RAF 3 held at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena brought an exciting main event between two MMA veterans with deep wrestling backgrounds. Michael Chandler and Chad Mendes, former collegiate wrestling standouts, faced off at 175 pounds in a tightly contested wrestling match that showed off their grappling skills and technical proficiency. Chandler, who is widely recognized for his aggressive style and power, is an alumnus of the University of Missouri and he dominated the match for the most part against Mendes, who is a two, time All, American from Cal Poly.
Match Breakdown and Key Moments
The fight was a battle that drew heavily on the wrestling tactics of both athletes. Chandler took the wheel of the fight from the beginning by employing quick takedowns and ground work overwhelmingly. He was able to push Mendes to the limit by scoring points with very accurate positional control and also forcing Mendes to fight from the most difficult angles. Mendes remained tough coming from behind although there was a swelling above his eye and several stoppages were called due to accidental fouls such as eye pokes and head clashes. However, it was definitely Chandler’s tempo and strength that made the last difference, leading him to a 4, 1 win in a three, period match.
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Additional Notable Results from RAF 3
This event was also home to several other interesting matches, which included the return of some UFC veterans to wrestling competition. Among the competitors were Clay Guida and Joaquin Buckley. Buckley was defeated by technical fall at the hands of Cody Downey. Guida was not spared from a tough loss either. The girls’ bouts featured some up, and, coming talents such as Bella Mir who was narrowly defeated by Alexis Gomez.
Significance of RAF 3 in Combat Sports
RAF 3 served as a perfect example of the return of MMA fighters to the pure form of wrestling, thus emphasizing the fact that wrestling is still the most important base in mixed martial arts. The event gave the fans a chance to see the intensely fought matches that were based on top, level wrestling technique and also revealed the potential for the future crossover events between wrestling and MMA. With the event being aired on FOX Nation, RAF 3 was an indication of the increasing number of viewers who want to watch wrestling matches featuring MMA stars.
