PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ichiro Chan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chan's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Spartan X. Maia comes into a darkened arena with his song building. I Get Knocked Down kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Chan
vs
Maia

185 cm
23
145 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

170 cm
20
143 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ichiro Chan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Maia!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Leandro Rodrigues and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chan throws a nice inside leg kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Chan.
Chan tries a low kick but Maia avoids it.
Maia shoots in but no luck this time.
Maia moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
A big right from Maia misses.
Maia blocks a head kick by Chan.
Maia tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Maia misses with the combination.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Chan lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Maia has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Maia and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Chan thumps Maia with a low kick.
Chan fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Maia.
Maia shoots in looking for a takedown. Chan tries to sprawl out of it but Maia keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Chan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Maia displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Chan throws a leg kick but Maia sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Chan slips a jab and a cross from Maia.

Chan gets caught flat footed, as Maia shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maia trying to control the position from guard on top but Chan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chan controls Maia momentarily but Maia frees himself.
Maia looking to pass the guard.
Chan really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Maia is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Maia lands a couple of digs.
Maia passes Chan's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Chan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Maia moves into full mount! Chan won't be happy about that!

Maia goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Chan turns into him and now he's in Maia's guard.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Chan drops back, looking for a kneebar! Maia looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Maia looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Maia!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Chan is avoiding damage well.
Maia scoring with punches from side control.
Maia is chipping away with strikes.
Chan tries to buck Maia off but Maia is having none of it.
Chan can't do much from the bottom here.

Maia working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maia is trying to get an arm triangle but Chan is defending well.
Maia throwing shots but missing, from side control.

Maia tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Maia goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Chan has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Maia but great work by Chan.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Maia dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Maia fails with a takedown attempt.
Maia shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Maia thows a left - swing and a miss!
Chan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Chan throws a head kick that misses.
Maia thows a body shot but no joy.
Ichiro Chan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maia misses with a few strikes there.
Chan gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Maia throws a lazy right hand but Chan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Chan stuns Maia with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Chan misses with an uppercut. Maia saw that one coming.
Maia looks for a takedown but Chan sprawls well.
Ichiro Chan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thiago Maia.
A slapping body kick lands there for Chan.
Chan jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Maia.
Maia is breathing heavily.
Chan is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia with the ground and pound but Chan regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Maia is trying to control. Chan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Maia is looking to advance position but Chan won't allow it.
Chan regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Maia.
Maia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Chan looking for a guillotine here but Maia defends easily.
Chan will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Maia works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Chan scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Maia manages to mount him!

Maia goes for an armbar but Chan turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Chan.
Chan wants to stand but Maia is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maia is looking for a triangle but Chan pushes his legs off easily.
Maia working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Chan.
Chan wants to control from the top but Maia keeps moving.

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.
Maia wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Chan is now in half guard.

Maia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Chan looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Maia looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ichiro Chan will probably get the nod.
That's time! Chan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Chan throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Chan throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Maia blocks a low kick nicely.
Maia on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Chan fails to land with a series of punches.
Chan lands with a thumping leg kick.
Maia throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Maia darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Maia lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Maia.
Maia tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Chan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Maia takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Chan throws a solid leg kick but Maia takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Chan.
Chan slips a straight right by Maia.
A bone on bone clash there as Maia blocks the leg kick.

Maia is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Chan's half guard.
Maia trying to control the action but Chan is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maia is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Chan defends it well.
Chan won't allow Maia to pass to mount.
Maia trying to control from half guard but Chan is working away.
Maia thows a huge punch but Chan dodges it nicely.
Maia not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Maia is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Maia lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Maia is working for a kimura but Chan is defending it quite comfortably.
Maia missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Maia.

Maia is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Chan is just riding it out for now. Maia eventually gives up the hold.
Maia has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Maia trying to advance position but Chan counters by regaining guard.
Chan seems keen to control Maia's posture.

Chan escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Maia gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

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.

Maia thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Chan is keeping the position.
Maia wants to control from the top but Chan keeps moving.
Chan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Maia.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Maia trying to control the position from guard on top but Chan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Maia comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Maia 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Maia!