PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ross Winner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Winner
vs
Mendez

162 cm
22
148 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

163 cm
22
143 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Ross Winner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Dan Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Daniel Bishop and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mendez looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Winner fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mendez sprawls well initially but Winner persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Winner postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Mendez to stand up.
Winner lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Dan Mendez has been cut.
Winner swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Winner pushes Mendez up against the cage in a clinch.
Mendez misses with some punches.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Winner tries for a takedown. No joy.
Mendez tries for a takedown but Winner manages to get underhooks.
Winner scores with a shoulder strike.

Winner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Winner could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Winner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Mendez shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Mendez showed some decent athleticism there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mendez prevents Winner from improving his position.

Winner looking for submissions off his back.

Winner looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Winner has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mendez is working away from the top position though.
Winner is trying to stand up here but Mendez is controlling him well.
Winner slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Winner looking to control.
Winner 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mendez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Winner counters with a body kick.
Mendez keeps the fight on the outside.
Winner shoots in for a double leg but Mendez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A chopping leg kick lands by Mendez.
A head kick misses from Winner.
A clash of legs there as Mendez blocks the low kick.
Mendez shoots in and drives through. Winner sprawls well.
Ross Winner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Mendez.
Mendez tries for a takedown but Winner sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Winner doesn't manage to clinch there - Mendez circles away.
Mendez takes a kick to the side of the head.
Winner throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Mendez on the side of the head.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Winner swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Winner gets the takedown into side control.

Winner stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Winner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mendez misses the shot to the body.
Winner fails with an attempt to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mendez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Winner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Winner landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Mendez throws a head punch that misses.

Winner jumps guard and drags Mendez to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Winner wants to stand but Mendez is controlling the position.
Winner wants to sweep here but Mendez controlling him for the moment.
Mendez pushing down on Winner's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Winner wants to get back to his feet.
Winner trying to hold on to Mendez's head to control him but Mendez postures up.
Mendez trying to pass the guard but Winner defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez prevents Winner from improving his position.
Mendez stops Winner from getting back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Winner keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Mendez shoots for a double leg takedown but Winner sprawls well. He's pushed Mendez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Winner darts in and clinches Mendez up against the cage.
Winner lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Winner landing some nice looking knees to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Mendez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Winner changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mendez tries to avoid it but Winner manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mendez to the ground. Mendez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Winner misses with a wild combination.
Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Winner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Winner dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dan Mendez's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nice body kick there by Winner.

Winner drives through with a takedown into guard.
Winner advances position into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Winner decides to stand up, so the ref orders Mendez to his feet.
Winner doesn't manage to clinch there - Mendez circles away.
Winner jabs at Mendez's body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Winner.
Winner clinches but Mendez breaks the clinch
and Mendez counters with a leg kick.

Winner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Winner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Winner closes the distance and clinches.
Winner jumps guard but Mendez stands there with Winner around his waist. Winner gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Mendez fails to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Winner scores with a nice short uppercut.

Winner jumps into guard, dragging Mendez to the mat.
Winner 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.

Winner kicks Mendez off and gets to his feet.
Winner tries to clinch but Mendez moves out of range.
Winner avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Winner scores with a jab to the jaw.
Winner throws a head kick that misses
and Mendez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ross Winner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Winner tries to clinch up

and Mendez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Winner lands an elbow inside that Mendez shrugs off.

Winner manages to break the clinch.
A combination from Mendez does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Mendez misses with a jab, cross combination.
A jab from Winner misses.
Winner wants to clinch but Mendez slips to the side
letting Mendez counter with a right hand.
Mendez tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Winner closes the distance but Mendez moves to the side
and Mendez counters with a big head kick but Winner shrugs it off.
Nice sprawl there from Winner as Mendez shoots in.
Winner darts in trying to clinch
and Mendez counters with a straight right hand.
Winner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mendez walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Mendez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Winner keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez swinging wilding here.
Winner connects with a high kick.
Mendez swats away the attempt to clinch by Winner.
Winner takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Winner misses with a body punch

and Mendez counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Mendez.
Winner throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Winner fails to pull guard.
Winner prevents Mendez from breaking the clinch.
Mendez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mendez takes a shot to the head.
Mendez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Winner landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Winner breaks the clinch.
Winner closes the distance but Mendez moves to the side

and Mendez counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mendez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winner is wriggling around but Mendez manages to pass to half guard.
Mendez prevents Winner from standing back up.
Still in half guard, Mendez seems content to control.
Mendez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Winner is trying to stand back up but Mendez is controlling him
Mendez wants to take a breather but Winner is having none of it.

Mendez is looking for a kimura here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Winner tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mendez swivels and escapes.
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 Ross Winner will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Dan Mendez's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mendez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Winner paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mendez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mendez doesn't manage to clinch there - Winner circles away.
Winner cracks the inside of Mendez's front leg.
Winner lands a jab to Mendez's midsection.
Winner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mendez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Winner throws a head kick but Mendez moves out of range.
Mendez throws a sloppy head kick and Winner moves out of range easily.

Winner looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Winner is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Mendez keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mendez is pressing down on Winner's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Winner trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Winner is looking to stand up but Mendez won't let him.
Winner trying to control the position from guard on top but Mendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mendez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Winner is controlling him.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Winner shoots in for a takedown but Mendez shows good takedown defense.

Mendez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Winner manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Winner landing shots from mount.
Winner has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Mendez's face.
Mendez is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Winner scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Mendez is working to get back to half guard.
Winner content just to control the position here.

Winner is working for a guillotine from mount but Mendez frees his head quite easily.
Winner prevents Mendez from getting the reversal.
Winner tries to control but Mendez wriggling away.
Mendez working to try and regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez tries to lock up and control but Winner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mendez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Winner looking to finish Mendez with some ground and pound. This is bad for Mendez!
Mendez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mendez is squirming around, avoiding Winner's attempts to control the action.
Mendez can't escape the position.
Winner looking to finish Mendez with some ground and pound. This is bad for Mendez!
Winner looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Winner is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Mendez has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Mendez tries to lock up and control but Winner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Winner prevents Mendez from getting the reversal.
Winner landing shots from mount.
Winner trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mendez is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Winner moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Mendez has worked his arm free - good work by Mendez!
Mendez manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

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 Ross Winner.
Well Winner has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Ross Winner!