PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between George Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elias Jude (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Elias Jude has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with George Mendez's chin.

Mendez
vs
Jude

187 cm
27
215 lbs
12 - 4 - 1

185 cm
26
217 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

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 12 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, George Mendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Elias Jude!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Colin Fray and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez misses with a straight right.
Mendez bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Jude takes the fight into the clinch.

Mendez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jude tries to move into range but Mendez moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jude looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mendez looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Mendez swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mendez throws a hook but Jude blocks it.
Jude with a hook.
Mendez uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jude looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Jude fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mendez, pushing him back against the cage.
Mendez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Jude lands with a left to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mendez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mendez tries to break the clinch but Jude is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jude with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Jude utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Jude manages to break the clinch.
Jude tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Mendez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jude tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mendez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Mendez.
Jude is looking to clinch but Mendez is avoiding it.
Jude darts in trying to clinch
and Mendez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jude tries to clinch but Mendez is having none of it.
Nice cross by Mendez.
Jude tries to clinch up.
Jude tries to clinch up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mendez is trying to break the clinch but Jude is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Jude lands with a light punch inside.
Mendez avoiding damage as Jude throws knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jude misses with a punch to the body.
Jude with a knee to the head.

It looks like George Mendez has been cut.
Jude tries to stall but Mendez uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Mendez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mendez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Jude drives through and clinches with Mendez against the cage.
Jude with a knee to the head.
Mendez is trying to push Jude away but Jude has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Mendez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mendez slips under a jab.
Mendez throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mendez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mendez tries to break the clinch but Jude is controlling the position.
Jude prevents Mendez from breaking the clinch.

Mendez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mendez throwing a counter right hand but Jude manages to avoid it.
Jude keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Jude feints a counter leg kick.
Jude moves in looking to clinch but Mendez pushes him off.
Mendez lands the left hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jude looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Jude takes the fight into the clinch.
Mendez tries to circle away but Jude has him pinned against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Mendez.
Jude works on Mendez's body with a couple of short punches.
Mendez tries to break free but Jude pushes him back against the cage.
Jude goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A nice right hand lands inside from Jude.
Mendez misses with a punch to the body.
A knee to the head by Jude.
Mendez tries to circle away but Jude has him pinned against the cage.
Jude prevents Mendez from breaking the clinch.
Jude with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jude trying to control the position but instead, Mendez has worked for underhooks and has pushed Jude into the cage.
Jude's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Jude connects with a knee to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Mendez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mendez blocks the body kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jude looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mendez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mendez throws a quick counter head kick but Jude was just out of range.
Mendez misses with an uppercut.
Jude tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mendez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Jude doesn't manage to clinch there - Mendez circles away.

Jude darts in and clinches Mendez up against the cage.

Jude pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Jude.
Elias Jude seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Jude forces Mendez back against the cage and clinches.
Mendez is looking to break free of the clinch but Jude has double underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Elias Jude will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on George Mendez's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Jude tries to close the distance and clinch but Mendez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Jude has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Jude fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mendez is looking to counter punch.
Mendez is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Jude tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
It looked like Mendez wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Mendez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Jude.
Mendez misses the jab.

Jude instigates a clinch.
Jude throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mendez blocks it with crossed arms.
Mendez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Mendez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Jude throws a knee to the head but misses.
Jude scores with a nice hook to the head.
Mendez is trying to push Jude away but Jude has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Jude keeps control of Mendez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez wants to break the clinch but can't.
Jude misses with a body punch.
Jude tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mendez avoids it.
Jude misses with a knee strike.
Mendez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Jude has Mendez pressed against the cage, preventing Mendez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Jude with an attempt at a knee that misses.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Jude in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jude tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Jude tries to land a knee to the head but Mendez blocks with his arms.
Mendez is trying to push Jude away but Jude has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Jude tries to land a knee to the head but Mendez blocks with his arms.

Mendez breaks from the clinch.

Jude gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Mendez can't break the clinch.
A short right from Jude.
Jude lands a nice uppercut.
Jude throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mendez blocks it with crossed arms.
Mendez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Jude stalling in the clinch but Mendez improves position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mendez.
Jude blocks an uppercut.
Mendez wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mendez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Jude's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Jude moves into the clinch.

Mendez breaks from the clinch.
Jude has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Jude tries to clinch but Mendez moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Mendez misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez moves out of range of the body kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Mendez misses the target.
Jude takes a jab right on the kisser.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mendez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
George Mendez is winning the standup battle so far.
Mendez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Jude.
Mendez throws a nice looking combination but Jude bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mendez moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromJude.
Mendez misses with a body shot.

Jude gets a clinch.
Mendez is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Jude pushes Mendez back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Jude throws a head punch that misses.
Jude working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Mendez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Jude has him pressed against the cage.
Nice body punch from Jude.
Jude misses with a knee to the head.
Jude lands a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mendez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jude tries to clinch there but Mendez circles away.

Jude gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mendez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Mendez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mendez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Jude looking to stall.
Jude misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mendez.
Jude lands with a right to the head.
Mendez tries to break free but Jude pushes him back against the cage.
Mendez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Jude prevents Mendez from breaking the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Mendez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Jude working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Mendez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Jude keeps control of Mendez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mendez is trying to break the clinch but Jude is controlling him.
Mendez wants to break free but Jude has control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez wants to get back to striking at distance but Jude won't allow it.
Jude connects with a knee to the head.
Mendez is trying to break free.
A short right from Jude.
Jude doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Jude is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Jude struggles to land a body shot inside as Mendez controls his hands.
Jude lands with a short shot to the head.

Mendez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Jude rushes Mendez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mendez is trying to force a seperation but Jude has the dominant position.
Jude tries a body shot but Mendez blocks it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mendez is trying to force a seperation but Jude has the dominant position.
Jude with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Jude missing with knees to the body.
Jude with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

George Mendez's cut is getting worse.

Mendez breaks the clinch.
Mendez lands a nice shot that snaps Jude's head back.
Jude tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Mendez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elias Jude showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on George Mendez's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Mendez gets tackled into the cage by Jude. Jude maintains the clinch.
Jude keeps control of Mendez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mendez prevents a body shot from Jude.
Jude prevents Mendez from breaking the clinch.
Mendez has had enough of the clinch but Jude keeps him there for the moment.
A nice left hand lands by Jude.
Jude with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Jude makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A frustrated look appears on Mendez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Jude crunches a lovely knee into Mendez's ribcage.

Mendez manages to break the clinch.
A big right from Mendez misses.
Mendez circles away from the clinch attempt
and Mendez counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendez swats away the attempt to clinch by Jude.
Jude fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jude lands with a straight right. Mendez didn't see that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez misses with a left hand
and Jude makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Mendez really felt that one!
The fight stays on the outside here - Jude looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jude looks to clinch
and Mendez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Jude clinches up against the cage.
Jude stalling.
Jude tries a knee to the head but Mendez blocks it.
Jude tries to land knees in the clinch but Mendez avoids the damage to the body.
Jude tries to work over Mendez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Jude misses with a knee to the head.

Mendez breaks from the clinch.
Mendez circles away from the clinch attempt
and Mendez counters with a nice uppercut.
Mendez swats away the attempt to clinch by Jude.
Mendez throws a series of punches but Jude moves out of range.
George Mendez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jude closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Mendez to counter with a crisp jab.
Jude tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
It looked like Mendez was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Jude.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jude looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mendez throws a body shot but no joy.
A jab from Mendez misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jude scores with a spinning back kick!

Jude closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mendez is trying to break free.
Mendez managing to block the knees to the body from Jude.
Jude has Mendez pressed against the cage, preventing Mendez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Mendez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Jude has him pressed against the cage.

Mendez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jude is looking to clinch but Mendez is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jude tries to clinch up but Mendez circles away and keeps his distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mendez has had enough of the clinch but Jude keeps him there for the moment.
Jude using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mendez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Jude misses with the head strike.

Jude's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jude keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mendez.
Mendez moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromJude.
Mendez catches Jude with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Mendez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mendez looks to throw the jab but Jude is out of range.
Mendez misses with an uppercut.
Mendez swats away the attempt to clinch by Jude.
Mendez was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Jude forces Mendez back against the cage and clinches.

Jude escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Jude clinches.

Jude breaks the clinch.
Jude looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Mendez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jude tries to clinch up but Mendez circles away and keeps his distance.
Mendez throwing a counter right hand but Jude manages to avoid it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jude slips under a jab from Mendez.
Jude lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Mendez misses with a wild combination.
Jude displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mendez throws out the jab.
Elias Jude is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Jude wants to clinch
and Mendez counters with a straight right hand.
Jude tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
An attempted straight right counter from Mendez misses the target.

Jude closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mendez is trying to break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Elias Jude.
I've got Jude winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elias Jude!