PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akira Maeda (ranked 2963 p4p, 1792 weight class) and Elijah Heartless (ranked 378 p4p, 243 weight class). Heartless is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by BAD COMPANY. Elijah Heartless has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Akira Maeda's chin.

Maeda
vs
Heartless

192 cm
23
209
4 - 5 - 1

194 cm
24
209
6 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Conviction
Conquer

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 4 - 5 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Akira Maeda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Elijah Heartless!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A cross from Heartless lands.

Maeda is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Heartless's half guard.
Maeda not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Heartless is trying to maintain the position but Maeda is very close to passing his half guard.
Maeda is trying to control the action in half guard but Heartless is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Heartless can do anything to dispel that myth.
Maeda throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Maeda throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda is thwarting Heartless's attempts to control the position.
Heartless wants to improve his position but Maeda is controlling well.
Maeda lands with a punch from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda slows the pace down in half guard.
Ground and pound from Maeda.
Maeda prevents Heartless from improving his position.
Heartless felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Heartless keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Maeda thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Heartless keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Heartless avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maeda.
Maeda throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Maeda throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Maeda not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Maeda trying to control from half guard but Heartless is working away.
Heartless trying to control but Maeda postures up.
Heartless taking some punishment here, with Maeda in his half guard.
Heartless avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maeda.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda thows a huge punch but Heartless dodges it nicely.
Maeda trying to control from half guard but Heartless is working away.
Maeda sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Heartless defending well though.
Maeda with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Maeda not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Maeda winds up and cracks Heartless with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Heartless keeping control of the position.
Maeda not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Maeda working Heartless over with strikes.
Heartless really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Maeda. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Maeda throwing shots but Heartless is blocking nicely.
Heartless avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maeda.
Heartless controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Heartless blocking the ground and pound attempt from Maeda.
Maeda not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Heartless avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maeda.
Heartless is not content to let Maeda control the position.
Maeda scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Maeda dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sloppy strikes from Heartless. Those never looked like landing.
Maeda appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Maeda closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Heartless quickly recovers to half guard.
Heartless tries to roll over but Maeda keeps him under control.
Maeda looks to land a strike but Heartless avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Maeda lands a couple of elbows.
Maeda stands and throws Heartless's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Maeda misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda scoring with punches and elbows.
The strikes coming from Maeda are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Maeda is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Heartless can do to turn this around?
Heartless is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda looks up at the clock and then as Heartless takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Maeda smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Maeda tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Maeda working the strikes but Heartless uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Heartless keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Maeda not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Maeda has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Maeda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Heartless's head.
Maeda misses with a head shot. Heartless uses the momentum to regain guard.
Maeda scoring with punches to the head and body.
Heartless keeping moving, preventing Maeda from controlling successfully.
Maeda throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Maeda throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Heartless preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Maeda working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Maeda wants to control from the top but Heartless keeps moving.
Elijah Heartless has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Heartless utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Maeda with a nice head shot there.
Heartless avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Maeda throws an elbow that misses. Heartless uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Maeda's guard. Nice move by Heartless!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda pulls Heartless in close to prevent any damage.
Heartless is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Maeda is trying to control the position but Heartless postures up.
Maeda throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Maeda pulls Heartless in close to prevent any damage.
Maeda is trying to keep Heartless in close.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Maeda lands a glancing blow to the side of Heartless's head.
Maeda with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Akira Maeda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Heartless keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maeda.
Heartless throws out a counter right but Maeda avoids it with no problem.
Maeda swings for the body but Heartless moves out of range.
Heartless throws a hook but Maeda avoids it easily.
A quick step to the side and Maeda tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Maeda throws a body shot but no joy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Maeda punishes Heartless's body with a nice straight punch.

Maeda shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Maeda dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Maeda ducks under a wild hook from Heartless.
Heartless swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Maeda throws a body shot but no joy.
Maeda throws a right and a left that both miss.
A little jabbing left from Heartless on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Maeda is looking to wear down Heartless with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Heartless takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Maeda looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Maeda misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Heartless.
Maeda on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda ducks under a wild hook from Heartless.
Maeda's jab looks to have found its range, popping Heartless under the eye.
Maeda changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Heartless tries to avoid it but Maeda manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Heartless to the ground. Heartless escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda misses the shot to the body.
Maeda digs a good body shot into Heartless's ribs.
Heartless throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Maeda feinted with a counter takedown.
Heartless connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Heartless throws a head kick that misses
and Maeda counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Maeda lands with a cross.
Maeda misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Heartless.
Maeda just misses with a punch to the body.
Maeda doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Heartless lands a nice shot to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Maeda 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Maeda lands with a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Heartless throws a body punch but Maeda moves out of range.
Maeda feinted with a counter takedown.
Heartless throws a poor cross that misses

and Maeda counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Heartless!
Maeda tries to move into full mount but can't pass Heartless's legs.
Maeda scoring with punches from side control.
Maeda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Heartless keeps working.
The strikes coming from Maeda are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heartless wants to control but Maeda postures up.
Maeda is looking to take a break and control but Heartless is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Maeda misses with the ground and pound.
Maeda is chipping away with strikes.
Maeda postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Maeda working away.
Maeda throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Akira Maeda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Heartless wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Heartless is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Maeda swats away the attempt to clinch by Heartless.
Maeda dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Akira Maeda showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maeda 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Akira Maeda!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Akira Maeda made sure he mentioned 160Q Energy for $150, along with how happy he was to win his fight.