PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Skipper Artica (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruno Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Artica
vs
Maia

184 cm
20
187 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

183 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

[MMABR] Philter Nutri {q144 for 10$}

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Skipper Artica!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruno Maia!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Artica shoots in for a takedown but Maia shows good takedown defense.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Artica is defended easily by Maia.

Artica gets the takedown into side control.

Artica is trying to get an arm triangle but Maia is defending well.
Artica trying to control the position but Maia is working away.

Artica is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Maia has escaped the position, nice work there.
Maia is looking to regain half guard here but Artica keeps moving and retains side control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia is not content to let Artica control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maia is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Artica off and has taken his back!
Maia throwing sloppy strikes.
Artica just trying to survive but Maia is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

Maia is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Maia is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Maia is trying to stick to Artica's back but Artica is turning into Maia. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Maia's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Artica.
Artica trying to control the position from guard on top but Maia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Artica's guard.

Artica 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.

Artica is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Artica is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Artica controls Maia momentarily but Maia frees himself.
Artica is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Maia is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Maia passes Artica's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Artica is trying to maintain the position but Maia is very close to passing his half guard.

Artica looking for submissions off his back.
Still in half guard, Maia seems content to control.

Maia is looking for a kimura but Artica is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Maia to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Maia in particular looking to stall.
Artica is trying to control but Maia passes into side control!
Maia tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Artica tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Maia moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Artica trying his best to control but Maia has mounted him.
Artica working to try and regain half guard.
Artica is squirming around, avoiding Maia's attempts to control the action.
Maia controlling the pace for now.

Despite being in the dominant position, Bruno Maia just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Artica shoots for a takedown but Maia saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Maia dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Maia shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Artica manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Maia wants to control from the top but Artica keeps moving.
Artica keeping full guard, as Maia tries to pass.
Maia postures up.

Artica is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Maia defends well.
Maia is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maia got a little sloppy there for a moment and Artica has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maia has managed to get both his arms back between Artica's legs - danger averted.
Maia pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Artica is keeping the position for now.
Maia is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Artica is keeping the position.
Maia trying to control the position from guard on top but Artica is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maia controls from within his opponent's guard.

Artica working for a triangle but Maia defends it easily.
Artica is trying to control the position but Maia postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Artica is keeping the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Artica tries for a takedown but Maia circles away easily

and Maia counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maia trying to control from half guard but Artica is working away.
Artica wants to control but Maia is keeping busy.

Artica looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Maia trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Artica is defending against the submission attempts here by Maia.

Artica is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Maia pulls his head out easily.
Maia is trying to control. Artica wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Maia not landing any meaningful shots this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Artica misses with a takedown attempt

and Maia counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Artica's guard now.
Maia slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Artica utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Bruno Maia has got the better of the ground game so far.
Maia looking to pass the guard.

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

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

Artica thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Maia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Maia drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Maia seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Artica keeping full guard, as Maia tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Artica keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
Artica is trying to keep Maia in close.
Artica pulls Maia in close to prevent any damage.
Maia passes Artica's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Artica is looking for a sweep. Maia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maia is looking to stall here but Artica recovers full guard.

Maia drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Artica manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Maia has Artica in his guard.
Maia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Artica trying to control but Maia is working from the bottom.

Artica thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Maia looking for a sweep. Not yet Maia, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Artica trying to control but Maia is working from the bottom.
Maia 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 is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Maia is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Artica wants to control from the top but Maia keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Artica shoots and misses

and Maia counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Maia looking to sit in guard and control but Artica gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Maia working for a triangle but Artica defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Artica is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Artica trying to control the position from guard on top but Maia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Artica is really struggling to control Maia but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Maia trying to control the position.
Skipper Artica has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Artica trying to control but Maia is working from the bottom.

Artica thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Artica wants to control from the top but Maia keeps moving.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Artica gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Maia counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Artica 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.
Maia is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Artica is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Artica looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Artica can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Maia controls the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruno Maia comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Maia has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30

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