PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Marques (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Mendez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Marques
vs
Mendez

176 cm
25
264 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
274 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Marques!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marco Mendez!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Thiago Cunha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mendez drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Marques is trying to get back to half guard.
Mendez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Marques keeps working.
You can see the frustration on Marques's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mendez just content to control the position.
Mendez working the ground and pound but Marques is defending the strikes.
Mendez working the strikes but Marques uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Mendez seems to be looking for submissions.
Mendez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Marques. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Marques tries to roll over but Mendez keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez controlling the action here.
Marques moves into full guard.
Mendez cracks Marques with a solid left hand.
Mendez throws a big right hand that misses.
Mendez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Marques throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Marques keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Mendez stops Marques from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Marques throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Mendez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Marques is keeping the position for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mendez shoots in but no luck this time.

Mendez scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Marques misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Marques has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Marques is pressing down on Mendez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Mendez has eaten all the pies!
Mendez wants to control from the top but Marques keeps moving.
Mendez looks gassed!
Mendez looking to sit in guard and control but Marques gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez working a defensive guard but Marques passes into half guard.
Marques trying to control the action but Mendez is working from the bottom.
Marques throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mendez is trying to stand back up but Marques is controlling him
Mendez trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Marques manages to pass to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Marques is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Mendez has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Mendez is bucking up trying to escape but Marques cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Mendez is wriggling around trying to escape.

Mendez defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Marques.
Mendez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rodrigo Marques will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Marques gets a takedown into half guard.
Mendez is looking to get back to is feet but Marques passes into side control.
Marques lands a decent elbow from side control.
Marques wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mendez keeps working.

Marques has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Mendez is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marques shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Mendez pushes Marques off looking to stand but Marques dives back in and keeps control.
Marques is looking to advance position but Mendez won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mendez has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Marques is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marques passes to full mount!

Marques looking to secure an arm triangle but Mendez defends it well.
Marques punching from mount but Mendez doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Marques fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marques controlling from the full mount.
Mendez tries to hold on but Marques pushes him away.
Marques raining down shots from the mount!
Marques lands a heavy elbow.
Mendez taking shots to the head.
Rodrigo Marques overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Marques is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Mendez to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Mendez shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marques controlling the position easily from mount.
Mendez wants to try and get back to his feet.
Marques thowing shots but they're missing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mendez is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Marques dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Marques with a poor takedown

and Mendez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Marques's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mendez trying to control the position from guard on top but Marques is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marques working a defensive guard here.
Mendez throwing strikes from guard but Marques blocks nicely.
Marques pulls Mendez in close to his closed guard and prevents Mendez from doing any damage or advancing position.
Marques keeping moving, preventing Mendez from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Marques wants to sweep here but Mendez controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendez wants to control from the top but Marques keeps moving.
Marques throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Mendez shoots in and bounces Marques off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Mendez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Mendez stops Marques from standing up.
Mendez cracks Marques with a solid left hand.
Mendez is stalling in the full guard.

Marques working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mendez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mendez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendez postures up.
Mendez with a nice head shot there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mendez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Marques might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Mendez wanted to stand there but Marques had control of the position.
Marques is trying to keep Mendez in close.
Mendez wants to control from the top but Marques keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendez has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Marques is proving hard to escape from.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mendez wants to clinch up but Marques keeps it at a distance.
Mendez misses with a takedown

and Marques counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Mendez's guard now.
Marques connects with a couple of short punches.
Mendez is trying to keep Marques in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Marques stands up and waves to Mendez to follow him.
Marques fails with the takedown

and Mendez counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mendez trying to control but Marques is working from the bottom.
Mendez looking to sit in guard and control but Marques gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Marques stands up from Mendez's guard - Marques perhaps looking for a knockout.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marco Mendez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Marques 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodrigo Marques!