PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Osiris Maharajah (ranked 860 p4p, 826 weight class) and Roberto Fabinho (ranked 129 p4p, 127 weight class). Fabinho has chosen Glowed Up - Kaytranada as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Maharajah
vs
Fabinho

186 cm
25
190
8 - 3 - 0

193 cm
27
200
10 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Red Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

HELLBENT

Carnage

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Osiris Maharajah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roberto Fabinho!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Paul Tew and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maharajah looks to throw the jab but Fabinho is out of range.
Maharajah fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Maharajah uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fabinho.
Fabinho fails to land with a series of punches.
Maharajah scores with a body shot.
Maharajah with a nice cross.

Maharajah gets a takedown into half guard.
Maharajah is thwarting Fabinho's attempts to control the position.
Fabinho is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Maharajah working Fabinho over with strikes.
Maharajah working the head and body with strikes.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Maharajah is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maharajah thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Fabinho's head.
Fabinho is looking for a sweep. Maharajah is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Fabinho is refusing to be controlled, as Maharajah sits in half guard.

Fabinho looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Fabinho looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Fabinho trying to control but Maharajah postures up.

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.
Maharajah is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Fabinho gets back to full guard.
Maharajah is looking to work some ground and pound but Fabinho has wrist control.

Maharajah avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Fabinho is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fabinho looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Fabinho has momentary wrist control but Maharajah slips an elbow through the middle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho is trying to keep Maharajah in close.
Maharajah looking to sit in guard and control but Fabinho gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Maharajah wants to control but Fabinho passes easily into half guard.
Maharajah moves into full guard.
Fabinho slips nicely into half guard.
Fabinho throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Maharajah to regain full guard.
Fabinho trying to control but Maharajah is working from the bottom.
Fabinho throws a strike but Maharajah rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho working a defensive guard here.
Fabinho 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.
Maharajah stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Fabinho swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maharajah lands a couple of digs.
Maharajah slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Fabinho lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Maharajah is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Osiris Maharajah dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Fabinho moves out of range as Maharajah strikes.
Maharajah swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Fabinho feints the counter takedown.
Maharajah doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Fabinho connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A swing and a miss from Maharajah.
Fabinho lands a head shot.
Maharajah looks to land a left hand but Fabinho moved out of range nicely.
Fabinho wants to clinch.
Maharajah scores with a nice head shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maharajah throws a shot from downtown. Fabinho moves away and avoids it.
Fabinho uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Maharajah.
Maharajah comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Nice defenses there by Fabinho.
Fabinho avoids the body shot from Maharajah.
And Fabinho tries to counter it with a takedown but Maharajah pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maharajah defending well as Fabinho loads up on a big left hand.
Maharajah just misses with a punch to the body.
Osiris Maharajah is winning the standup battle so far.
Fabinho throws a hook to the side of Maharajah's head but Maharajah sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Maharajah keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maharajah is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Fabinho can do to turn this around?
Fabinho uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maharajah.
Fabinho changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Fabinho scores with a decent looking hook.
Maharajah shoots in and drives through. Fabinho sprawls well.
Osiris Maharajah seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fighters circle momentarily. Fabinho darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Fabinho wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Fabinho tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Maharajah manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Maharajah keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Fabinho.
Maharajah definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Fabinho throws a body shot but no joy.

Maharajah has closed the distance and engaged Fabinho in a clinch.

Fabinho gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Maharajah looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Maharajah not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho is working Maharajah over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Fabinho pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Maharajah is keeping the position for now.
Maharajah working a defensive guard here.
Fabinho forces his way into half guard.
Fabinho is trying to control. Maharajah wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Maharajah is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fabinho misses with a head shot. Maharajah uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho passes Maharajah's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Maharajah looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Maharajah desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Fabinho is trying to control the action in half guard but Maharajah is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Fabinho is taking a breather. Maharajah says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Maharajah is trying to maintain the position but Fabinho is very close to passing his half guard.

Fabinho is trying to work for a kimura but Maharajah is defending well.
Fabinho is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Fabinho wants to control from the top but Maharajah keeps moving.
Fabinho stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maharajah swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Fabinho showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Fabinho keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maharajah lands a jab.
Maharajah connects with a jab.

Fabinho fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Maharajah sprawls well initially but Fabinho persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Maharajah is defending against the submission attempts here by Fabinho.
Fabinho is stalling here. Maharajah is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Fabinho seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Maharajah has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Fabinho looks to move to half guard but instead Maharajah has passed into mount! Damn!
Fabinho tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maharajah working Fabinho over with strikes here.
Fabinho keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Maharajah lands a big elbow.
Fabinho is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Maharajah lands a heavy elbow.
Maharajah looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Maharajah is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Fabinho has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Fabinho is looking to improve his position but Maharajah isn't that keen on the idea.
Maharajah controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Maharajah trying to control the position here.
Maharajah manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Fabinho manages to get himself to full guard.

Osiris Maharajah overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Fabinho is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Fabinho looking for a sweep. Not yet Fabinho, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho keeping moving, preventing Maharajah from controlling successfully.
Maharajah is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Fabinho is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Maharajah passes Fabinho's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Maharajah scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Maharajah is trying to control. Fabinho wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Fabinho wants to control but Maharajah is keeping busy.
Maharajah is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fabinho is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fabinho wants to control but Maharajah is keeping busy.
Fabinho wants to improve his position but Maharajah is controlling well.
Fabinho has hold of Maharajah's hands but Maharajah slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fabinho tries to roll over but Maharajah keeps him under control.
Maharajah landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Fabinho gets full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Osiris Maharajah showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maharajah 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Osiris Maharajah!
Roberto Fabinho was interviewed post fight and said 'Man that was a tough fight. I didn�t take my opponent very seriously leading up to this fight but I�ll keep going. I know I�m the most dangerous in this division and will get that gold eventually'.