PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Avery McCurnin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

McCurnin
vs
Mendes

161 cm
24
142 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

173 cm
32
157 lbs
14 - 14 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Avery McCurnin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 14 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jake Mendes!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Fedor Mirinova and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendes lands a slapping body shot.
Jake Mendes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mendes gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
McCurnin trying to land knees to the body.
McCurnin jumps guard but Mendes turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
McCurnin has a couple of punches blocked by Mendes.
A short right from McCurnin on the inside.

Mendes successfully pulls guard.
McCurnin wants to stand but Mendes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Mendes has control of McCurnin's left arm, preventing McCurnin from doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCurnin throwing strikes from guard but Mendes blocks nicely.
Mendes seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCurnin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mendes pulls McCurnin in to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Mendes moves into the clinch.
Mendes prevents a body shot from McCurnin.
Mendes blocks an uppercut.
Mendes's coach down at Bobby B's Gem was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Mendes's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Mendes is looking for a takedown up against the cage. McCurnin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mendes tries for a takedown. No joy.
Mendes wants a takedown but no success here.
Avery McCurnin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Mendes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mendes gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
McCurnin keeping hold of Mendes's head, controlling as best he can.
McCurnin is trying to control but Mendes manages to pass to mount!
McCurnin is working to get back to half guard.
Mendes controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is continuing to stall.
Mendes prevents McCurnin from getting the reversal.
McCurnin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Mendes get's back to his feet.
McCurnin walks into a straight right hand from Mendes.
Mendes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mendes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Mendes has McCurnin up against the cage in a clinch.

Mendes turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Mendes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCurnin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
McCurnin is looking to clinch.

Mendes moves into range and clinches up with McCurnin.
Mendes is looking for a takedown up against the cage. McCurnin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
McCurnin tries to break free but Mendes pushes him back against the cage.
McCurnin is trying to force a seperation but Mendes has the dominant position.
McCurnin tries to break the clinch but Mendes is controlling the position.
Mendes is trying to work for a single leg takedown but McCurnin pulls him back up using the underhooks.
McCurnin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mendes is looking to take this one to the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mendes has McCurnin pressed against the cage, preventing McCurnin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
McCurnin tries to break the clinch but Mendes is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Mendes dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

McCurnin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
McCurnin throws the kick towards the body but Mendes avoids it.
Mendes tries to close the distance and clinch but McCurnin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
McCurnin circles away from the clinch attempt.
McCurnin tries to close the distance and clinch but Mendes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mendes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
McCurnin looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Mendes rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and McCurnin counters with a nice body shot.
McCurnin swats away the attempt to clinch by Mendes.

Mendes moves into the clinch successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendes wants a takedown but no success here.

Mendes gets a trip takedown into half guard.
McCurnin scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Mendes manages to mount him!
McCurnin tries to hold on but Mendes postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCurnin is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Mendes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Mendes get's back to his feet.
McCurnin is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Mendes moves into the clinch.
McCurnin prevents the takedown attempt.
Mendes has McCurnin pressed against the cage, preventing McCurnin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Mendes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics McCurnin uses from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is adopting a defensive guard.
McCurnin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McCurnin postures up in Mendes's guard and throws a big left but Mendes blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCurnin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mendes's guard.
McCurnin trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McCurnin throwing strikes from guard but Mendes blocks nicely.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Mendes connects with the punch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
McCurnin gets underhooks to prevent Mendes's takedown attempt.
Avery McCurnin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Mendes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes prevents McCurnin from breaking the clinch.
Mendes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mendes tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Mendes turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Mendes manages to end up in side control.
McCurnin is trying to buck Mendes off.
Mendes working away.
Mendes controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
You can see the frustration on McCurnin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Mendes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

McCurnin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jab, jab by McCurnin - just one landing.
McCurnin avoids the body shot from Mendes.
McCurnin wants to clinch up but Mendes keeps it at a distance.
Mendes throws a fast counter high kick but McCurnin manages to duck under it in time.
McCurnin misses with a wild body shot.
Mendes throws a body shot but no joy.
Mendes throws a body shot but no joy.
McCurnin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Mendes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with McCurnin, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCurnin can't break the clinch.
McCurnin misses with a knee to the head.
Mendes is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Mendes manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Jake Mendes has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCurnin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
McCurnin is looking to stand up but Mendes won't let him.
McCurnin lands a couple of decent looking shots.
McCurnin trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mendes controlling McCurnin's posture.
Let's hope that Mendes has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Mendes.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Mendes moves into the clinch.
Mendes drops down looking for an ankle pick but McCurnin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Mendes wants to clinch up but McCurnin keeps it at a distance.
Avery McCurnin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mendes. McCurnin does a little dance to reset his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - McCurnin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mendes counters with a body kick.
Jake Mendes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mendes scores with a shot to the body.
McCurnin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCurnin missing with a left hand there. Mendes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mendes avoids a kick to the body.
Mendes misses with an uppercut. McCurnin saw that one coming.
McCurnin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
McCurnin swats away the attempt to clinch by Mendes.
Mendes throws a leg kick which misses McCurnin's front leg but catches the back leg as McCurnin tries to avoid it.
Mendes keeps the fight on the outside.

Mendes has closed the distance and engaged McCurnin in a clinch.
Mendes is pressed up against the cage. McCurnin has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Mendes down to the mat. Mendes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Mendes is looking to clinch.
McCurnin tries to clinch up but Mendes circles away and keeps his distance.
Mendes is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down McCurnin rather than just go for the knockout.
Mendes tries to clinch up but McCurnin circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mendes moves into the clinch.
McCurnin wants to get back to striking at distance but Mendes won't allow it.

Mendes manages to pull guard.
McCurnin is fighting to break Mendes's control of his arms but Mendes is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The adventures of Mendes the control monster continue. Boring.
Mendes tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mendes controlling the position.
Avery McCurnin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jake Mendes is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
McCurnin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Mendes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mendes has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jake Mendes!
During a confident post fight interview, Jake Mendes thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.