PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Masakazu Maeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royce Gracie (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!

Maeda
vs
Gracie

180 cm
25
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
178 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masakazu Maeda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Royce Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Fujiwara and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Maeda scores with a takedown into Gracie's guard.
Maeda slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Maeda has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Maeda trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Maeda drops back looking for a leg! Gracie is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Gracie manages to kick Maeda off! Maeda jumps back into Gracie's guard.
Maeda passes Gracie's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Gracie pushes Maeda off but Maeda dives into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie seems a little lost for a moment, as Maeda dominates the positioning.
Gracie stuck in half guard on the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
Gracie wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Gracie is trying to get back to half guard.
Maeda is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie sneaks back into half guard.
Gracie tries to roll over but Maeda keeps him under control.

That's two 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.
Maeda perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Maeda seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Gracie for as long as he can get away with.

Masakazu Maeda has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maeda looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Gracie gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Maeda drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Gracie gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Maeda stalling against the cage.

Maeda turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Maeda manages to end up in side control.
Maeda trying to control the action but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Maeda wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.

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.
Gracie is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Gracie trying to control here.
Maeda wants to pass to mount but Gracie is defending the position.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Maeda got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maeda has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Maeda engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masakazu Maeda dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Maeda drives through and clinches with Gracie against the cage.
Maeda just leaning against Gracie, taking a breather.
Gracie looking to slow down the pace here.
Gracie drops down looking for an ankle pick but Maeda pulls his leg out and moves away.
Masakazu Maeda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Maeda clinches up against the cage.
Maeda can't find room to land a body shot as Gracie controls the action.
Maeda stalling the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie taking a breather.
Maeda is pressed up against the cage. Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Maeda down to the mat. Maeda avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Maeda scores with a takedown into Gracie's guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Maeda from controlling successfully.
Gracie throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Maeda looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Maeda being controlled here, momentarily.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Maeda manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Maeda avoids the attempt from Gracie to control.
Maeda wants to take Gracie's back but he can't do it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda wants to control the pace but Gracie is squirming around nicely.
Gracie tries to hold on but Maeda pushes him away.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Maeda 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.
Maeda trying to control the position here.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maeda swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
Maeda looking to control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie moves out of range as Maeda throws a body kick.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Maeda quickly recovers to half guard.
Masakazu Maeda overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Maeda is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Maeda wants to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maeda is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maeda avoid being mounted?
Gracie is keen to just control but Maeda is a slippery customer.

Maeda looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masakazu Maeda dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Maeda blocks a head kick by Gracie.

Maeda closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gracie to the mat! Gracie manages to get full guard.
Gracie is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Maeda is controlling him.

Maeda drops back looking for a leg! Gracie is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Gracie manages to kick Maeda off! Maeda jumps back into Gracie's guard.
Gracie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Maeda's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maeda wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control but Maeda is working from the bottom.
Gracie controls from within his opponent's guard.

Maeda has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Maeda is trying to hold Gracie in close to prevent damage but Gracie has managed to pass into half guard.
Gracie tries to stand but can't do so whilst Maeda controls his leg.
Gracie prevents Maeda from improving his position.

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.
Gracie seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Maeda is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maeda avoid being mounted?
Maeda tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Gracie is controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Maeda to get to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie scores with a takedown into Maeda's guard.
Maeda keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Maeda tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Maeda is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Gracie stands and steps away. Maeda gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maeda gets caught flat footed, as Gracie shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Maeda not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie passes Maeda's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Maeda has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gracie is working away from the top position though.
Gracie passes to full mount!
Maeda wants to get back to his feet.
Gracie connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Royce Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Maeda has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Masakazu Maeda!