PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Henry Four (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitsuyo Maeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Four
vs
Maeda

150 cm
29
142 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

170 cm
24
142 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Henry Four!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mitsuyo Maeda!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Luis Engracia and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good exchange - Maeda coming out on top.
Four moves out of range of the strikes.

Four dives in and scores a takedown into Maeda's guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Four wants to control from the top but Maeda keeps moving.
Four trying to stand up but can't free himself from Maeda's guard.
Maeda is trying to control the position but Four postures up.
Maeda looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Maeda has his foot on Four's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Four works his way back into a safe position though.
Four throwing strikes from guard but Maeda blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maeda tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Four throws a strike but Maeda rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Maeda is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Four might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Four seems keen to control Maeda's posture.
Maeda stopping the sweep attempt from Four.
Maeda is looking to work some ground and pound but Four has wrist control.
Four managing to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maeda thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Maeda missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Four looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Maeda thows a big elbow that misses.
Maeda trying to control the position from guard on top but Four is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Four manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Maeda manages to get himself to full guard.
Four passes into half guard.
Four thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Four missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Four wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Four.
Four is looking to take a break and control but Maeda is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Four is nestled in close to Maeda, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Maeda is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Four's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Four's back!
Maeda is trying to stick to Four's back but Four is turning into Maeda. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Maeda's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Four.

Four avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
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.
Four wants to stand but Maeda is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Maeda is on top in guard.
Maeda with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maeda postures up in Four's guard and throws a big left but Four blocks it.
Maeda tries to free his leg and advance position but Four is retaining full guard.
Four wants to stand up but Maeda is controlling him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Four keeping moving, preventing Maeda from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Four is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Four on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Four tries to get out of the position.
Four not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Henry Four will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Maeda just misses with a punch to the body.
Maeda shoots for a takedown but Four saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A telegraphed right hand from Maeda misses the target.
Maeda cracks Four with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Four keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maeda.
Henry Four is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Four uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Maeda.

Maeda tries to sprawl but Four drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Four wants to stand up but Maeda is controlling the position.
Four tries to stand and escape but Maeda actually recovers to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Four decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Four swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Maeda counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Maeda paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Maeda goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Maeda shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Four pinned against the cage. Four gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Maeda scores with the left hand. Four knows he should have avoided that one.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Maeda.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda looks for a takedown but Four sprawls well.
Henry Four has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mitsuyo Maeda.
Four throws a right and a left that Maeda avoids nicely.
Maeda misses with a looping left.
Four throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A shot to the liver by Maeda. Beautiful body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maeda thuds his right hand into Four's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Four lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Maeda has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Maeda and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Four slips a straight right by Maeda.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Four misses with a wild combination.
Maeda lands a lovely overhand right.
A swing and a miss from Maeda.
Four misses with a jab, cross combination.
Maeda shoots in for a takedown but Four shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Four dodges the punch combination from Maeda.
Maeda looks to land a combination but Four avoids it well.
Maeda shoots and misses
and Four counters with a two punch combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Four will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Four tries to bum rush Maeda with a series of wild strikes but Maeda uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Four has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Maeda finds it's way round the side to connect with Four's head.
Maeda misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Maeda misses with a hook. Four ducked under it nicely.
Nice sprawl there from Four as Maeda shoots in.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Four stalks Maeda and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Maeda's face. Maeda staggers backwards, shaken.
Maeda slips a jab and a cross from Four.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitsuyo Maeda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Maeda lunges at Four with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Four's hand.
Maeda slaps away a takedown attempt from Four, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Four looks to throw the jab but Maeda is out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Maeda.
An elbow from Maeda crashes against the mat.
Sloppy strikes there by Maeda.
Check out the look on Maeda's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Maeda looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Four is avoiding damage well.
Four is looking for a sweep.
Maeda throws an elbow but Four slips to the side and avoids it well.
Henry Four overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda throws an elbow but Four slips to the side and avoids it well.
Four is looking to reverse the position.

Maeda is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Four knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Maeda has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Maeda tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Maeda misses with the ground and pound.
Four tries to bench press Maeda off him but Maeda keeps the position.
Maeda throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Maeda working the body and head with strikes.
Four is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Maeda's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Four is trying to maintain the position but Maeda is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Four tries to kick Maeda off but Maeda keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Maeda is trying to control the action in half guard but Four is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Four avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maeda.

Maeda is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Four is just riding it out for now. Maeda eventually gives up the hold.

Maeda is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maeda is pressing down on Four's thigh, looking to free his foot. Four is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Four is holding on to half guard well.
Maeda sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Four defending well though.
Four keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Four wants to control but Maeda is keeping busy.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Maeda is looking for a kimura here.
Four is concentrating on defense, preventing Maeda from advancing position.
Maeda seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Four does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda wants to pass to mount but Four is defending the position.
Maeda sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Four defending well though.
Four is trying to maintain the position but Maeda is very close to passing his half guard.

We're going to have a standup here because Henry Four wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Maeda fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Four manages to avoid it.
Four fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Maeda throws a low kick but it's checked well by Four.
Four misses with a combination
and Maeda counters with a stiff right hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maeda throws a looping overhand right but Four ducks down to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mitsuyo Maeda comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Maeda 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:30

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