PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Demian Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jyrki Katainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maia comes to the cage accompanied by Vida Bandida. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Maia
vs
Katainen

185 cm
30
200 lbs
16 - 6 - 0

187 cm
31
194 lbs
21 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

DJs Locker
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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 16 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Demian Maia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jyrki Katainen!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Katainen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Maia throws a leg kick but Katainen checks it.
Katainen cracks Maia with a right hand to the side of the head.

It looks like Demian Maia has been cut.
Katainen thumps Maia with a low kick.
Katainen connects with a right hand. Maia shakes it off.
Katainen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maia throws a one two combo.

It looks like Jyrki Katainen has been cut.
Maia throws out a powerful jab.
Maia ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Nice jab there from Katainen.
Maia throws a head kick but Katainen moves out of range.
A lazy body kick from Katainen

and Maia counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Katainen's guard now.
Maia preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Katainen is on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maia working a defensive guard but Katainen passes into half guard.
Maia wants to improve his position but Katainen is controlling well.
Maia wants to control but Katainen is keeping busy.
Maia tries to roll over but Katainen keeps him under control.

Maia looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia is looking for a sweep. Katainen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Maia with the active half guard here but Katainen passes nicely into side control.
Maia is looking for a sweep.
Katainen controlling the position.
Maia is trying to get back to half guard.
Maia is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia struggling a bit here.
Maia tries to bench press Katainen off him but Katainen keeps the position.
Katainen wants to control but Maia is keeping him busy.
Katainen is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Maia wants to control but Katainen postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Katainen's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Maia is looking for a sweep. Katainen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maia manages to get to full guard.

Maia has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Katainen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Katainen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Maia has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Katainen has managed to get both his arms back between Maia's legs - danger averted.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Katainen wants to pass the guard but Maia is keeping the position.
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 Demian Maia will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Maia uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Katainen.
Nice body kick from Maia.
Maia rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Katainen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Maia misses with an uppercut
and Katainen counters with a solid body kick.
Demian Maia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Katainen checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Maia misses with a left hand
and Maia takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Katainen tests Maia's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Maia moves out of range as Katainen strikes.
Maia keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Katainen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katainen misses the jab.
Katainen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Maia!
Maia shoots in and drives through. Katainen sprawls well.

Maia looking to score a takedown here. Katainen is defending well but Maia drives through and ends up in Katainen's guard.
Maia wants to control from the top but Katainen keeps moving.
Maia is fighting to break Katainen's control of his arms but Katainen is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Katainen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Katainen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maia throwing strikes from guard but Katainen blocks nicely.
Maia wants to control from the top but Katainen keeps moving.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maia uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Katainen.
Katainen throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katainen takes a swing at Maia's ribcage but misses.
Maia will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Jyrki Katainen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Katainen throws a leg kick

and Maia counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Maia working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Katainen's thigh. Katainen counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Katainen pulls Maia in close to prevent any damage.
Maia distracts Katainen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Katainen pulls Maia in close to prevent any damage.
Maia wants to control from the top but Katainen keeps moving.

That's four 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!
Katainen wants to sweep here but Maia controlling him for the moment.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Maia postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Maia drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Katainen manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Maia has Katainen in his guard.
Katainen trying to control the position from guard on top but Maia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Demian Maia dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Maia's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Maia or perhaps it was just good defense by Katainen which made him look bad.
Katainen swings widly with a right hand

and Maia counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Maia.
Maia trying to control but Katainen is working from the bottom.
Katainen controls Maia momentarily but Maia frees himself.

Katainen uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Katainen throws the kick towards the body but Maia avoids it.
Jyrki Katainen seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Katainen.
Katainen takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Maia shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Katainen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Maia moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Maia avoids a punch combination nicely.
Katainen missing with a left hand there. Maia was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Maia fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Katainen clobbers Maia with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Maia misses with a few strikes there.
Katainen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katainen misses with a wild body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Katainen. Maia does a little dance to reset his feet.
An inside leg kick lands from Maia.
Maia misses with a two punch combination.
Katainen throws an off balance right hand

and Maia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Maia seems to be working for a kimura but Katainen defends the submission attempt.
Maia throwing shots but Katainen is blocking nicely.
Katainen is looking to control Maia's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Katainen avoid being mounted?
Jyrki Katainen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Katainen slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katainen looking to control.
Maia wants to control from the top but Katainen keeps moving.
Katainen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Katainen controlling Maia's posture.
Maia passes into half guard.
Maia tries to pass to full mount but Katainen defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia prevents Katainen from improving his position.
Maia wants to free his trapped foot but Katainen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Katainen wants to get back to full guard.
Katainen is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Katainen trying to hold on to Maia's head to control him but Maia postures up.
Maia is looking to take a break and control but Katainen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maia is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Katainen is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Demian Maia showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Maia, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Demian Maia!
Demian Maia seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.