PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Owens (ranked 24723 p4p, 24295 weight class) and James Maddison (ranked 705 p4p, 670 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Owens might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Fight. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Owens
vs
Maddison

185 cm
19
155
1 - 6 - 1

178 cm
19
150
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Kevin Owens!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, James Maddison!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Lou da Vinci and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Owens defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Maddison.
Owens looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Maddison throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Owens swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Maddison avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Maddison shoots in and drives through. Owens sprawls well.
Maddison shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Owens sprawls well. Owens wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Maddison gets slowly back to his feet.
Kevin Owens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Maddison.
Maddison misses with a takedown attempt - Owens sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Owens seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Owens throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Maddison moves into the clinch successfully.
Maddison prevents Owens from breaking the clinch.
Maddison is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Owens pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Owens keeps control of Maddison as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Owens really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Owens lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Owens is working for takedown but Maddison is calmly controlling the position for now.

Maddison pulls Owens into guard.

Maddison is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Maddison has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Owens off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Maddison fails to land the takedown.
Maddison shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Owens as he jumps to the side.
Maddison fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maddison clinches with his opponent.

Owens's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Maddison shoots in for a takedown but Owens shows good takedown defense.

Owens shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Maddison manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Owens keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Maddison manages to pull guard.

Owens got a little sloppy there for a moment and Maddison has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Owens has managed to get both his arms back between Maddison's legs - danger averted.
Maddison keeping moving, preventing Owens from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Owens throwing strikes from guard but Maddison blocks nicely.
Maddison has Owens pulled in close to control his posture.
Maddison has a closed guard, preventing Owens from standing up.

Maddison working for a triangle but Owens defends it easily.
Maddison seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Owens looking to sit in guard and control but Maddison gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Maddison controlling from the top position.

Maddison stands up from Owens's guard - Maddison perhaps looking for a knockout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Owens throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Maddison pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Owens leaves Maddison with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Maddison has taken the fight to the clinch.
Maddison wants to break the clinch but can't.
Maddison lands a right hand that snaps the head of Owens backwards.
Maddison has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Owens is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Maddison can't get the takedown.
Kevin Owens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Maddison.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Owens wants to break the clinch but can't.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Owens wants to get back to striking at distance but Maddison won't allow it.
Owens tries to break the clinch but Maddison is controlling the position.
Owens is trying to pull guard but Maddison has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Owens prevents the takedown attempt.
Maddison tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Owens working hard to break the clinch.

Maddison is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Owens can't fight it off and eventually Maddison manages to take the fight to the floor. Owens looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Maddison looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Maddison with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maddison is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Maddison is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Maddison controls from within his opponent's guard.
James Maddison has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Owens is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Maddison fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Owens throws a big counter combination but Maddison scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Maddison gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Maddison tries for a takedown but Owens manages to get underhooks.
Maddison controlling the action here for a moment.

Owens breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maddison fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Maddison fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Owens keeps the fight on the outside.
Owens clobbers Maddison with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Maddison wants to clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Owens throws a combination that misses
and Maddison counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

James Maddison showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Owens avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Owens's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Maddison connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Owens scrambles back to his feet.
Maddison shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Owens as he avoids it easily.
Maddison tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Owens swivels and escapes.
Owens lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Owens.
Owens keeps the fight on the outside.
Maddison will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kevin Owens has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Maddison.
Maddison defending well as Owens loads up on a big left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Owens throws a shot from downtown. Maddison moves away and avoids it.
Maddison shoots in but no luck this time.
Owens appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Maddison is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Owens swats away the attempt to clinch by Maddison.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Owens stuffs the takedown.
Owens throws a counter high kick but Maddison was just alert enough to avoid it.
Maddison fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Owens avoids it really well and circles away.
Owens goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Maddison shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Owens as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Owens misses with a hook.

Maddison clinches up with Owens and pushes him back against the cage.

Owens pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Owens tries to keep at a distance but Maddison has taken the fight into the clinch.
Owens swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Maddison successfully pulls guard.
Maddison is pulling down on Owens's head. It's preventing any offense from Owens, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maddison working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Owens.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Owens looking to pass the guard.
Maddison avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maddison has a closed guard, preventing Owens from standing up.
Owens throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Owens has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Maddison controlling the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Kevin Owens has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maddison looks to score with a jab to the body but Owens is just out of range.

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.
Maddison pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maddison gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Owens counters with a stiff right hand.
Maddison wants to clinch up but Owens keeps it at a distance.

Maddison pushes Owens up against the cage in a clinch.
Owens is working for takedown but Maddison is calmly controlling the position for now.
A short right from Maddison.
Maddison drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Owens gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Owens tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Maddison avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kevin Owens showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Maddison has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Maddison!