PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Cordeiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cordeiro's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Perry Mason. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Cordeiro
vs
Maia

170 cm
19
168 lbs
1 - 7 - 0

183 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Tends to cut

Win Nutritional

Win Nutritional
Fight For Real MMA Nutrition

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 1 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Cordeiro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Damian Maia!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Alexandre Firmino and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cordeiro keeps the fight on the outside.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cordeiro swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Maia scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Maia is taking a breather. Cordeiro 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.

Maia is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Maia is trying to work for a kimura but Cordeiro is defending well.

Maia wants to work for an arm triangle but Cordeiro is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Cordeiro is defending against the submission attempts here by Maia.
Maia wants to free his trapped foot but Cordeiro is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia looks gassed!
Maia is stalling here. Cordeiro is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Maia seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Cordeiro has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Maia tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Maia is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Maia wants to get back to full guard.
Cordeiro thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Maia's head.

Maia actively working from the bottom here.
Cordeiro passes to side control.

That's two 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 is trying to escape the position but Cordeiro is controlling the position.
Maia tries to bench press Cordeiro off him but Cordeiro keeps the position.
Maia takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Cordeiro tries to stand but Maia is controlling his head.
Cordeiro knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Maia on the ground.
You can see the frustration on Maia's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cordeiro trying to control the position but Maia is working away.

Cordeiro stands up and beckons Maia to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maia looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Maia missing with a left hand there. Cordeiro was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Maia tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cordeiro tries to clinch but Maia is having none of it.
Maia tries to clinch up

and Cordeiro counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Maia's guard now.

Maia is looking for a triangle but Cordeiro pushes his legs off easily.

Maia isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Cordeiro stacks Maia on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Cordeiro!
Maia manages to work his way to half guard, despite Cordeiro's best efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cordeiro is working away from the top position though.
Maia is not content to let Cordeiro control the position.
Maia moves into full guard.

Maia working for a triangle but Cordeiro defends it easily.
Maia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cordeiro's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cordeiro keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
Maia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Maia dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Maia wants to clinch

and Cordeiro moves into the clinch.
Maia goes for a takedown attempt but Cordeiro pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Cordeiro moves away from the strike by Maia.

Cordeiro pushes Maia up against the cage in a clinch.
Maia changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cordeiro fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cordeiro keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rafael Cordeiro has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damian Maia.

Cordeiro shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Cordeiro throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maia can't escape the position.
Cordeiro avoids the attempt from Maia to control.
Maia tries to reverse the position but Cordeiro maintains control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cordeiro working Maia over with strikes here.
Cordeiro looking to control but Maia is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Cordeiro looking for a guillotine from mount but Maia is having none of it.
Maia bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Cordeiro pulls Maia in close to prevent any damage.
Maia wants to control from the top but Cordeiro keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Maia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cordeiro 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.
Maia advances to half guard.

Maia is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cordeiro doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Maia.

Maia is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cordeiro moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia advances position into side control!
Cordeiro can't do much from the bottom here.
Cordeiro might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Maia is trying to get an arm triangle but Cordeiro is defending well.

Maia is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cordeiro has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maia is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Cordeiro knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Damian Maia has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee asks Maia politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Maia prefers to stall for the moment though.
Cordeiro is trying to improve his position.
Cordeiro is working hard here to advance position.
Maia is looking to take a break and control but Cordeiro is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Maia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Maia thows a left - swing and a miss!
Maia closes the distance looking to clinch

and Cordeiro counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cordeiro.

Maia looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Cordeiro is defending well. Maia quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Cordeiro has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Maia celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Damian Maia!