PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Adrian Maldonado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cody Bowens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Maldonado
vs
Bowens

174 cm
24
138 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
24
135 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Adrian Maldonado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cody Bowens!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Robert Twigg and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bowens gets caught flat footed, as Maldonado shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Bowens keeping full guard, as Maldonado tries to pass.

Bowens pushes Maldonado off and scrambles back to his feet.
Bowens is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Maldonado manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Bowens on his heels. He'll look to pass Bowens's guard now, I'm sure.

Bowens manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Maldonado gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Maldonado looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bowens is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Maldonado jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bowens walks away with a smile on his face. Maldonado gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Maldonado throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bowens.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldonado misses with a straight left.
Maldonado pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maldonado tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bowens swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Maldonado is defended easily by Bowens.
Maldonado tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bowens swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Adrian Maldonado. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maldonado pushes Bowens away with a front kick.
Maldonado tries to clinch but Bowens is having none of it.
Maldonado gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Bowens counters with a right hand to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado wants to clinch

and Bowens counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Maldonado's guard now.
Bowens 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bowens cracks Maldonado with a solid left hand.

Maldonado working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Bowens has passed into half guard!
Bowens looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowens is nestled in close to Maldonado, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Ground and pound from Bowens.
Bowens controlling the action here.
Maldonado is controlling Bowens's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Maldonado on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Maldonado tries to get out of the position.
Maldonado tries to kick Bowens off but Bowens keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Bowens has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bowens working over Maldonado with some ground and pound. Maldonado looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowens frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Maldonado is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Bowens punishing his opponent with strikes.
Maldonado is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bowens landing shots from mount.
Maldonado knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bowens on the ground.
Bowens lands a heavy elbow.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bowens is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Bowens tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bowens raining down shots from the mount!
Bowens scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Bowens dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Maldonado closes the distance but Bowens moves to the side
and Bowens counters with a left to the body.
No luck for Bowens with that takedown attempt.
Nice uppercut there from Maldonado.
Maldonado fails to land the takedown.
Bowens looks for a takedown but Maldonado sprawls well.
Bowens dives in and grabs Maldonado's left leg, looking for a takedown. Maldonado pushes down on Bowens's head and hops out.
Adrian Maldonado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cody Bowens.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maldonado decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Bowens is refusing to be controlled, as Maldonado sits in half guard.

Bowens makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Maldonado dives in and grabs Bowens's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bowens pushes down on Maldonado's head and hops out.
Maldonado fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maldonado lands a nice shot that snaps Bowens's head back.
Jab, jab by Maldonado - just one landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado sizes up Bowens with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Maldonado fails with a takedown attempt.
Maldonado dives in and grabs Bowens's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bowens pushes down on Maldonado's head and hops out.
Maldonado throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Bowens counters with a shoot takedown. Maldonado fights it but they end up in guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Maldonado can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Bowens controls the pace.
Bowens working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Maldonado's head.
Bowens lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bowens is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowens controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Maldonado wants to get back to his feet but Bowens passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowens working Maldonado over with strikes.
Bowens is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Bowens drops an elbow to the side of Maldonado's head.
Maldonado trying to hold on to Bowens's head to control him but Bowens postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bowens seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Well, if Bowens 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Bowens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Left hook, right uppercut from Bowens.
Maldonado fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bowens shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Maldonado but Maldonado pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Maldonado throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Maldonado tries to clinch but Bowens moves out of range.
Maldonado throws a body kick that misses.
Bowens has a takedown stuffed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldonado tries to clinch

and Bowens counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bowens slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bowens trying to control but Maldonado is working from the bottom.
Maldonado is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Bowens dives into side control.
Bowens staying calm.
Bowens is looking to take a break and control but Maldonado is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado tries to improve position but can't.
Bowens scores with punches from side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Bowens working the ground and pound.
Maldonado is being controlled here.
Maldonado is trying to improve his position.
Bowens cracks Maldonado with a big right hand but Maldonado just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Cody Bowens has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowens in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Bowens scoring with punches and elbows.
Maldonado takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Maldonado is trying to get back to half guard.
Bowens is working Maldonado over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowens landing a few strikes.
Bowens lands a few punches from side control.
Maldonado being controlled for a moment.
Maldonado tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bowens wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maldonado is trying to control Bowens's posture but Bowens avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Adrian Maldonado has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cody Bowens is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bowens prevents Maldonado from escaping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cody Bowens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bowens winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cody Bowens!