PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shaun Fistle (ranked 1721 p4p, 1353 weight class) and Joe Mendez (ranked 246 p4p, 198 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Fistle
vs
Mendez

225 cm
27
265
6 - 4 - 0

188 cm
27
275
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Highland Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shaun Fistle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joe Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendez just misses with a punch to the body.
Fistle with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Fistle slips a jab from Mendez.
Shaun Fistle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fistle blocks a jab.
Fistle scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Mendez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Fistle really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mendez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fistle keeps working.
Fistle definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Nice strikes from Mendez there.
Mendez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mendez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fistle defending well though.
Mendez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Fistle knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mendez on the ground.
Mendez misses with a head shot. Fistle uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mendez trying to control the position from guard on top but Fistle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mendez scoring with punches to the head and body.
Fistle avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Fistle on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Fistle tries to get out of the position.
Fistle utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mendez working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Mendez is looking to work some ground and pound but Fistle has wrist control.
Fistle trying to control the position.
Fistle avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mendez stands up over Fistle, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mendez throws a big elbow that misses.
Mendez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Mendez scores with a takedown into Fistle's guard.
Mendez trying to control but Fistle is working from the bottom.
Mendez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mendez throwing strikes from guard but Fistle blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mendez throws a big elbow that misses.
Mendez postures up in Fistle's guard and throws a big left but Fistle blocks it.
Mendez landing with the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mendez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mendez looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mendez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mendez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Fistle will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mendez throwing strikes from guard but Fistle blocks nicely.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mendez looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Fistle misses with a looping left.
Mendez now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Fistle swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mendez jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Shaun Fistle is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mendez slips a jab from Fistle.
A telegraphed right hand from Fistle misses the target.
Mendez staying out of range there.
And Mendez tries to counter it with a takedown but Fistle pushes his down on his head and steps out.
A left lands for Fistle.
Fistle connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Mendez momentarily.
Mendez misses with an uppercut. Fistle saw that one coming.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fistle gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
A slow jab from Fistle misses its intended target.
Mendez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mendez slips under a jab.
It seemed like Mendez was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Fistle fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Mendez digs a good body shot into Fistle's ribs.
Fistle dodges the punch combination from Mendez.
A little feinted left hand from Fistle on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Fistle misses the body punch
enabling Mendez to counter with a crisp jab.
Fistle changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Fistle connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
The fighters circle momentarily. Fistle darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Mendez slips under a jab from Fistle.
Fistle with a hook.
Fistle drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mendez has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Fistle finds it's way round the side to connect with Mendez's head.
Fistle lunges at Mendez with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Mendez's hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fistle lands an overhand right.
Mendez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
It looked like Fistle wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

Mendez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Fistle manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Mendez throwing strikes but missing.
Mendez trying to control but Fistle is working from the bottom.
Mendez throws a big elbow that misses.
Fistle utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mendez stays in close to Fistle's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Fistle's head.
Mendez stays in close to Fistle's body and controls the position.
Mendez lands a couple of digs.
Mendez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Fistle keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Fistle misses with a body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Fistle misses the target.
Fistle scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Mendez doesn't seem bothered though.
Fistle is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mendez.
And Mendez tries to counter it with a takedown but Fistle pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Fistle connects with the punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fistle swings widly with a right hand
and Mendez counters with a right hand to the body.
Mendez blocks a jab.

Mendez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mendez passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Fistle!
Mendez in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Mendez breaks from Fistle's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Mendez lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Mendez looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Joe Mendez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fistle blocking the ground and pound.
Mendez has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Fistle's face.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mendez with a couple of short strikes.

Fistle is rocked!
Fistle avoids a series of strikes thrown by Mendez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez breaks from Fistle's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Oh Fistle is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Mendez sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Fistle seems to have got his legs back now.
Mendez throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Mendez working Fistle over with strikes here.
Fistle is looking to improve his position but Mendez isn't that keen on the idea.
Mendez is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Fistle can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Mendez in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Poor strikes thrown by Mendez there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Fistle avoids a series of strikes thrown by Mendez.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Mendez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Mendez scores with a nice head shot.
Fistle connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Mendez's hands.
Mendez moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Nice jab there from Fistle.
A cross from Fistle lands.
Mendez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mendez swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Mendez takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Fistle throws a hook to the side of Mendez's head but Mendez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Mendez throws out a counter right but Fistle avoids it with no problem.
Mendez throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jab by Mendez.
Mendez staying out of range there.
Fistle misses with a right hand
and Mendez counters with a lovely shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fistle uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Fistle avoids a punch combination nicely.
A little feinted left hand from Fistle on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez ducks under a wild hook from Fistle.
Mendez drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Fistle defends it well.
Mendez is looking to clinch.
Fistle throws a hook but Mendez blocks it.
A big right from Fistle misses.
Fistle jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Mendez looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Fistle misses the shot to the body.
Fistle is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Mendez misses with a looping right.
Mendez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mendez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Fistle.
The fighters circling - Fistle throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Fistle takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Mendez moves away from the strike by Fistle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Fistle lands a nice shot to the body.
A lazy left from Fistle finds it's target.
Mendez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Fistle swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Fistle throws a hook to the side of Mendez's head but Mendez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Shaun Fistle is winning the standup battle so far.
Fistle changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Fistle misses with a hook. Mendez ducked under it nicely.
Mendez drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Fistle defends it well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Fistle bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Mendez's head.
Mendez uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Fistle.
Mendez misses with a jab to the body
and Fistle cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Fistle throws a lazy right hand but Mendez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mendez with the counter takedown but Fistle avoids it easily.
Fistle listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Fistle throws out a loose jab but Mendez uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Mendez drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Mendez scores with a couple of short elbows.
Mendez lands an elbow.
Mendez trying to control the position but Fistle is working away.
Mendez working the ground and pound.
Mendez scores with punches from side control.
Mendez throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Fistle tries to control but Mendez manages to take his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendez punches the canvas rather than the man.
Fistle avoids the strikes from Mendez.
Mendez cracks Fistle with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Fistle from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mendez biding his time, looking for the opening.
Mendez thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Mendez somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Mendez misses with punches from the back.
Mendez connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Fistle to escape the position.
Shaun Fistle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joe Mendez is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Mendez is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.

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 Shaun Fistle.
I think Mendez has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Mendez!