PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aun Drash (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aun Drash could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to James Maia's chin.

Drash
vs
Maia

180 cm
19
173 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

176 cm
22
164 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Aun Drash!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, James Maia!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Sam Margolis and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maia thumps Drash with a low kick.
Maia doesn't manage to clinch there - Drash circles away.
Maia stuffs the takedown attempt from Drash. Drash gets slowly back to his feet.
Maia tried to score with a low kick but Drash checks it.
Maia moves in looking to clinch but Drash pushes him off.
Maia wants to clinch up but Drash keeps it at a distance.
Maia cracks the inside of Drash's front leg.
Maia tries to clinch but Drash is having none of it.

Maia pushes Drash up against the cage in a clinch.
Maia landing knees to the head.
Maia stalling.
Maia landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Maia connects with a knee to the head.
Drash takes an elbow to the temple.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maia looking to throw knees to the head but Drash is blocking nicely.
Maia taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia lands an elbow inside that Drash shrugs off.
Drash is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A knee to the head by Maia.
Drash jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Maia walks away with a smile on his face. Drash gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aun Drash. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maia swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Drash checks a leg kick.
Maia throws a sloppy head kick and Drash moves out of range easily.
James Maia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maia moves in looking to clinch but Drash pushes him off.
Maia doesn't manage to clinch there - Drash circles away.
Drash changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Maia tries to avoid it but Drash manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Maia to the ground. Maia escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Maia is looking to clinch.
A big left from Maia misses.
Drash avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

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.
Maia wants to clinch.
Drash keeps the fight on the outside.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch but Drash swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Drash throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Maia's waist but Maia gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Drash off to one side.
Drash shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Maia pinned against the cage. Maia gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Drash circles away from the clinch attempt.
Maia tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drash swats away the attempt to clinch by Maia.
Maia tries to clinch up but Drash circles away and keeps his distance.
Drash blocks a low kick nicely.
Maia throws a half hearted mid kick.
Drash avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maia wants to clinch up but Drash keeps it at a distance.
Maia tries to clinch up but Drash circles away and keeps his distance.
Maia tries to clinch but Drash moves out of range.
Drash avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maia tries to clinch up.

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.
Maia looks to score with a jab to the body but Drash is just out of range.
Maia tries to clinch there but Drash circles away.
Drash avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Maia fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Drash checks a leg kick.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Drash paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Drash swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Drash tries for a takedown but Maia sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Drash avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maia stuffs the takedown attempt from Drash. Drash gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Maia dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Maia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Drash checks a leg kick.
Maia throws a half hearted mid kick.
Drash tries for a takedown but Maia sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Drash.
Maia tries to clinch up.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Maia. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drash closes the distance and clinches up with Maia, looking for a takedown. Drash pushes Maia against the cage but Maia circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aun Drash. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Maia.
Drash swats away the attempt to clinch by Maia.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia fails in his attempt to clinch.
Maia moves in looking to clinch but Drash pushes him off.
Maia tries to clinch there but Drash circles away.
Drash tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Maia swivels and escapes.
Drash shoots for a double leg takedown but Maia sprawls well. He's pushed Drash's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Maia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch but Drash swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Maia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Drash shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Maia as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Maia fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Drash.
Maia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maia tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Maia fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maia throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Drash.
Maia looks to score with a jab to the body but Drash is just out of range.
Maia wants to clinch up but Drash keeps it at a distance.
Maia moves in looking to clinch but Drash pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia wants to clinch.
Maia pivots, looking for a leg kick but Drash is out of range and Maia settles back down.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Drash shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Maia but Maia pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Maia is looking to clinch.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch but Drash swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Drash keeps the fight on the outside.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Drash paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Maia moves in looking to clinch but Drash pushes him off.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Drash paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Drash swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maia misses with a head kick.
Maia fails in his attempt to clinch.
Drash swats away the attempt to clinch by Maia.
Drash shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Maia pinned against the cage. Maia gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maia tries to clinch there but Drash circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Maia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Drash fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Maia moves in looking to clinch but Drash pushes him off.
Maia is looking to clinch but Drash is avoiding it.
Maia tries to clinch but Drash moves out of range.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Drash swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Maia closes the distance and clinches.
Maia is stalling here.

Maia drags the fight down to the ground.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Maia can do anything to dispel that myth.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Drash 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.
Maia trying to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drash 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.

Drash drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Drash jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Drash looking to pass the guard.

Drash drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Maia manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Drash has Maia in his guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Maia got a little sloppy there for a moment and Drash has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maia has managed to get both his arms back between Drash's legs - danger averted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Maia trying to stand up but can't free himself from Drash's guard.

Drash working for a triangle but Maia defends it easily.
Drash keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drash is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Maia defends well.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia wants to control from the top but Drash keeps moving.
Maia landing some decent shots from guard.
James Maia is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Drash has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Maia can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Aun Drash has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Drash looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Maia passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aun Drash showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Maia 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29

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