PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Khalifman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sheldon Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khalifman comes to the cage accompanied by Ringo Mogire Beam! (ZSZS OVA2 Ver.). Maia is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Bleed It Out. Alexander Khalifman had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Khalifman
vs
Maia

185 cm
25
190 lbs
20 - 3 - 1

185 cm
23
193 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alexander Khalifman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sheldon Maia!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Frank Dennis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maia misses with a takedown
and Khalifman counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Khalifman moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Khalifman throws a leg kick
enabling Maia to counter with a crisp jab.
Khalifman lunges at Maia with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Maia's hand.
Khalifman misses with a leg kick
letting Maia counter with a right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maia. Khalifman does a little dance to reset his feet.
A low kick from Khalifman misses
and Maia counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Khalifman thinking.
Khalifman misses with a lunging right hand
and Maia counters with a nice uppercut.

Maia closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Maia working the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalifman is looking to reverse the position.
Maia trying to control the position but Khalifman is working away.
Maia tries to move into full mount but can't pass Khalifman's legs.
Khalifman sneaks back into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Khalifman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Maia not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Khalifman desperately trying to maintain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Khalifman is looking to improve his position.
Khalifman is working hard here to advance position.
Maia is trying to control the action in half guard but Khalifman is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

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 takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Khalifman tries to roll over but Maia keeps him under control.
Maia trying to mount his opponent but Khalifman defends it.
Maia wants to advance to full mount but Khalifman doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Khalifman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Maia.
Khalifman trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Maia has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Khalifman manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Maia manages to get himself to full guard.
Maia keeping moving, preventing Khalifman from controlling successfully.

Maia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Khalifman gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia has control of Khalifman's left arm, preventing Khalifman from doing any damage.
Maia wants to improve his position but instead Khalifman has moved into half guard.
Maia gets full guard.
Khalifman knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Maia on the ground.
Maia controlling the position.
Khalifman controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Maia is trying to keep Khalifman in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Maia looking for a sweep. Not yet Maia, not yet.
Khalifman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maia swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Sheldon Maia.
Khalifman throws a leg kick

and Maia counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Khalifman!
Khalifman is in all sorts of trouble here.

Maia working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Maia landing strikes from the mount.
Khalifman sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Khalifman is staying active underneath Maia, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Maia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Khalifman tries to avoid it but Maia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Khalifman to the ground. Khalifman escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Maia swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Maia throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Khalifman turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Maia shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Khalifman but Khalifman pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Khalifman throws a leg kick
and Maia counters with a straight right hand.
A low kick from Khalifman misses

and Maia counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Maia.
Maia throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Khalifman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Maia postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Khalifman is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Khalifman keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khalifman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Maia passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Khalifman is trying to get back to half guard.
Maia throws a strike aimed at the side of Khalifman's head but Khalifman avoids it well.
Khalifman tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Maia wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Maia cracks Khalifman with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Khalifman is looking for a sweep.
Maia working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Maia tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Khalifman prevents Maia from moving into mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Maia.
Maia landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Khalifman tries to improve position but can't.
Maia creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Maia is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Khalifman will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Khalifman sneaks back into half guard.
Maia is taking a breather. Khalifman 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.
Khalifman tries to roll over but Maia keeps him under control.
Khalifman has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Maia is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia works his way into full mount!
Maia looking to control but Khalifman is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Khalifman really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Khalifman taking shots to the head.
Khalifman is looking to improve his position but Maia isn't that keen on the idea.
Khalifman taking shots to the head.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Maia cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Maia scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Khalifman?
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Khalifman tries to reverse the position but Maia maintains control.
Maia can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Khalifman is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia lands a big shot there that rocks Khalifman but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Khalifman is rocked!
Maia looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Khalifman covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Sheldon Maia!