PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Wand Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacob Edwards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Maia
vs
Edwards

180 cm
18
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

186 cm
21
192 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Wand Maia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jacob Edwards!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Chris Downing and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Edwards shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Maia but Maia pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Edwards tries to clinch but Maia moves out of range.
Maia shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Edwards pinned against the cage. Edwards gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Maia smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Edwards tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Edwards scores with a kick to the body.
Jacob Edwards seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Edwards tries for a takedown but Maia circles away easily

and Maia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Edwards is looking to improve his position.

Edwards looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Edwards is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Edwards wants to control the action here but instead Maia manages to pass to full mount!
Edwards is desperately trying to improve his position but Maia has a good base and remains in mount.
Edwards tries to lock up and control but Maia gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Edwards working to try and regain half guard.
Edwards looks gassed!

Maia with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Edwards is working to get back to half guard.
Maia tries to control but Edwards wriggling away.

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.
Edwards tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Edwards bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Maia pushes Edwards off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Maia swats away the attempt to clinch by Edwards.
Maia slips a jab and a cross from Edwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Edwards tries to clinch

and Maia counters with a shoot takedown. Edwards fights it but they end up in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Maia accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Edwards looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Maia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Edwards counters by clinching up.
Edwards is trying to stall.
Maia wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Edwards has him pressed against the ropes.
Edwards stalling in the clinch.
Maia fails to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maia has Edwards pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Edwards manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wand Maia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maia is trying to break the clinch but Edwards has him pressed against the ropes.
Maia fails to pull guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maia is looking to break free of the clinch but Edwards has double underhooks.
Maia is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Edwards gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Maia wants a takedown but no success here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Edwards pressing his opponent against the ropes.

Edwards escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Edwards drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Edwards slips nicely into half guard.

Edwards is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Maia defends it well.

Edwards is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Maia defends it well.
Maia wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia blocking the ground and pound attempt from Edwards.
Edwards wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maia keeps working.

Edwards is looking for a kimura but Maia is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Edwards to get the leverage.
Edwards tries to stand but can't do so whilst Maia controls his leg.
Maia trying to hold on to Edwards's head to control him but Edwards postures up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maia avoids the head kick by Edwards.

Maia darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Edwards 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.

Edwards throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Maia gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Edwards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Maia clinches but Edwards breaks the clinch
and Edwards counters with a head kick.
Edwards takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Edwards is looking to clinch but Maia is avoiding it.
Maia throws a sloppy head kick and Edwards moves out of range easily.
Maia tries to clinch but Edwards moves out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maia keeps the fight on the outside.

Maia darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Maia is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia thows a huge punch but Edwards dodges it nicely.
Maia thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The fighters are battling for position here. Edwards manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Edwards throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Edwards not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Maia is looking to work some ground and pound but Edwards has wrist control.
Maia wants to control from the top but Edwards keeps moving.

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.
Edwards keeping full guard, as Maia tries to pass.
Wand Maia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Edwards 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 wants to pass the guard but Edwards is keeping the position.

Edwards is looking for a triangle here but Maia uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Maia wants to control but Edwards is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Jacob Edwards just about did enough to take it.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Maia throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Edwards sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Edwards tries to clinch but Maia is having none of it.
Edwards closes the distance looking to clinch

and Maia counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Edwards!
Edwards is trying desperately to improve position.
Edwards slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Edwards looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Edwards won't allow Maia to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edwards is trying to get back to full guard.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Edwards is refusing to be controlled, as Maia sits in half guard.
Edwards regains full guard. Nicely done.
Maia sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Edwards's guard.
Edwards is staying active underneath Maia, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
It looks like Maia is going to stand back up.
Edwards wants to control but Maia is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Maia prevents Edwards from standing back up.

Edwards looking for submissions off his back.

That's two 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.
Edwards misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Maia.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Jab from Edwards.
Edwards keeps the fight on the outside.
Edwards goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Maia shoots and misses

and Edwards counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Maia flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maia looks like he's trying to stand up.
Edwards wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maia keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Edwards dominated that fourth round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Maia shoots in but Edwards avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Maia drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Edwards looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Maia loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Edwards pulls Maia in close to prevent any damage.
Edwards being controlled here, momentarily.

Edwards 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.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia trying to stand up but can't free himself from Edwards's guard.

Edwards looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Maia 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.

Edwards has his foot on Maia's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Maia works his way back into a safe position though.

Edwards throws his legs up looking for a submission but Maia uses it to pass to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edwards sneaks back into half guard.
Edwards is not content to let Maia control the position.
Edwards gets full guard.
Maia wanted to stand there but Edwards had control of the position.

Edwards looking for a guillotine here but Maia defends easily.
Edwards wants to sweep here but Maia controlling him for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacob Edwards comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Edwards 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 46:49
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 46:49
Judge George Francis scores the fight 46:49

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacob Edwards!