PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Emory Majors (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Majors
vs
Maia

187 cm
28
190 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

182 cm
30
188 lbs
24 - 16 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Emory Majors!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Daniel Maia!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, John Roberts and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Majors misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Maia shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Majors is keeping the position.
Majors not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Majors keeping full guard, as Maia tries to pass.
Maia trying to control the position from guard on top but Majors is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Majors swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia forces his way into half guard.
Majors wants to improve his position but Maia is controlling well.
Maia throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Maia is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Maia throwing shots but Majors is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Majors makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Majors.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Majors controlling the position.
Maia throws a big right hand that misses.
Maia trying to control but Majors is working from the bottom.
Maia has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Majors controls Maia momentarily but Maia frees himself.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maia throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Majors tries to close the distance and clinch but Maia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Majors tries to clinch but Maia is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Maia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Majors pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Emory Majors seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maia tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Majors swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Maia counters with a nice body shot.
Majors tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Maia makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Maia defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Majors.

Maia dives in and scores a takedown into Majors's guard.
Maia is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Majors trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Majors wants to get back to his feet but Maia is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Majors working a defensive guard but Maia passes into half guard.
Maia is looking to take a break and control but Majors is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Maia drops an elbow to the side of Majors's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maia thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maia throwing shots but Majors is blocking nicely.
Majors controlling the position well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Maia dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Maia thuds a left hand into Majors's body.
Maia is looking to clinch but Majors is avoiding it.
Maia connects with an inside leg kick.
Majors takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Maia keeps the fight on the outside.
Majors throws out a loose jab but Maia uses good head movement to avoid it.
Majors fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maia manages to avoid it.
Maia tries to clinch but Majors moves out of range.

Maia forces Majors back against the cage and clinches.

Majors has Maia pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Majors pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Maia tumbling to the mat - Majors dives into Maia's guard.
Maia controls Majors momentarily but Majors frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia is pulling down on Majors's head to control his posture.
Majors trying to control but Maia is working from the bottom.
Maia utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Majors loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Majors looking to sit in guard and control but Maia gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Maia is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Maia trying to control the position from guard on top but Majors is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Majors is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Maia dives into side control.
Maia tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Majors is trying to control Maia's posture but Maia avoids it.
Maia scores with punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Majors tries to bench press Maia off him but Maia keeps the position.
Majors avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Maia.
Maia wants to lay and pray for a moment but Majors keeps working.
Maia tries to move into full mount but can't pass Majors's legs.
Majors can't do much from the bottom here.
Majors tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Maia easily slips into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Majors is trying to escape the mount.
Majors blocking the ground and pound.
Majors tries to lock up and control but Maia gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Majors throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Maia is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Majors has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Majors is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Maia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Maia lands a right hook to the body.
Maia shoots for a double leg takedown but Majors sprawls well. He's pushed Maia's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Majors takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Majors circles away from the clinch attempt.
Maia dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Majors. That did some damage!
Maia avoids the body shot from Majors.
Majors checks a leg kick.

Majors takes the fight into the clinch.
Maia tries to pull guard but Majors forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Majors wants the takedown. Maia is fighting it off but Majors persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Maia's guard against the cage.

Maia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Majors gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Maia wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Majors is looking to stand up but Maia won't let him.
Majors throws a strike but Maia rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Maia being controlled here momentarily.
Majors can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Maia controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia throws a big elbow that misses.
Majors wants to stand up but Maia is controlling him.
Majors keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Maia slaps away a takedown attempt from Majors, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Majors shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Maia as he jumps to the side.
Majors takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Emory Majors has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Majors takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Majors throws a jab when Maia was well out of range.
Majors lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Maia circles away quickly and effectively.
Maia looks to land a combination. Majors sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Maia is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Majors rather than just go for the knockout.
A head kick misses from Majors.
Majors swings widly with a right hand
and Maia counters with a right hand to the body.
Maia lands a nice shot to the body.

Majors gets tackled into the cage by Maia. Maia maintains the clinch.
Majors tries for a takedown but Maia manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emory Majors. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maia fails to pull guard.

Maia wants the takedown. Majors is fighting it off but Maia persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Majors's guard against the cage.
Majors working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Maia.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Majors looking to control.
Maia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Majors swivels though and keeps the full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maia wants to control from the top but Majors keeps moving.
Majors wants to improve his position but instead Maia has moved into half guard.
Daniel Maia is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Majors wants to improve his position but Maia is controlling well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maia stops Majors from getting back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Maia comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Maia 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30

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