PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cory Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maia has chosen Gucci Mane vs. Drake - Runnin' Closer as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Tom Watson has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Tom Watson seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Watson
vs
Maia

183 cm
19
197 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

189 cm
22
210 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Fighting Spirit
► *159+ for $200 * Total Destruction Pharmac

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tom Watson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cory Maia!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watson has a takedown stuffed.

Watson gets a takedown into half guard.
Watson tries to stand but can't do so whilst Maia controls his leg.
Watson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Watson throws a strike but Maia avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Maia pushes Watson off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Watson throws a right and a left that Maia avoids nicely.
Maia is looking to clinch but Watson is avoiding it.
Cory Maia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Maia uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Watson has time to react.
Watson throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Maia.
Maia throws a nice inside leg kick.
Watson misses with a looping left.
Maia lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Good standup being displayed there by Maia as he connects with a hook.
Maia scores with a nice strike.
Maia throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Watson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Maia is trying to stand.
Watson misses with a head shot. Maia uses the momentum to regain guard.

Watson stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Maia lands with a kick to the temple. Watson shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maia misses with a straight left.
Cory Maia is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A chopping leg kick lands by Maia.
Maia lands a jab to the nose.
Maia clinches but Watson breaks the clinch

and Watson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Maia!
Watson working some short elbows here. He postures up to throw some more ground and pound but Maia slips a leg through to get back to half guard. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maia looks like he's trying to stand up.
Watson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Watson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Maia works to full guard.
Watson throws and elbow that misses. Maia uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Watson's guard. Nice move by Maia!

Watson working for submissions but it's allowed Maia to get to half guard.
Watson is breathing heavily.
Watson is looking for a sweep. Maia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Watson controlling the position for now.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Maia decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
A combination from Maia does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Maia finds it's way through Watson's defenses.
Maia throws a head kick but Watson moves out of range.
Maia tries to move into range but Watson moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Maia looks to land a combination but Watson avoids it well.
Good exchange - Maia coming out on top.
Maia scores with a jab to the jaw.
Maia lands a head kick. Watson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Maia tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Maia scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watson misses with a double jab.
Maia leaves Watson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Maia misses with a straight left.
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 Tom Watson will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Maia clobbers Watson with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Watson on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Maia lands with a nice combination. Watson backs away looking to recover.
Tom Watson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick by Watson misses
and Maia counters with a two punch combo.
Watson walks into a stiff left hand from Maia.
A jab from Maia finds it's way through Watson's defenses.
Watson throws a sloppy body shot
and Maia counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Watson is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Maia fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maia lands with an uppercut that bounces Watson off the cage and back into rage.
Maia throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Watson throws a hook to the side of Maia's head but Maia sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Watson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Maia fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia looks to clinch

and Watson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Maia's guard now.

Watson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Maia looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Maia looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Maia!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Watson throws Maia to one side and escapes!
Watson with a jab.
Maia stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Maia blocks a head kick by Watson.
Maia scores with a head kick.
Watson drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maia throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Watson's head.
Maia tries to clinch
and Watson counters with a one-two to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia is looking to clinch.
Maia lands a head kick. Watson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Watson needs to keep his hands up - Maia had a free shot at his head there.
Maia connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Maia misses with a series of wild punches.
Nice sprawl there from Maia as Watson shoots in.
Watson takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Watson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Maia scores with a hook.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Watson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maia avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Maia.
A swing and a miss from Maia.
A slapping body kick lands there for Maia.
Maia misses with a wild combination.

Watson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Maia squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Watson throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Maia is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Watson wants to control the pace but Maia is squirming around nicely.
Watson thowing shots but they're missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson tries to control but Maia wriggling away.
Maia's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Watson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Watson working some short elbows here. He postures up to throw some more ground and pound but Maia slips a leg through to get back to half guard. Nice work.
Watson wants to stand up but Maia is controlling the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Cory Maia will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Maia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Watson scores with a three punch combo!

It looks like Cory Maia has been cut.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Watson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Maia throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Maia thows a left - swing and a miss!
Maia connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Maia tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Maia throws a head kick that Watson semi-blocks.
Watson shoots in but Maia avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Maia scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson avoids the head kick by Maia.
Maia tries to clinch but Watson is having none of it.
Maia connects with a nice looking jab.
A head kick misses from Maia.
Maia tries to clinch but Watson moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Maia.
Maia lands a high kick!
Watson takes one on the button.
Maia tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Maia misses with a hook. Watson ducked under it nicely.
Watson moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

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.
Watson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Maia throws a hook but Watson blocks it.
Maia rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Watson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Maia throws a jab when Watson was well out of range.
Maia moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Watson misses with a hook. Maia ducked under it nicely.
Maia throws a right hand that Watson ducks under and follows up with a left that Watson also avoids with ease.
Maia walks into a jab.
Watson walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Maia checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Watson moves out of range as Maia throws a body kick.
Maia bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Watson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cory Maia seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Maia lands a high kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia throws a body punch but Watson moves out of range.
Maia lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Watson circles away quickly and effectively.
The fighters circling - Maia throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Maia looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Watson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Watson scoring with punches and elbows.
Maia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Watson goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Maia rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Watson's guard! Nice work there by Maia!

Watson looking for subs off his back but Maia has passed one foot through into half guard.

Watson kicks off Maia and gets to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Nice jab there from Maia.
A low kick from Watson is predictable there
and Maia counters with a nice uppercut.
Maia looks to land a left hand but Watson moved out of range nicely.
Maia connects with a good right hand that stumbles Watson. Watson circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Maia throws a nice looking combination but Watson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Maia pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Watson moves out of range of the body kick from Maia.
Maia tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Watson counters with a stiff right hand.

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 Tom Watson.
I think Watson 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Watson!