PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jake Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pablo Rivera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Maia
vs
Rivera

150 cm
20
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Intelligent

Demonic Drugs
Demonic Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jake Maia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pablo Rivera!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Reed Andrews and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rivera shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rivera shoots in but Maia avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Maia drives through with a takedown into guard.

Rivera is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Maia postures up in Rivera's guard and throws a big left but Rivera blocks it.
Maia throwing strikes from guard but Rivera blocks nicely.
Maia missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Maia throws a strike but Rivera rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rivera wants to pass the guard but Maia is keeping the position.
Rivera stopping the sweep attempt from Maia.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera passes into half guard.
Maia really is a fat lump.

Rivera stands up from half guard.
Rivera with a lazy takedown attempt

and Maia counters with a shoot takedown. Rivera fights it but they end up in guard.
Jake Maia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pablo Rivera.
Maia won't allow Rivera to sweep him here.
Maia has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Maia working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Rivera working a defensive guard here.
Maia content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Maia throwing strikes but missing.
Maia with a nice head shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rivera not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Maia is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rivera utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Rivera looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rivera looks gassed!
Maia loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Maia scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Rivera escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Maia gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Maia forces his way into half guard.
Maia thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Nice strikes from Maia there.
Rivera is looking for a sweep. Maia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maia working over Rivera with some ground and pound. Rivera looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Maia blocks the strikes from Rivera.
Rivera blocking the ground and pound attempt from Maia.

Rivera looking for subs from the bottom but Maia mounts him!
Maia with a couple of short strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rivera tries to reverse the position but Maia maintains control.
Maia landing punches.
A nice elbow there by Maia.
Maia in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia dominating with strikes here.
Maia lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Rivera reaches up and holds on to Maia to control the position.
Rivera working to try and regain half guard.
Rivera regains half guard.
Rivera gets full guard.
Maia missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Rivera throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Maia dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Maia scores a takedown into full mount!
Rivera gets back to half guard.
Maia scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rivera manages to get to full guard.
Rivera is trying to keep Maia in close.
Maia lands a couple of digs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maia loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rivera preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Maia's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rivera 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.
Maia thows a big elbow that misses.

Rivera is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rivera avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rivera is on top in guard.

Rivera drops back looking for a leg! Maia is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Maia manages to kick Rivera off! Rivera jumps back into Maia's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Maia wants to sweep here but Rivera controlling him for the moment.
Rivera tries to free his leg and advance position but Maia is retaining full guard.

Rivera drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rivera jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rivera drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Maia manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rivera has Maia in his guard.
Jake Maia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maia sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rivera's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rivera is trying to maintain the position but Maia is very close to passing his half guard.
Rivera regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Maia.
Maia lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Maia content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Maia postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Rivera has his feet on Maia's thighs here. He's pushed Maia off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Maia screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Pablo Rivera!