PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steve Wright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazunori Maeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maeda has chosen Gouryella as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Wright
vs
Maeda

169 cm
18
155 lbs
3 - 8 - 0

178 cm
23
157 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Steve Wright!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazunori Maeda!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wright throws a series of punches but Maeda avoids them all with ease.
Wright pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maeda fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Wright tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maeda paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Wright tries to close the distance and clinch but Maeda swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wright shoots in looking for a takedown. Maeda tries to sprawl out of it but Wright keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Maeda manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Maeda lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A head kick misses from Wright.
Wright lands a high kick!
Maeda swats away the attempt to clinch by Wright.
Wright misses with an attempted mid kick.
Maeda lands a nice leg kick that just misses Wright's sensitive parts.
Maeda scores with a leg kick.
Maeda takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Wright darts in and clinches Maeda up against the cage.
Wright tries to pull guard but Maeda holds him up against the cage and eventually Wright drops back down to his feet.
Maeda is looking to break free of the clinch but Wright has double underhooks.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wright pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Steve Wright seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wright takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Wright closes the distance and clinches up with Maeda, looking for a takedown. Wright pushes Maeda against the cage but Maeda circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Wright. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A right-left combo lands from Maeda.
Maeda misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Wright.
Wright tries a head kick but it misses.

Wright has closed the distance and engaged Maeda in a clinch.
Maeda wants to break the clinch but can't.
Maeda is trying to break the clinch but Wright has him pressed against the cage.
Maeda unloads a knee to the mid-section. Wright lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Maeda breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Wright falls off balance throwing a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Maeda misses with a two punch combination.
Wright wants to clinch but Maeda slips to the side
and Maeda counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Wright is breathing heavily.
Maeda throws a shot to the body.
Maeda misses with a few strikes there.
Wright misses with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Wright moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Maeda circles away from the clinch attempt
and Maeda counters with a three punch combo that has Wright backing up. Wright nods at Maeda to acknowledge the strikes.
Wright tries to clinch up
and Maeda counters with a series of strikes. Wright will be more careful next time no doubt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maeda misses with a series of wild punches.
Maeda throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
A combination from Maeda does no damage.
Maeda throws a nice inside leg kick.
Wright slips a jab and a cross from Maeda.
Maeda rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Wright moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Maeda throws a one two combo.
Maeda lands with a nice combination. Wright backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Steve Wright has been cut.
Maeda throws a nice looking combination but Wright bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Maeda throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda misses with a two punch combination.
Maeda throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Wright.
Wright shoots for a takedown but Maeda saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Wright is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Maeda rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Wright moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Wright darts in trying to clinch
and Maeda finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Wright tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maeda swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maeda misses with a few strikes there.
Wright tries a head kick but it misses.
Maeda lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Maeda.
Wright looks to clinch
and Maeda counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Maeda avoids the head kick by Wright.
Wright wants to clinch.
Maeda throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Wright's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Maeda connects with a solid leg kick.
Maeda looks to land a combination but Wright avoids it well.
Maeda is working the combinations to good effect here.
A nice combination there by Maeda.
Maeda fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Wright looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Maeda wants to land a leg kick but Wright is out of range.
Wright tries to clinch up
and Maeda counters with a nice low kick that buckles Wright's knee momentarily.
Kazunori Maeda is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Wright tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Maeda counters with a nice low kick that buckles Wright's knee momentarily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A left lands for Maeda.
Maeda lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Maeda feints and then cracks Wright's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Wright down.
Wright throws a sloppy head kick and Maeda moves out of range easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazunori Maeda dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Steve Wright's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Wright throws a sloppy head kick and Maeda moves out of range easily.
Maeda takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Maeda lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Wright backs up against the cage.
Wright avoids a punch combination nicely.
Maeda fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Wright tries to clinch up
and Maeda counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Good leg kick by Maeda there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Wright tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Maeda counters with a three punch combo that has Wright backing up. Wright nods at Maeda to acknowledge the strikes.
Wright tries to clinch but Maeda is having none of it.
Kazunori Maeda seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Wright is looking to score with low kicks.
Maeda falls off balance throwing a combination
and Wright counters with an outside leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maeda fails to land with a series of punches.
Maeda tries to bum rush Wright with a series of wild strikes but Wright uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Wright is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Steve Wright is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Wright wants to clinch
and Maeda counters with a series of strikes. Wright will be more careful next time no doubt.
Maeda throws a left and a right that both miss

and Wright counters by clinching up.

Maeda breaks from the clinch.
Wright tries to clinch up
and Maeda counters with a nice low kick that buckles Wright's knee momentarily.
Wright is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Wright doesn't manage to clinch there - Maeda circles away.
Wright tries to clinch but Maeda is having none of it.
Maeda tests Wright's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Wright.
Wright pivots, looking for a leg kick but Maeda is out of range and Wright settles back down.
Wright tries to clinch there but Maeda circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Wright looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Maeda swinging wilding here.
A right-left combo lands from Maeda.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Maeda closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Maeda stuffs the takedown attempt from Wright. Wright gets slowly back to his feet.
Wright misses with a head kick.
Wright fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Wright. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maeda circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wright is looking to clinch but Maeda is avoiding it.
Maeda fails to land with a series of punches.
Left hook, right uppercut from Maeda.
Wright wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A combination from Wright does no damage.
Maeda goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Some wild striking there from Maeda.
Wright looks to clinch
and Maeda counters with a straight right hand.
Wright closes the distance looking to clinch

and Maeda counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Maeda.
Wright wants to break the clinch but can't.

Maeda escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wright throws a sloppy head kick
and Maeda counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Wright throws a sloppy head kick and Maeda moves out of range easily.
Maeda scores with a one two! Wright had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Wright looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Maeda takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Wright tries to clinch
and Maeda counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Wright changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Maeda tries to avoid it but Wright manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Maeda to the ground. Maeda escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Maeda throws a right and a left that Wright avoids nicely.
Wright clinches but Maeda breaks the clinch
and Maeda counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Wright. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Wright tries to clinch up but Maeda circles away and keeps his distance.
Wright closes the distance but Maeda moves to the side
and Maeda counters with an outside leg kick.
Wright tries to clinch
and Maeda counters with a two punch combo.
No joy there for Maeda, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Wright takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Wright plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Maeda misses with a double jab

and Wright counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Wright trying to land knees to the body.

Maeda escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wright darts in trying to clinch
and Maeda counters with a slapping leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazunori Maeda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Steve Wright's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Maeda fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Wright looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Wright lands with a nice body kick.
Wright has a takedown stuffed.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Maeda, as that shot connected.
Maeda avoids the head kick by Wright.

Wright clinches with his opponent.
Maeda lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Maeda avoids the elbow strike from Wright, against the cage.

Maeda breaks the clinch.
Wright tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Maeda swivels and escapes.
Maeda looks to land a combination but Wright avoids it well.
Maeda scores with a three punch combo!
Wright wants to clinch
and Maeda counters with a left and a right that stings Wright.
Maeda scores with a one two! Wright had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wright wants to clinch
and Maeda counters with a three punch combo that has Wright backing up. Wright nods at Maeda to acknowledge the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright shoots in for a double leg but Maeda sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Wright. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maeda works over Wright's head and body with a nice combination.
Wright doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Maeda counters with a big head kick but Wright shrugs it off.
Maeda changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Maeda connects with a body shot.
Wright tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Maeda counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Maeda fails to land with a series of punches.
Wright avoids the head kick by Maeda.
Wright tries to clinch
and Maeda counters with a left to the body.
Wright closes the distance looking to clinch
and Maeda counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Wright lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wright looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Maeda punishes Wright's body with a nice straight punch.
Maeda avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maeda scoring well with a low kick there.
Maeda swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Wright wants to clinch
and Maeda counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Wright tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Maeda counters with a left and a right that stings Wright.
Wright clinches but Maeda breaks the clinch
and Maeda counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Maeda lands a two punch combo.
Wright closes the distance but Maeda moves to the side
and Maeda counters with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda misses with a wild body shot.
Wright tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Maeda counters with a flying knee. Nice.
A chopping leg kick lands by Maeda.
Maeda scores with a three punch combo!
Wright throws a sloppy head kick and Maeda moves out of range easily.
Wright pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice body punch from Maeda.
Wright tries to clinch
and Maeda counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Wright tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Maeda counters with a slapping leg kick.
Maeda will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Maeda wants to land a leg kick but Wright is out of range.
Wright tries to clinch but Maeda moves away
and Maeda counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Wright on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Wright throws a head kick that Maeda semi-blocks.
Maeda moves out of range as Wright throws a body kick.
Wright thows a leg kick but Maeda checks it
and Maeda counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Wright wants to clinch but Maeda slips to the side
and Maeda counters with a nice low kick that buckles Wright's knee momentarily.
Maeda throws a nice looking combination but Wright bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Wright closes the distance looking to clinch
and Maeda counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maeda throws a series of punches but Wright moves out of range.
Maeda scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Wright doesn't seem bothered though.
Wright shoots in for a takedown but Maeda shows good takedown defense.

Maeda clinches up against the cage.
Wright prevents Maeda from breaking the clinch.
Maeda is trying to break the clinch but Wright has him pressed against the cage.

Maeda breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wright looks to clinch
and Maeda counters with a stiff right hand.
Wright throws a nice head kick!
Maeda misses with a wild combination.
Steve Wright has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kazunori Maeda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wright misses with a double jab
and Maeda counters with a nice body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kazunori Maeda comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Maeda has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kazunori Maeda!