PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Diablo Maradona (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Greg Sii (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Maradona
vs
Sii

180 cm
21
170 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

175 cm
26
175 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Diablo Maradona!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Greg Sii!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Luis Engracia and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sii throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Maradona stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A jab from Sii does it's job there.

Maradona gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sii throwing strikes from guard but Maradona blocks nicely.
Maradona looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sii is one step ahead there.
Sii throwing strikes from guard but Maradona blocks nicely.
Sii postures up in Maradona's guard and throws a big left but Maradona blocks it.
Sii loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sii stopping the sweep attempt from Maradona.
Maradona can't keep his opponent in guard - Sii advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Sii is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maradona regains full guard. Nicely done.
Maradona looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sii trying to control the position from guard on top but Maradona is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maradona trying to control the position.
Sii throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sii is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sii keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Maradona's head.
Maradona keeping moving, preventing Sii from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maradona misses with a takedown attempt

and Sii counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sii pushing down on Maradona's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maradona is trying to stand up here but Sii is controlling him well.
Sii misses with a head shot. Maradona uses the momentum to regain guard.
Sii stops Maradona from standing up.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sii accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sii distracts Maradona with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sii prevents Maradona from getting back to his feet.
Sii is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sii pushes down on Maradona's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Sii prevents Maradona from standing back up.
Maradona is refusing to be controlled, as Sii sits in half guard.
Sii thows a huge punch but Maradona dodges it nicely.
Sii working over Maradona with some ground and pound. Maradona looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sii is keen to just control but Maradona is a slippery customer.
Sii stops Maradona from getting back to his feet.
Maradona is not content to let Sii control the position.
Sii winds up and cracks Maradona with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Maradona keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Maradona is looking to improve his position.
Sii is trying to control the action in half guard but Maradona is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sii might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Maradona kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Maradona is looking to clinch but Sii is avoiding it.
Maradona dodges the punch combination from Sii.
Maradona dives in and grabs Sii's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sii pushes down on Maradona's head and hops out.
Sii displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Maradona.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diablo Maradona. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sii misses with a double jab.
Maradona fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sii takes a swing at Maradona's ribcage but misses.
Maradona shoots for a takedown but Sii saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sii connects with a right hand. Maradona shakes it off.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sii. Maradona does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sii lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Sii.
Sii connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Sii misses with an uppercut.

Maradona scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Sii is trying to control Maradona's posture but Maradona avoids it.
Maradona trying to control the action but Sii is working from the bottom.

Maradona decides to take the fight back to the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Greg Sii 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.

Sii with a nice cross.
Greg Sii seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sii just misses with a punch to the body.
Sii stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sii wants it to stay on the feet.
Sii bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Maradona swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Sii throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Maradona was covering up waiting for the punch and Sii finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Sii missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sii with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maradona working a defensive guard here.
Sii stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maradona swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sii trying to control the position from guard on top but Maradona is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maradona trying to keep a closed guard but Sii is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sii trying to control the position from guard on top but Maradona is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sii keeps the fight on the outside.
Maradona takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Sii lands with an overhand left.
Maradona uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sii.
Maradona shoots in and drives through. Sii sprawls well.
Sii takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Maradona is looking to clinch.
Maradona defending well as Sii loads up on a big left hand.
Diablo Maradona is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sii misses with a wild body shot.
Maradona avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sii misses the jab.

Maradona clinches with his opponent.
Sii wants to break free but Maradona has control.

Sii turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Sii manages to end up in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maradona is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Sii's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Maradona is looking for a sweep. Sii is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maradona is looking to control Sii's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maradona avoid being mounted?
Sii is trying to control the action in half guard but Maradona is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sii sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Maradona defending well though.
Maradona trying to control from the bottom.
Sii wants to take a breather but Maradona is having none of it.
Maradona trying to hold on to Sii's head to control him but Sii postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sii looks to throw the jab but Maradona is out of range.
Maradona has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Sii finds it's way round the side to connect with Maradona's head.
Maradona throws a head kick but Sii moves out of range.

Maradona closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Sii to the mat! Sii manages to get full guard.
Maradona wants to control from the top but Sii keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sii is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Maradona taking some punishment here, with Sii in his half guard.
Maradona is refusing to be controlled, as Sii sits in half guard.
Sii stalling away here and it's allowed Maradona to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Sii looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Sii wants to pass the guard but Maradona is keeping the position.
Sii trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sii 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.
Maradona trying to keep a closed guard but Sii is proving a slippery customer.
Maradona working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sii.

Sii avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Maradona is trying to keep Sii in close.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Maradona slips under a jab.
Sii digs a good hook to Maradona's body.
Maradona tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Greg Sii 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. This is the final round!

Maradona takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Sii bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Maradona is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Maradona manages to get to full guard.
Sii pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Maradona is keeping the position for now.
Maradona preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sii stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maradona swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maradona tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sii postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Greg Sii has got the better of the ground game so far.

Sii got a little sloppy there for a moment and Maradona has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sii has managed to get both his arms back between Maradona's legs - danger averted.
Maradona wants to stand up but Sii is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sii throws a big right hand that misses.
Sii must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sii trying to control the position from guard on top but Maradona is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sii looking to sit in guard and control but Maradona gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sii is looking to sweep but instead, Maradona has passed into half guard.
Maradona wants to free his trapped foot but Sii is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Maradona looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

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.
Maradona trying to control from half guard but Sii is working away.
Maradona is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Maradona misses with a head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maradona looking to control and managing it successfully.
Maradona is stalling here but it's allowed Sii to get half guard.
Sii manages to get to full guard.
Maradona's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Sii has a closed guard, preventing Maradona from standing up.
Sii looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sii pulls Maradona in close to his closed guard and prevents Maradona from doing any damage or advancing position.
Maradona trying to control but Sii is working from the bottom.
Sii looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maradona is one step ahead there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sii is trying to control the position but Maradona postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Greg Sii.
I've got Sii winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Greg Sii!