PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Osiris Maharajah (ranked 1312 p4p, 2194 weight class) and Suzaku Kururugi (ranked 195 p4p, 299 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Suzaku Kururugi was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Maharajah
vs
Kururugi

186 cm
24
190
5 - 2 - 0

187 cm
24
185
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)
HELLBENT

Urban Fighter

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Osiris Maharajah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Suzaku Kururugi!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Radbod Blank and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kururugi buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Maharajah takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Maharajah showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kururugi.
Jab, jab by Kururugi - just one landing.
Maharajah lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kururugi at a distance.
Maharajah shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Kururugi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maharajah's jab looks to have found its range, popping Kururugi under the eye.
Kururugi fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Maharajah has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Maharajah throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good exchange - Kururugi coming out on top.
Maharajah lands a glancing blow to the side of Kururugi's head.
Kururugi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maharajah avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kururugi cracks Maharajah with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Kururugi dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kururugi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Maharajah counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Kururugi scores with a spinning back kick!
Kururugi connects with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maharajah fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kururugi manages to avoid it.
It seemed like Kururugi was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Kururugi's coach down at Deep waters was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Kururugi's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Kururugi throws a body kick that misses.
Maharajah definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kururugi fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Maharajah looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Kururugi blocks a jab.
Maharajah on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
A nice inside leg kick there by Kururugi. That's going to slow Maharajah down.
Maharajah bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Kururugi throws a nice inside leg kick.

Maharajah clinches up against the cage.
Maharajah tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kururugi swings wildly with an uppercut but Maharajah uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kururugi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Maharajah fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kururugi tries a body shot but Maharajah blocks it.
Kururugi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Maharajah gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Kururugi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Maharajah is working away from the top position though.
Maharajah throws a strike but Kururugi avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Maharajah accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kururugi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Maharajah lands a couple of elbows.
Kururugi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Maharajah postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kururugi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Maharajah is pushing down on Kururugi's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kururugi is fighting to maintain full guard but Maharajah has managed to sneak the leg through.
Maharajah is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Maharajah 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.
Maharajah winds up and cracks Kururugi with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maharajah throwing shots but Kururugi is blocking nicely.
Maharajah throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Maharajah not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Maharajah throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Maharajah has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Osiris Maharajah will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Maharajah ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Maharajah shoots in and drives through. Kururugi sprawls well.
A shot to the liver by Maharajah. Beautiful body shot.
Kururugi lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kururugi avoids the body shot from Maharajah.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kururugi throws a quick inside leg kick.
Nice shot by Kururugi.
Kururugi connects with a jab.
Maharajah is looking to wear down Kururugi with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maharajah lands a really nice looking cross but Kururugi seems unphased.
Maharajah throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maharajah blocks a jab.
Kururugi slips under a jab.
Kururugi throws out a counter right but Maharajah avoids it with no problem.
Suzaku Kururugi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kururugi throws the left hand but Maharajah avoids the punch easily.
Maharajah misses with a body shot.
Kururugi looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Kururugi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Maharajah.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maharajah. Kururugi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kururugi misses with the body kick
and Maharajah counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Suzaku Kururugi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maharajah connects with a crisp jab.
Maharajah fails with the takedown
and Kururugi makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Osiris Maharajah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kururugi catches Maharajah with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Maharajah misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kururugi.
Kururugi tried to score with a low kick but Maharajah checks it.
Kururugi stuns Maharajah with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kururugi lands a jab.
Kururugi scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kururugi delivers a nice body kick.
Nice uppercut lands for Kururugi. That snapped Maharajah's head back.
Kururugi takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Kururugi swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Maharajah closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kururugi.
Kururugi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kururugi lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Maharajah.
Kururugi gets through Maharajah's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kururugi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kururugi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kururugi blocks an uppercut.
Maharajah blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kururugi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Maharajah misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch on the inside from Maharajah fails to land.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kururugi lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Maharajah is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A head punch on the inside from Kururugi fails to land.
Maharajah misses with a punch to the body.
Maharajah scores with a shot to the side of Kururugi's head.
Maharajah misses with a body punch.
Maharajah misses with some punches.
Kururugi pushes Maharajah back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kururugi misses with a hook from the clinch.
Maharajah lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kururugi can't find room to land a body shot as Maharajah controls the action.
Kururugi pushes Maharajah back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Maharajah works on Kururugi's body with a couple of short punches.
Osiris Maharajah has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A shot in the inside from Maharajah.
Kururugi tries to work over Maharajah's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Maharajah lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short right from Maharajah.
Maharajah has a couple of punches blocked by Kururugi.
Kururugi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Suzaku Kururugi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kururugi lands with a good body shot.
Kururugi scores with a punch to the head.
Maharajah shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Kururugi counters with a two punch combo.
A jab from Maharajah misses.
Kururugi misses with a right hand
and Maharajah makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Kururugi lands a head shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maharajah with a lazy takedown attempt
and Kururugi counters with a nice uppercut.
Kururugi lets loose with a powerful body kick. Maharajah will feel that in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maharajah blocks a low kick nicely.
Kururugi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maharajah is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Maharajah doesn't manage to clinch there - Kururugi circles away.
Kururugi fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Maharajah throws a poor cross that misses
and Kururugi counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kururugi throws a right hand that misses
and Maharajah counters with a nice uppercut.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Maharajah.
Maharajah 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kururugi is not content to let Maharajah control the position.
Maharajah scores with punches from side control.
Maharajah throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Maharajah lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maharajah tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
An elbow from Maharajah crashes against the mat.
Sloppy strikes there by Maharajah.
Maharajah trying to control the position but Kururugi is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An elbow from Maharajah crashes against the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maharajah with the ground and pound but Kururugi regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Maharajah missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Maharajah tries to pass to full mount but Kururugi defends it.
Maharajah is keen to just control but Kururugi is a slippery customer.
Maharajah throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ground and pound from Maharajah.

That's four 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.
Maharajah winds up and cracks Kururugi with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Maharajah trying to control from half guard but Kururugi is working away.
Maharajah thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kururugi's head.
Maharajah throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Maharajah trying to pass the guard but Kururugi defending well.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Maharajah lands a nice short elbow.
Maharajah trying to control the action but Kururugi is working from the bottom.
Maharajah thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kururugi's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Osiris Maharajah.
I think Maharajah has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight for Osiris Maharajah!
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight for Osiris Maharajah!
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight for Osiris Maharajah!

Osiris Maharajah wins by unanimous decision!