PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sheldon Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Hydraulix 13.5 - D.A.V.E. the Drummer & Alex Calver. Maia has chosen Bleed It Out as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gracie
vs
Maia

183 cm
27
195 lbs
25 - 17 - 1

185 cm
24
193 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aaron Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sheldon Maia!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Robert Twigg and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Gracie tries to clinch up
and Maia counters with an inside leg kick.
Gracie misses with a shot to the body
and Maia counters with a straight right hand.
Gracie tries to bum rush Maia with a series of wild strikes but Maia uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Maia finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Maia slips a straight right by Gracie.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Maia avoids the body shot from Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia with a hook.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Maia sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
The crowd cheers as Gracie lands an impressive looking overhand right. Maia doesn't seem phased though.
Maia scoring well with a low kick there.
Gracie scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Gracie scores with a crisp jab that stopped Maia in his tracks.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Maia avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sloppy strikes from Gracie. Those never looked like landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Maia's head but Maia sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Maia does a little dance to reset his feet.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Gracie slips a straight right by Maia.
Maia connects with a jab.
Gracie slips a straight right by Maia.
Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Maia sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Gracie is trying to get an arm triangle but Maia is defending well.
Gracie tries to move into full mount but can't pass Maia's legs.
Maia is looking for a sweep.
Maia sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Maia won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.
Gracie slips a nice elbow through Maia's hands, connecting with Maia's forehead.
Gracie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Maia is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Well, if Gracie is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie winds up and cracks Maia with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Gracie 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.
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Maia is working away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Maia is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Maia is pressing down on Gracie's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Gracie is looking to work some ground and pound but Maia has wrist control.
Maia is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Maia looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie trying to control but Maia postures up.
Gracie is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Maia scores with a couple of nice shots.
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 Aaron Gracie will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gracie dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Gracie misses the target.
Aaron Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie throws a looping overhand right but Maia ducks down to avoid it.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie connects with a right hand. Maia shakes it off.
A jab from Gracie does it's job there.
Maia displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Donk. Maia catches Gracie right on the button with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Maia enables Gracie to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Maia manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Maia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gracie's guard.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maia postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Maia passes into half guard.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Maia is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Maia pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maia wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Maia makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
Maia tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Maia wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Sheldon Maia.
Gracie is looking to clinch.

Maia gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gracie can't find room to land a body shot as Maia controls the action.

Gracie jumps into guard, dragging Maia to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looking to control.
Maia connects with a couple of short punches.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Maia postures up.
Maia trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maia stands up over Gracie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Maia is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Maia trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Maia looking to pass the guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gracie pulls Maia in close to prevent any damage.

Sheldon Maia has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Gracie with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Maia to score with a decent uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie fails with the takedown
and Maia counters with a nice low kick that buckles Gracie's knee momentarily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maia ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Maia throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gracie on the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Gracie throws a big shot that misses.

Maia gets a takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sheldon Maia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Maia ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.
Maia struggling a bit here.
Maia tries to buck Gracie off but Gracie is having none of it.
Maia manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gracie's best efforts.
Gracie wants to control but Maia is keeping him busy.
Gracie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.

Gracie is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Maia doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gracie.
Gracie trying to control the action but Maia is working from the bottom.
Maia is looking to improve his position.
Sheldon Maia has got the better of the ground game so far.
Maia is pressing down on Gracie's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Maia trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Maia is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Gracie is just riding it out for now. Maia eventually gives up the hold.
Gracie is not content to let Maia control the position.
Gracie is trying to control but can't.
Maia wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.
Maia wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Maia might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gracie kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sheldon Maia was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maia scores with a leg kick.
Gracie just misses with a punch to the body.
Gracie misses with a series of wild punches.
Maia misses the shot to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Maia. That's going to slow Gracie down.
Gracie works over Maia's head and body with a nice combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Maia does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie throws a lazy right hand but Maia sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Maia was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Maia shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gracie manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Maia seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gracie has his foot on Maia's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Maia works his way back into a safe position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sheldon Maia.
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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Sheldon Maia!
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight for Sheldon Maia!
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight for Sheldon Maia!

Sheldon Maia wins by unanimous decision!