PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alfred Larsen (ranked 4309 p4p, 6717 weight class) and Akira Maeda (ranked 511 p4p, 625 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Larsen
vs
Maeda

186 cm
20
215
1 - 1 - 0

192 cm
19
209
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Urban Fighter
Altitude Clothing

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alfred Larsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Akira Maeda!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maeda dives in and grabs Larsen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Larsen pushes down on Maeda's head and hops out.
Maeda chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Larsen can pounce on him.
Larsen looks to score with a jab to the body but Maeda is just out of range.
Larsen wants to clinch

and Maeda counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Maeda thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Maeda working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Larsen is staying active underneath Maeda, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Larsen is controlling Maeda's position as best he can from this difficult position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Larsen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Maeda.
Maeda thows a huge punch but Larsen dodges it nicely.
Larsen's coaches at Knige's Ironside Fitness Inc have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Maeda content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Maeda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Larsen's head.
Maeda looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Maeda working over Larsen with some ground and pound. Larsen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Maeda throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Maeda is looking to stall here but Larsen recovers full guard.
Maeda trying to control the position from guard on top but Larsen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larsen trying to control the position here.
Maeda throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Maeda keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Larsen's head.
Larsen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Larsen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Maeda controls the pace.
Larsen keeping full guard, as Maeda tries to pass.
Maeda has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Maeda in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larsen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Maeda works over Larsen with some ground and pound from guard.
Maeda trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Maeda lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Larsen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Maeda on the ground.
Maeda loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Maeda is looking to work some ground and pound but Larsen has wrist control.
Larsen is pulling down on Maeda's head. It's preventing any offense from Maeda, at least for the moment.
Maeda postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Maeda won't allow Larsen to get back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda throws a poor cross that misses
letting Larsen counter with a right hand.
Larsen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Maeda.
Larsen swings for the body but Maeda moves out of range.
Larsen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Larsen pivots, looking for a leg kick but Maeda is out of range and Larsen settles back down.
Larsen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Maeda. Maeda circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Maeda misses with a straight left.
Larsen moves to clinch but Maeda breaks away

and Maeda counters with a single leg into guard. Larsen didn't expect that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Maeda wants to control from the top but Larsen keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Maeda accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Maeda fails with a takedown attempt.
Larsen ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Maeda has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Maeda swings for the body but Larsen moves out of range.
Larsen scores with a body shot.
Maeda swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Larsen throws a lazy uppercut

so Maeda counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Larsen managing to control the position.
Larsen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Maeda controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda works over Larsen with some ground and pound from guard.
Larsen wants to sweep but no luck.
Larsen on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Larsen tries to get out of the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Maeda's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Maeda passes Larsen's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Larsen is looking for a sweep. Maeda is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maeda takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Larsen controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Maeda prevents Larsen from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Maeda in particular looking to stall.
Larsen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Maeda.
Maeda throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Maeda missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Larsen keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Akira Maeda has got the better of the ground game so far.
Larsen is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Maeda scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Maeda lands strikes from half guard.
Maeda not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Maeda throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Larsen is trying to stand back up but Maeda is controlling him
Larsen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maeda.
Larsen tries to get to full guard but Maeda has control of the leg.
Maeda is nestled in close to Larsen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Maeda is pressing down on Larsen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Larsen is holding on for now.
Maeda throwing shots but Larsen is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda slows the pace down in half guard.
Larsen is positioning himself well to prevent Maeda advancing to mount.
Maeda scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Maeda thows a huge punch but Larsen dodges it nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maeda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Larsen's head.
Larsen trying to control but Maeda postures up.
Larsen tries to roll over but Maeda keeps him under control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Maeda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Maeda fails with a takedown attempt.
Maeda misses the jab.
Maeda throws a body punch but Larsen moves out of range.
Larsen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Larsen stuns Maeda with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Larsen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A looping hook to the body misses from Larsen. Maeda does a little dance to reset his feet.
Larsen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Maeda drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Larsen defends it well.
Larsen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maeda with the counter takedown but Larsen avoids it easily.
Alfred Larsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Larsen.
A jab lands there for Larsen.
Maeda has a takedown stuffed.
Maeda fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Larsen manages to avoid it.
Larsen throwing a counter right hand but Maeda manages to avoid it.
Nice sprawl there from Larsen as Maeda shoots in.
Alfred Larsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akira Maeda.
Maeda moves forwards but Larsen connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Larsen missing with a left hand there. Maeda was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The fighters circling - Larsen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Larsen scores with a kick to the body.
Maeda takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Larsen fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Maeda has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Larsen connects with the punch.
Larsen connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Maeda is rocked!
A slapping leg kick lands for Larsen.
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!

Larsen feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Maeda sprawling to the canvas! Maeda rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Larsen finish him?!
Maeda is still on wobbly legs! Can Larsen finish him?
An inside leg kick lands from Larsen.
A good leg kick by Larsen.
Larsen feints and then cracks Maeda's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Maeda down.
Maeda seems to have recovered his senses.
Larsen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Maeda stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Maeda shoots in and drives through. Larsen sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Larsen cracks Maeda with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Maeda falls to his knees and Larsen doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:15 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Alfred Larsen!
Alfred Larsen tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.