PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akira Maeda (ranked 683 p4p, 931 weight class) and D.D Panda (ranked 104 p4p, 144 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Maeda
vs
Panda

192 cm
30
209
16 - 12 - 1

150 cm
30
205
14 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Shadow Realm Apparel
Northern Zombie

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Akira Maeda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, D.D Panda!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maeda throws a hook but Panda blocks it.
Maeda misses with a left hand

and Panda counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Maeda is trying to get back to full guard.
Panda sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Panda looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda is looking to improve his position.
Maeda's coaches at Zombie MMA have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Maeda wants to control but Panda is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Panda throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Maeda was covering up waiting for the punch and Panda finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Panda showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Panda trying to control the position from guard on top but Maeda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maeda looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Maeda keeping full guard, as Panda tries to pass.
Panda trying to control the position from guard on top but Maeda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Panda stopping the sweep attempt from Maeda.

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

Panda gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Panda looking to stall.
Maeda misses with some punches.
Panda content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Come on Panda - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Panda can't find room to land a body shot as Maeda controls the action.
Maeda doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Maeda lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Panda blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Panda looking to stall.
Panda has Maeda pressed against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Maeda fails to land.
Maeda can't find room to land a body shot as Panda controls the action.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Maeda as Panda tries to tie him up.
Panda pushes Maeda back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Maeda lands a right hand that snaps the head of Panda backwards.
Maeda working aggressively here.
Panda trying to control the position but instead, Maeda has worked for underhooks and has pushed Panda into the cage.
Panda has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Maeda seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Panda can turn it around.
A head punch on the inside from Maeda fails to land.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Panda pulls guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Maeda missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Maeda lands a couple of digs.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

D.D Panda dominated that round.
That's time! Maeda's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Panda closes the distance and clinches up with Maeda, looking for a takedown. Panda pushes Maeda against the cage but Maeda circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Maeda swings widly with a right hand

and Panda counters with a nice double leg into side control. Maeda won't be happy with that.
What's Maeda going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Panda slows the pace down.
Panda trying to control the position but Maeda is working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Maeda tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
A lull in the action here as Panda stalls from top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Maeda stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Maeda stuns Panda with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Panda lands with a good body shot.
Panda defending well as Maeda loads up on a big left hand.
Maeda listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

It looks like D.D Panda has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Panda is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Akira Maeda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maeda jabs Panda right on the nose. Panda blinks but takes it well.
Maeda throws a hook but Panda blocks it.
Panda lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Maeda avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Panda looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Maeda with a nice cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maeda throws a combination that misses

and Panda decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Maeda's guard.
Panda is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Panda preventing the sweep.
Panda controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda looking to hit a scissor sweep but Panda is one step ahead there.
Panda tries to free his leg and advance position but Maeda is retaining full guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Panda controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Panda keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maeda.
Panda feints the counter takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Maeda getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Panda.
Akira Maeda is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Panda is trying hard to land a takedown here. Maeda sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Akira Maeda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of D.D Panda.
Maeda thows a left - swing and a miss!
Panda throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Panda tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Maeda manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Maeda throwing a counter right hand but Panda manages to avoid it.
Maeda scores with a hook.
Panda ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maeda moves away.
Panda slips under a jab.
And Panda tries to counter it with a takedown but Maeda pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Panda is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maeda is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Maeda keeps the fight on the outside.
Panda keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maeda.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Panda blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Maeda lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Akira Maeda will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on D.D Panda's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Maeda throws a lazy right hand but Panda sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Maeda throws a right hand that misses

and Panda decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Maeda's guard.
Maeda lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Maeda trying to control the position from guard on top but Panda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maeda controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Maeda missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda throwing strikes from guard but Panda blocks nicely.
Maeda is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Maeda advances to mount.
Maeda misses with a head shot.
Panda is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Maeda looking to control but Panda is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Maeda lands a couple of good shots and Panda has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda wants to control the position but Panda frees himself and scrambles - Maeda manages to regain control in side control.
Maeda working the body and head with strikes.

That has opened up D.D Panda's cut even more.
Panda gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
D.D Panda has got the better of the ground game so far.
Maeda working away from the top, dropping strikes.

The cut above D.D Panda's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at D.D Panda's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Akira Maeda!
Akira Maeda took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Brooklyn Threads for their support in the buildup to the fight.