PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jade Blaze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Theodor Maresio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Blaze
vs
Maresio

180 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 Amsterdam, Jade Blaze!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Theodor Maresio!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Saam Ante and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blaze leaves Maresio with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Blaze slips a jab and a cross from Maresio.
Blaze throws a lazy body kick

so Maresio counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Blaze is trying to keep Maresio in close.
Maresio throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Blaze works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Blaze is trying to control the position but Maresio postures up.
Maresio tries to stand but Blaze is controlling from the bottom.
Blaze not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maresio controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jade Blaze just wasn't active enough.

Maresio clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Blaze jumps into guard, dragging Maresio to the mat.
Maresio stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Blaze swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maresio wanted to stand there but Blaze had control of the position.

Maresio gets to his feet - Blaze follows without any prompting.
Maresio misses with a takedown attempt - Blaze sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Some wild striking there from Blaze.
Blaze misses with a head kick.
Maresio misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Jade Blaze has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Theodor Maresio.
Maresio blocks a low kick nicely.
Maresio looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Blaze throws a right hand that Maresio ducks under and follows up with a left that Maresio also avoids with ease.

Blaze clinches with his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maresio lands a body punch.
Blaze wants to break free but Maresio has control.
Maresio taking a breather.
A frustrated look appears on Blaze's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Blaze is looking to control Maresio's arms but Maresio gets an underhook and turns him. Now Blaze has his back to the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Maresio - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Blaze jumps guard but Maresio stands there with Blaze around his waist. Blaze gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Blaze tries to pull guard but Maresio holds him up against the cage and eventually Blaze drops back down to his feet.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Maresio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Maresio moves in looking to clinch but Blaze pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maresio will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Blaze swats away the attempt to clinch by Maresio.
Blaze throws a leg kick but Maresio moved away.
Maresio avoids the head kick by Blaze.
Horrible takedown by Maresio or perhaps it was just good defense by Blaze which made him look bad.
Maresio looks gassed!
Blaze throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Blaze throws a head kick that misses
and Maresio counters with a low kick, right behind Blaze 's knee.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Blaze!
Blaze misses with a double jab.
Blaze throws a right hand that Maresio ducks under and follows up with a left that Maresio also avoids with ease.
Maresio avoids the head kick by Blaze.

Blaze moves into the clinch successfully.
Blaze fails to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaze jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Maresio walks away with a smile on his face. Blaze gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Blaze lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Maresio shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Blaze can't escape the position.
Maresio controlling from mount.
Blaze is trying to escape the mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maresio with a couple of short strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Theodor Maresio dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Blaze lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Maresio circles away quickly and effectively.
Blaze tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
No joy there for Blaze, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Maresio closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Maresio has picked Blaze up - he's going for a ride! Maresio dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Blaze is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Maresio scores with a couple of nice shots.

Blaze looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Maresio really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Blaze. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Maresio takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Maresio seems to be looking for submissions.
Blaze is trying to stand.

Maresio decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Maresio changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Blaze tries to avoid it but Maresio manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Blaze to the ground. Blaze escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maresio moves out of range of the body kick from Blaze.
Blaze tries to clinch but Maresio moves out of range.
Maresio is breathing heavily.
Maresio doesn't manage to clinch there - Blaze circles away.

Blaze moves into the clinch.
Blaze tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Maresio smiles and moves away.
Maresio has a takedown stuffed.

Maresio feints and as Blaze raises his hands in defense, Maresio changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Blaze escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Maresio gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Maresio must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Blaze looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blaze managing to control the position.
Maresio trying to control but Blaze is working from the bottom.
Blaze looking to control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maresio is pushing down on Blaze's leg trying to pass to half guard. Blaze is fighting to maintain full guard but Maresio has managed to sneak the leg through.
Blaze regains full guard. Nicely done.
Maresio stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Blaze swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maresio trying to control but Blaze is working from the bottom.

Maresio decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blaze connects with a solid leg kick.
Maresio feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Blaze's calf.
Blaze lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Maresio circles away quickly and effectively.
Blaze lands with a nice combination. Maresio backs away looking to recover.
Maresio is looking to clinch but Blaze is avoiding it.
Blaze misses with a two punch combination.

Blaze closes the distance and clinches.
Blaze wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Blaze jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Maresio walks away with a smile on his face. Blaze gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Blaze throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Maresio counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Blaze's guard now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Blaze scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaze tries a head kick but it misses.
Blaze is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Maresio.
Maresio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jade Blaze is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sloppy strikes from Blaze. Those never looked like landing.

Maresio clinches up with Blaze and pushes him back against the cage.
Blaze fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jade Blaze. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Blaze is trying to break free.
Maresio has Blaze pressed against the cage, preventing Blaze from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Maresio's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Maresio darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Maresio controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Theodor Maresio showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Blaze keeps Maresio at a distance using the push kick.
Maresio throws a leg kick which misses Blaze's front leg but catches the back leg as Blaze tries to avoid it.
Blaze shoots in for a takedown but Maresio shows good takedown defense.
Blaze thows a leg kick but Maresio checks it

and Maresio counters with a single leg into guard. Blaze didn't expect that.
Blaze trying to strike off his back.
Maresio stands and throws Blaze's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Maresio has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Blaze tries to clinch there but Maresio circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Blaze tries to land a leg kick but Maresio saw it coming and moves away.
Blaze throws a sloppy head kick and Maresio moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maresio closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Blaze tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Blaze tries to break free but Maresio pushes him back against the cage.

Maresio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Maresio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maresio fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Blaze thows a leg kick but Maresio checks it

and Maresio counters by moving into the clinch.
Maresio has Blaze pressed against the cage, preventing Blaze from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Blaze tries to break free but Maresio pushes him back against the cage.
Blaze is trying to break the clinch but Maresio has him pressed against the cage.
Blaze prevents the takedown attempt.
Blaze tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Maresio just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jade Blaze. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Maresio breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blaze is looking to land body kicks.
Blaze misses with a wild body shot.
Maresio shoots in but no luck this time.
Blaze fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Maresio.
Blaze closes the distance and clinches up with Maresio, looking for a takedown. Blaze pushes Maresio against the cage but Maresio circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Blaze throws a head kick that misses.
Blaze tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Maresio closes the distance and clinches.

Maresio turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Maresio manages to end up in side control.
Blaze is trying to improve his position.
Maresio trying to control the action but Blaze is working from the bottom.
Blaze manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Theodor Maresio has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blaze is working for a kimura but Maresio is defending it quite comfortably.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maresio wants to control but Blaze is keeping busy.
Blaze seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Maresio does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Blaze is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Maresio has managed to free his arm - good work.
Maresio is pressing down on Blaze's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Blaze postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Maresio is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Blaze, into his guard.
Blaze wants to get back to his feet but Maresio is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Maresio content to stall in guard here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Blaze is trying to hold Maresio in close to prevent damage but Maresio has managed to pass into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Theodor Maresio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Maresio 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Theodor Maresio!