PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between AJ Menendez (ranked 5037 p4p, 25001 weight class) and Sand Storm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Menendez comes into the arena with Kurt Angle Theme blaring out of the sound system. On his way into the cage it seems that AJ Menendez has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily AJ Menendez seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Menendez
vs
Storm

188 cm
23
211
7 - 11 - 2

225 cm
25
205
5 - 11 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 7 - 11 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, AJ Menendez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Sand Storm!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Dillan Fox and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Storm misses with a double jab.
Storm shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Menendez but Menendez pushes him off and we're back to square one.
The fight stays on the outside here - Menendez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Storm gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Menendez goes for a takedown attempt but Storm pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Menendez connects with a high kick.

It looks like Sand Storm has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Menendez throws a head kick that misses.
Storm is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Menendez has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Cozad MMA Montreal in the buildup to the fight.
Menendez avoids the head kick by Storm.
Nice jab there from Menendez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menendez tries to clinch up.

Storm clinches.
Menendez is looking to take this one to the mat.
Storm drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Storm stalls.

Menendez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Menendez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Menendez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Storm manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Storm lands a nice looking kick to the body. Menendez takes a step back to recover.

Menendez looking to score a takedown here. Storm is defending well but Menendez drives through and ends up in Storm's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menendez stays in close to Storm's body and controls the position.
Storm is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Storm looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Menendez puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Storm is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Storm trying to control from the bottom.
Menendez wants to take a breather but Storm is having none of it.
Storm tries to roll over but Menendez keeps him under control.
Storm missing with punches from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menendez is keen to just control but Storm is a slippery customer.
Storm is trying to stand back up but Menendez is controlling him

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A head kick misses from Menendez.
Storm wants to counter with a clinch but Menendez pushes him away.
Storm misses with a wild combination.
Menendez is looking for a counter combo.
Storm scores with a one two! Menendez had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Menendez misses with an attempted mid kick.
Menendez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Storm.
Storm shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Menendez as he avoids it easily.
Menendez thinks about countering with a head kick.
AJ Menendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sand Storm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Storm or perhaps it was just good defense by Menendez, which made it look bad.

Menendez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Storm looks winded!

Menendez gets to his feet. Storm looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Menendez throws a head kick that misses
and Storm counters with a body kick that stops Menendez in his tracks momentarily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Storm goes for a double leg but Menendez avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Menendez continues to drive forward.
Storm swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Menendez counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Menendez.
A frustrated look appears on Storm's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Menendez working hard to break the clinch.
Menendez is defending well against a takedown attempt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that AJ Menendez will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Sand Storm's cut.
That's time! Menendez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Menendez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Menendez instigates a clinch.
Menendez keeps control of Storm as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Storm prevents the takedown attempt.
Storm is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Storm tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Menendez smiles and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Menendez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Menendez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Storm is trying to defend but Menendez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Storm tries to roll over but Menendez keeps him under control.
Menendez trying to control the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Menendez wants to free his trapped foot but Storm is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menendez is looking to take a break and control but Storm is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Storm manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Menendez keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

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

Menendez shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Menendez was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
I wouldn't like to be where Storm is right now.
Menendez scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Storm to see if he's OK.
Menendez trying to control the position but Storm is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Storm struggling a bit here.
Storm is looking to regain half guard here but Menendez keeps moving and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Menendez stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Storm tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Menendez defends well and Storm ends up having to push Menendez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
AJ Menendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sand Storm.

Menendez feints and as Storm raises his hands in defense, Menendez changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Storm has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Menendez is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Storm is breathing heavily.
Storm is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Menendez is keeping busy.
Menendez is trying to push Storm away but Storm has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Come on Menendez - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Menendez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Storm smiles and moves away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Sand Storm will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Sand Storm's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Storm moves into the clinch successfully.
Menendez tries to score a body lock takedown but Storm shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Storm prevents a body shot from Menendez.
Storm has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Menendez is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Menendez manages to pull guard.
Storm trying to control the position from guard on top but Menendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Storm postures up in Menendez's guard and throws a big left but Menendez blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Storm postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
AJ Menendez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Storm trying to control the position from guard on top but Menendez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Storm decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Storm throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Storm lands a high kick!
Sand Storm seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Menendez throws a right and a left that both miss.

Storm forces Menendez back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Storm breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Storm.
Storm tries to clinch
enabling Menendez to counter with a crisp jab.
Storm throws a push kick but Menendez slaps the foot to one side.
Storm takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Menendez tries to score with a low kick but Storm moves his leg out of the way.
Menendez throws a head kick that misses.
Menendez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Menendez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Storm swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Menendez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Storm tries to land a front kick but Menendez steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Storm defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Menendez.
Storm misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Storm fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Menendez manages to avoid it.
Storm fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
AJ Menendez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sand Storm.

Menendez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Storm looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Storm can't do much from the bottom here.
Menendez working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Storm wants to get back to his feet but Menendez is dominant here and he's now got Storm's back!
Menendez scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menendez trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Storm doesn't escape.
Menendez throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Storm!
Menendez looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
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!
Menendez slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Storm trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Menendez controlling the position well here. Storm rolled but Menendez kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Storm is trying to get back to his feet but Menendez has full control of the position and if anything, Storm has just worked his way into a worse spot.

And that's the end of the fight!
AJ Menendez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Menendez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... AJ Menendez!