez breaks the clinch.
Mendez tries to clinch

and Cavalcante counters with a nice double leg into side control. Mendez won't be happy with that.
Cavalcante throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Cavalcante decides to stand back up. Cavalcante steps back and let's Mendez get back to his feet.
Mendez explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Cavalcante shoots in looking for a takedown but Mendez manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cavalcante's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mendez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mendez doesn't manage to clinch there - Cavalcante circles away.

Mendez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cavalcante tries to pull guard but Mendez holds him up against the cage and eventually Cavalcante drops back down to his feet.
Cavalcante takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez lands a good knee to the midsection. Cavalcante won't want to take too many of those.
Mendez scores with a knee to the head.

Mendez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mendez throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Cavalcante.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch but Cavalcante swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cavalcante swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cavalcante is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Mendez.

Mendez rushes Cavalcante and presses him up against the cage.
Mendez landing knees to the body.
Mendez lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Mendez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cavalcante looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mendez wants to clinch up but Cavalcante keeps it at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Oliveira Mendez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mendez tries to clinch up but Cavalcante circles away and keeps his distance.
Cavalcante fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Mendez avoids it really well and circles away.
Ricardo Oliveira Mendez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mendez is looking to clinch.
Mendez closes the distance but Cavalcante moves to the side

and Cavalcante moves into the clinch.
Cavalcante tries to circle away but Mendez has him pinned against the cage.
Mendez unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Mendez with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mendez with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Wagner Cavalcante has been cut.
Mendez lands a knee to the head.

Cavalcante is rocked!
Ricardo Oliveira Mendez has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Mendez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cavalcante is still on wobbly legs! Can Mendez finish him?
Ricardo Oliveira Mendez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mendez is really turning it up, unleashing another crisp combination which drops Cavalcante like a ton of bricks! The referee dives in to stop the fight, saving Cavalcante from another fist facial!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ricardo Oliveira Mendez!
A victorious Ricardo Oliveira Mendez thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.