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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ari Birmiski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitsuyo Maeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Birmiski comes to the cage accompanied by I'm Back - T.I. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.
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| 170 cm
35
140 lbs
25 - 18 - 0 |
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170 cm
34
142 lbs
27 - 20 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Very strong |
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Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank |
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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
25 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ari Birmiski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
27 - 20 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mitsuyo Maeda!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Birmiski has taken the fight to the clinch.
Maeda goes for a takedown in the clinch but Birmiski prevents it.
Birmiski lands a left hand that snaps the head of Maeda backwards.
Birmiski tries to land knees in the clinch but Maeda avoids the damage to the body.
Birmiski working aggressively here.
Maeda has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Birmiski clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Maeda has the hooks in. Birmiski is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Birmiski trying to control but not successfully.
Birmiski tries to escape the position.
Maeda connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Birmiski to escape the position.
Maeda throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maeda lands punches and elbows.
Birmiski wants to control his opponent's hands but Maeda gets his hands free.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Birmiski.
Maeda keeps control of the position as Birmiski tries to break free.
Maeda softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Birmiski is trying to stand back up.
Birmiski manages to reverse the position and now he's in Maeda's guard. Nice work there by Birmiski.
Birmiski throws a big right hand that misses.
Birmiski won't allow Maeda to sweep him here.
Maeda wants to stand and escape but Birmiski is having none of it.
Birmiski with a flurry of punches that miss.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birmiski won't allow Maeda to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Birmiski lands a couple of digs.
Birmiski keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Maeda's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Birmiski chips away with some ground and pound.
Maeda is trying to keep Birmiski in close.
Maeda wants to stand but Birmiski is controlling the position.
Birmiski postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Maeda utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Birmiski scoring with punches to the head and body.
Birmiski throwing strikes from guard but Maeda blocks nicely.
Our spies down at at Champions GYM | All Elite Coaches| inform us that Maeda has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Birmiski pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Maeda is keeping the position for now.
Birmiski throwing strikes from guard but Maeda blocks nicely.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Birmiski scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Maeda seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Birmiski tries to free his leg and advance position but Maeda is retaining full guard.
Birmiski throwing strikes but missing.
Maeda has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Birmiski connects with a couple of short punches.
Birmiski being controlled here momentarily.
Birmiski trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Birmiski accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Birmiski in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Birmiski throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Maeda works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Birmiski won't allow Maeda to get back to his feet.
Birmiski pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Maeda is keeping the position for now.
Birmiski throwing strikes but missing.
Maeda has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Birmiski off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Maeda tries for a takedown but Birmiski sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Birmiski is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maeda avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Birmiski tries to close the distance and clinch but Maeda swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Maeda misses with a hook.
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 Ari Birmiski will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!
Maeda gets the takedown into side control.
Birmiski can't do much from the bottom here.
Maeda is putting a hurting on Birmiski here, landing some big shots from side control.
Birmiski sneaks back into half guard.
Maeda is looking to take a break and control but Birmiski is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Birmiski is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Maeda scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ground and pound from Maeda.
Birmiski is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Maeda pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maeda is thwarting Birmiski's attempts to control the position.
Birmiski has hold of Maeda's hands but Maeda slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Mitsuyo Maeda has got the better of the ground game so far.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Birmiski has hold of Maeda's hands but Maeda slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Birmiski is looking to improve his position.
Birmiski is working hard here to advance position.
Maeda not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Birmiski works his way to full guard. Good work.
Birmiski looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maeda is one step ahead there.
Birmiski working a defensive guard but Maeda manages to pass into side control anyway.
Birmiski sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda slips a nice elbow through Birmiski's hands, connecting with Birmiski's forehead.
Maeda lands with a punch from half guard.
Birmiski keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Birmiski wants to get back to full guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Maeda connects with a nice short shot to Birmiski's temple.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Birmiski is trying to control but can't.
Birmiski moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Maeda sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Birmiski's guard.
Birmiski has hold of Maeda's hands but Maeda slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Birmiski tries to get to full guard but Maeda has control of the leg.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda is thwarting Birmiski's attempts to control the position.
Birmiski tries to get to full guard but Maeda has control of the leg.
Birmiski has hold of Maeda's hands but Maeda slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Birmiski wants to control but Maeda is keeping busy.
Maeda throwing shots but Birmiski is blocking nicely.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Birmiski wants to control but Maeda passes into side.
Birmiski tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Maeda presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Birmiski is working to get back to half guard.
The referee warns Birmiski that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Birmiski is desperately trying to improve his position but Maeda has a good base and remains in mount.
Birmiski wants to hold on but Maeda pushes him away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maeda dominating with strikes here.
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!
Maeda avoids the attempt from Birmiski to control.
Maeda lands with some strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Mitsuyo Maeda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!
Maeda shoots in looking for a takedown but Birmiski manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Maeda's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Maeda shoots for a double leg takedown but Birmiski sprawls well. He's pushed Maeda's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Maeda fails with the takedown.
Ari Birmiski has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mitsuyo Maeda.
Maeda fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Birmiski tries to clinch but Maeda moves away
and Maeda counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Birmiski is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Maeda trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Birmiski is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Maeda is aware though and is defending well.
Birmiski is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Maeda defends well.
Maeda working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Birmiski's head.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Maeda looking to sit in guard and control but Birmiski gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Maeda scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Birmiski lands with a nice body punch.
Nice defenses there by Birmiski.
Maeda shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Maeda keeps the fight on the outside.
Birmiski tries to clinch up.
Maeda closes this distance looking for a takedown but Birmiski circles away.
Birmiski wants to clinch
and Maeda counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maeda missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Birmiski has hold of Maeda's hands but Maeda slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Birmiski taking some punishment here, with Maeda in his half guard.
Maeda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Birmiski's head.
Maeda sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Birmiski defending well though.
Nice strikes from Maeda there.
Birmiski is looking for a sweep. Maeda is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maeda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Birmiski's head.
Birmiski gets back to full guard.
Birmiski working for a triangle but Maeda defends it easily.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda lands a couple of digs.
Birmiski looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Maeda landing some decent shots from guard.
Maeda working some strikes from top position.
Maeda scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Birmiski is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Maeda preventing the sweep.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda with a nice head shot there.
Maeda postures up and lands a big shot to Birmiski's brow.
Maeda wants to control from the top but Birmiski keeps moving.
Birmiski looking for a sweep. Not yet Birmiski, not yet.
Maeda in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Birmiski is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Maeda defends well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maeda lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Birmiski is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Maeda lands a couple of elbows.
And that's the end of the fight!
Mitsuyo Maeda comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Maeda 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mitsuyo Maeda!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Mitsuyo Maeda made sure he mentioned Milwaukee's Best 160 , along with how happy he was to win his fight.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
88% |
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