PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dakota Maynard (ranked 1393 p4p, 2724 weight class) and Steve Louis (ranked 81 p4p, 147 weight class). Steve Louis will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Maynard
vs
Louis

170 cm
27
145
9 - 1 - 0

170 cm
27
140
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dakota Maynard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Steve Louis!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Maynard has closed the distance and engaged Louis in a clinch.
Maynard goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Louis.

Louis has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Maynard regains guard immediately.
Maynard tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Louis has gone for a leg lock! Maynard slips out almost immediately though and dives into Louis's guard.

Maynard sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Louis is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Louis is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Maynard sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two 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.
Maynard looking to pass the guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Maynard is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Maynard pushes Louis up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Louis gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Louis wants to take a breather but Maynard is having none of it.
Maynard is pressing down on Louis's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Maynard keeping moving, preventing Louis from controlling successfully.
Louis slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Maynard has Louis pulled in close to control his posture.
Louis showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Louis trying to control the position from guard on top but Maynard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maynard being controlled here, momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Maynard tries to close the distance and clinch but Louis swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Louis manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Maynard on his heels. He'll look to pass Maynard's guard now, I'm sure.
Louis preventing the sweep.

Maynard is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Louis is aware though and is defending well.
Maynard wants to sweep here but Louis controlling him for the moment.
Louis stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maynard swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Louis trying to control the position from guard on top but Maynard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Louis preventing the sweep.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Steve Louis will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Louis throws a body shot but no joy.

Maynard has managed to clinch.

Louis gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Louis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maynard keeps working.
Maynard gets back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maynard seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Maynard is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Louis stands and throws Maynard's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Maynard is not content to let Louis control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Louis tries for a kimura but Maynard is defending well.
Maynard is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Zombie MMA, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Steve Louis has got the better of the ground game so far.

Louis is trying to get an arm triangle but Maynard is defending well.
Louis trying to control the position but Maynard is working away.
Maynard struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Louis goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Maynard rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Louis's guard! Nice work there by Maynard!
Maynard sitting in guard here, content to control.

Louis working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Maynard doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Maynard manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Maynard content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maynard continues to stall.
Louis looking to control.
Maynard is stalling in the full guard.
Louis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

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.
Maynard slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Maynard pushes Louis up against the cage in a clinch.

Louis pulls guard successfully.
Louis looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maynard is one step ahead there.
Maynard not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maynard stopping the sweep attempt from Louis.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Steve Louis will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Maynard misses the shot to the body.

Maynard gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Maynard has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Louis lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Louis is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Maynard reverses the position - he's now on top in Louis's guard.
Maynard slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Maynard taking a breather here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Louis is trying to control Maynard's posture but Maynard avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Louis is looking for a sweep.
Maynard controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Louis tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Maynard wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The referee asks Maynard politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Maynard prefers to stall for the moment though.
An elbow from Maynard crashes against the mat.
Maynard controls the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Maynard has managed to clinch.
A short body shot lands from Maynard as the two fighters clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Louis takes a shot to the head.

Maynard decides to pull guard.
Maynard wants to sweep here but Louis controlling him for the moment.
Louis trying to control but Maynard is working from the bottom.
Louis advances to half guard.
Maynard is trying to control but Louis manages to pass to mount!
Maynard wants to control but Louis is having none of it.

Louis goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Maynard is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maynard controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Louis wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Maynard is now in half guard.
Maynard with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Dakota Maynard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steve Louis is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Louis avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maynard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dakota Maynard showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Louis 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Steve Louis!