PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Demian Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Barack Obina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Maia
vs
Obina

183 cm
22
198 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

191 cm
20
209 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Demian Maia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Barack Obina!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Leandro Rodrigues and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Obina closes this distance looking for a takedown but Maia circles away.

Obina drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Maia is trying to keep Obina in close.
Obina must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Maia looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

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

Maia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Obina gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Maia wants to hit a switch here but Obina passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Maia there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maia gets back to half guard.
Maia flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Maia tries to get to full guard but Obina has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Maia is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Obina's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Obina's back!
Maia connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Obina to escape the position.

Maia looking for the choke from the back.
Maia is breathing heavily.
Maia struggling to land strikes to the head as Obina covers up.
Obina manages to reverse the position and now he's in Maia's guard. Nice work there by Obina.
Obina slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Obina prevents Maia from improving his position.
Maia moves into full guard.
Maia looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Obina puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Maia tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Obina has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Maia gets back to half guard.
Maia is trying to maintain the position but Obina is very close to passing his half guard.
Maia flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Demian Maia 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.

Maia shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Maia was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Maia landing strikes from the mount.
BOOM! Maia connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Obina in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Maia takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Maia goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Obina is on top in guard.
Maia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Obina's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obina keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
Maia distracts Obina with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Maia throws and elbow that misses. Obina uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Maia's guard. Nice move by Obina!

Maia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Maia is on top in guard.
Maia makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Maia passes into half guard.
Maia passes to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Obina is squirming around, avoiding Maia's attempts to control the action.

Maia is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Obina is surviving well by controlling Maia's body position as best he can.
Maia looking to control but Obina is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Obina wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Maia.

Maia is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Obina is surviving well by controlling Maia's body position as best he can.
Maia pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Maia thowing shots but they're missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Demian Maia dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Maia gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Maia drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Obina is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Maia gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Maia escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Maia throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Barack Obina is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Obina fails with the takedown

and Maia counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Obina's guard now.
Obina keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
Obina keeping full guard, as Maia tries to pass.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obina keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
Maia stands and throws Obina's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Maia decides to stand back up. Maia steps back and let's Obina get back to his feet.
Maia looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Obina has his takedown stuffed

and Maia decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Obina's guard.
Demian Maia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Barack Obina.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia passes Obina's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Maia wants to take a breather but Obina is having none of it.
Maia missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Still in half guard, Maia seems content to control.
Maia drops an elbow to the side of Obina's head.
Maia is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Maia swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Obina is now in Maia's guard. A big mistake from Maia there, giving up the dominant position!
Maia keeping full guard, as Obina tries to pass.

Maia is looking for a triangle but Obina pushes his legs off easily.
Demian Maia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia is trying to control the position but Obina postures up.

Maia working for submissions but it's allowed Obina to get to half guard.
Maia is pressing down on Obina's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Maia manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Obina manages to get himself to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Demian Maia showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maia has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

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