PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Chad Mendes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mendes comes to the cage accompanied by Steve McQueen. Chad Mendes had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 136.6lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Chad Mendes looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Mendes
vs
Martin

170 cm
40
146 lbs
44 - 28 - 0

168 cm
35
134 lbs
10 - 12 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 44 - 28 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chad Mendes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 12 - 2, fighting out of Sydney, Steve Martin!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Robert Twigg and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendes misses the jab.
Martin goes for a double leg but Mendes avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mendes continues to drive forward.
Mendes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Martin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mendes has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Den of Tears (22 coaches, $625 fee) in the buildup to the fight.
Martin shoots in looking for a takedown but Mendes manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Martin's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mendes slaps away a takedown attempt from Martin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Chad Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Martin.
Martin has a takedown stuffed.
Martin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mendes tries to avoid it but Martin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mendes to the ground. Mendes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
We've been informed that Martin has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Mendes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Martin.
Mendes feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Martin misses with a takedown attempt - Mendes sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Martin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Martin shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mendes sprawls well. Mendes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Martin gets slowly back to his feet.
Martin gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Mendes.
Chad Mendes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Martin shoots in for a takedown but Mendes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mendes throws a body shot but no joy.
Martin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mendes tries to avoid it but Martin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mendes to the ground. Mendes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Chad Mendes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mendes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Martin manages to avoid it.
Mendes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Martin is defended easily by Mendes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin fails with a takedown attempt.
Mendes throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Martin.
Mendes scores with a decent looking hook.

Martin bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Martin working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Martin tries for a kimura but Mendes is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin looking to control but instead Mendes has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Martin controlling the pace.
Martin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mendes keeps working.
Martin is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Martin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Martin is keen to just control but Mendes is a slippery customer.

Martin seems to be looking for submissions.
Martin is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Mendes is squirming around, avoiding Martin's attempts to control the action.

Martin looking to secure an arm triangle but Mendes defends it well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Martin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Mendes 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.

Mendes looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Mendes lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Mendes throws a body punch but Martin moves out of range.
Mendes is looking to wear down Martin with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Martin tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mendes defends well and Martin ends up having to push Mendes into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Chad Mendes is winning the standup battle so far.
The fighters circling - Mendes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Mendes misses with a few strikes there.
Martin goes for a double leg but Mendes avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mendes continues to drive forward.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Martin.
It looked like Mendes wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Chad Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Martin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mendes fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Martin checks it well.
Martin shoots in and drives through. Mendes sprawls well.
Mendes swings away with a body shot that misses

and Martin counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Mendes creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Martin has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Mendes after a bit of a struggle.
Martin tries for a takedown. No joy.
Mendes wants to stall.
Martin tries to pull guard but Mendes forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Mendes gets through Martin's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Mendes pushes Martin back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mendes can't find room to land a body shot as Martin controls the action.
Martin changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Mendes fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Mendes stuns Martin with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mendes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Martin can do to turn this around?
Mendes thows a left - swing and a miss!
Martin is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendes stuffs the takedown.
Mendes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Martin manages to avoid it.
Mendes misses with a wild body shot.
Mendes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mendes misses with a body shot.
Martin with the counter takedown but Mendes avoids it easily.
Martin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mendes sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Martin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Martin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mendes as he jumps to the side.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Martin.
Martin moves out of range of the strikes.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mendes darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes stuffs the takedown.
Martin shoots and misses
and Mendes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Martin takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Mendes works Martin's body with a nice hook.
Martin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mendes as he avoids it easily.
Mendes throws a lazy right hand but Martin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mendes sets himself, and Martin steps forward looking for the clinch! Mendes avoids it this time.
Martin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Mendes scores with a nice strike.
Mendes just misses with a punch to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Martin shoots in for a double leg but Mendes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mendes lands a slapping body shot.
Martin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Mendes.
Steve Martin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Martin darts in looking for a takedown but Mendes gets double underhooks and turns Martin into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Martin.
A nice leg kick lands there from Mendes.
Martin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Martin feints the counter takedown.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mendes thows a left - swing and a miss!
Mendes stuffs the takedown attempt from Martin. Martin gets slowly back to his feet.
No luck for Martin with that takedown attempt.
Mendes scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chad Mendes dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Martin moves out of range as Mendes strikes.
Martin drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mendes defends it well.
Mendes displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Martin.
It looked like Mendes was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Martin.
Martin goes for a double leg but Mendes avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mendes continues to drive forward.
Martin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mendes as he jumps to the side.
A little feinted left hand from Mendes on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Chad Mendes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steve Martin.
Mendes lands with a good body shot.
Martin avoids the body shot from Mendes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A punch lands to the side of Martin 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Martin avoids the body shot from Mendes.
Mendes stuffs the takedown.
Mendes is looking to clinch.
Martin drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mendes defends it well.
Mendes throws a right hand that Martin ducks under and follows up with a left that Martin also avoids with ease.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mendes keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Mendes smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Mendes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mendes looks to score with a jab to the body but Martin is just out of range.
Mendes throws a jab when Martin was well out of range.
Martin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mendes as he avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin looks for a takedown but Mendes sprawls well.
Nice defenses there by Martin.
Martin drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mendes defends it well.
Mendes misses with a low kick as Martin jumps back.
Martin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mendes as he jumps to the side.
Mendes misses with a looping left.
Martin slips under a jab from Mendes.
Martin shoots in for a takedown but Mendes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mendes throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Martin moves into the clinch.
Martin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mendes pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Martin tries for a takedown but Mendes manages to get underhooks.
Martin has Mendes pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendes lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Mendes lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mendes has Martin pressed against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Mendes.
Mendes gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

Mendes manages to break the clinch.
Mendes stalks Martin and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Martin's face. Martin staggers backwards, shaken.
Martin shoots in looking for a takedown. Mendes tries to sprawl out of it but Martin keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mendes manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Mendes moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendes is pressed up against the cage. Martin 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.
Martin moves out of range as Mendes strikes.
Steve Martin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mendes throws a body punch but Martin moves out of range.
Martin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Chad Mendes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mendes throws an overhand right that lands on Martin's shoulder, as Martin tries to avoid the shot.
Martin blocks a jab.
Horrible takedown attempt by Martin or perhaps it was just good defense by Mendes, which made it look bad.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mendes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Martin moves away.
Martin fails with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chad Mendes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mendes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:25
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:25
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chad Mendes!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Chad Mendes waved his t-shirt featuring Namunamu Clothing 's logo in front of the cameras.