PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cory Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Smith
vs
Maia

195 cm
26
179 lbs
15 - 4 - 0

182 cm
28
188 lbs
21 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Real Fighters Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cory Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Daniel Maia!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maia throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maia uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Maia throws a predictable looking body shot
and Smith counters with a right hand to the body.
Smith really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Maia jumps into guard, dragging Smith to the mat.
Maia looking to control.
Maia looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Maia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Smith gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Maia is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maia is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Smith is aware though and is defending well.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maia swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maia wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Maia keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.

Maia has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smith can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maia swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maia is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Maia not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia trying to control from half guard but Smith is working away.
Smith trying to hold on to Maia's head to control him but Maia postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice shot by Smith.
Maia looks to throw the jab but Smith is out of range.
Maia takes one to the side of the head.
Maia throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maia fails with a takedown attempt.
Smith throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smith keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maia.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maia with a hook.
Maia throws a hook but Smith avoids it easily.
Smith will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Maia dominated that round.
That's time! Smith's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Smith avoids the body shot from Maia.
Maia throws a shot to the body.
Smith throws a shot from downtown. Maia moves away and avoids it.
Smith misses with an uppercut.
Smith checks a leg kick.
Maia fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Smith avoids it really well and circles away.
Maia thows a body shot but no joy.
Smith avoids the body shot from Maia.
Maia getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Smith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Maia counters with a two punch combo.
Nice body punch from Maia.
Maia checks a low kick from Smith.
Maia checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Cory Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Maia fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smith manages to avoid it.
Maia checks the leg kick nicely there.
Smith misses with a head kick.
Maia checks a leg kick.
Maia fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smith manages to avoid it.
Maia slips under a jab.
Maia comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia lands a glancing blow to the side of Smith's head.
Smith throws out a loose jab but Maia uses good head movement to avoid it.
Daniel Maia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maia takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Maia is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Smith rather than just go for the knockout.
Smith misses with a straight left.
Maia takes a swing at Smith's ribcage but misses.
Cory Smith is winning the standup battle so far.
Maia lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Smith misses with a jab to the body
and Maia counters with a one-two to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maia checks a leg kick nicely.
Maia throws a body punch but Smith moves out of range.

Maia instigates a clinch.
Smith taking a breather.
Smith misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Maia is keeping busy.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Smith.

Maia pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Maia shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Smith pinned against the cage. Smith gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Maia shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Smith as he avoids it easily.
Cory Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Maia.
Smith walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Smith dips to his left and cracks Maia with an uppercut!

Maia drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith can't do much from the bottom here.
Smith tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Maia fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Smith is looking for a sweep.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Daniel Maia will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Smith's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Maia slips a jab from Smith.
Smith lands with an overhand left.
Smith tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maia. Smith does a little dance to reset his feet.
Maia fails with a takedown attempt.
Smith moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Smith ducks under a wild hook from Maia.
Smith throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Smith fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Maia.
Maia lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.
Smith displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Maia.
Smith throws a head kick but Maia moves out of range.
Smith checks a low kick from Maia.
That kick from Smith tenderised Maia's leg. Maia is trying to keep his angry face on.
Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Maia.
Maia misses the shot to the body.
Smith tries to bum rush Maia with a series of wild strikes but Maia uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A cross from Maia lands.

Smith moves into range and clinches up with Maia.
Cory Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith has a couple of punches blocked by Maia.
Smith lands a body shot.
Smith misses with a punch on the inside.
Smith tries a body shot but Maia blocks it.
A left hand lands to the body for Smith.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maia has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Smith is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Cory Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Maia.
Smith looking to slow down the pace here.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.

Maia has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Smith uses from the top position.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Maia is retaining full guard.
Smith is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
Maia wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Cory Smith just wasn't active enough.
Smith scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Smith rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Maia moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
The fighters circle momentarily. Maia darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith moves out of range of the strikes.
Smith moves out of range of the strikes.
A clash of legs there as Smith blocks the low kick.
Maia keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Smith.
A clash of legs there as Maia blocks the low kick.
Smith on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Smith checks a leg kick.
Daniel Maia is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Smith avoids the body shot from Maia.
Maia lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maia misses the shot to the body.
Smith with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cory Smith showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Maia has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Maia!