PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Demon Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fred Siciliano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maia comes to the ring accompanied by Numb/Encore. Fred Siciliano told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Maia
vs
Siciliano

183 cm
26
188 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

177 cm
28
192 lbs
16 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Demon Maia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fred Siciliano!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maia throws a leg kick but Siciliano sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Siciliano has closed the distance and engaged Maia in a clinch.

Siciliano gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Siciliano seems to be looking for submissions.

Siciliano seems to be looking for submissions.
Maia is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Maia works his way to full guard. Good work.
Maia pulls Siciliano in to control the position.
Siciliano advances to half guard.
Maia manages to get to full guard.
Maia looking to hit a scissor sweep but Siciliano is one step ahead there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Siciliano postures up and lands a big shot to Maia's brow.
Maia keeping full guard, as Siciliano tries to pass.
Siciliano stopping the sweep attempt from Maia.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Siciliano missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Siciliano keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Maia's head.
Maia tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Maia keeping moving, preventing Siciliano from controlling successfully.

Maia is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Siciliano defends well.
Siciliano lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Maia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Siciliano's guard.
Siciliano wants to sweep here but Maia controlling him for the moment.
Maia wants to control from the top but Siciliano keeps moving.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Siciliano is keeping the position.
Maia preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Siciliano is keeping the position.
Siciliano is pulling down on Maia's head to control his posture.
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!
Maia takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Siciliano wants to sweep but no luck.
Maia passes Siciliano's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Maia lands a nice short elbow.
Siciliano wants to improve his position but Maia is controlling well.
Maia is keen to just control but Siciliano is a slippery customer.
Siciliano moves into full guard.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Siciliano is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siciliano wants to sweep here but Maia controlling him for the moment.
Maia passes Siciliano's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Maia moves nicely into side control.
Maia moves into full mount!

Maia with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Maia wants to take Siciliano's back but he can't do it this time.
Maia wants to control the pace but Siciliano is squirming around nicely.
Siciliano bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Maia 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia wants to improve his position but instead Siciliano has moved into half guard.
Siciliano is thwarting Maia's attempts to control the position.

Siciliano is looking for a kimura but Maia is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Siciliano to get the leverage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maia is looking for a sweep. Siciliano is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Siciliano wants to pass the guard but Maia is defending well.
Maia tries to get to full guard but Siciliano has control of the leg.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Siciliano thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Maia moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Maia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Siciliano's guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Maia tries to free his leg and advance position but Siciliano is retaining full guard.
Siciliano looking for a sweep. Not yet Siciliano, not yet.
Maia postures up.
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 Demon Maia will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Siciliano looks to land a combination but Maia avoids it well.
Maia will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Siciliano tries to clinch but Maia moves away
and Maia makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Siciliano looks to clinch
and Maia counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Siciliano clinches up with Maia and pushes him back against the ropes.

Siciliano has hold of one of Maia's legs. Maia is fighting the takedown attempt but Siciliano gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Siciliano loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Siciliano looking to pass the guard.
Maia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Siciliano's guard.
Siciliano looking for a sweep. Not yet Siciliano, not yet.
Maia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Siciliano swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Maia preventing the sweep.
Demon Maia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Siciliano keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
Siciliano looking to control.
Maia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Maia advances to half guard.
Siciliano wants to control but Maia is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Maia working the head and body with strikes.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Siciliano is defending well.

Siciliano is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Maia pulls his head out easily.
Siciliano wants to get back to full guard.
Maia trying to mount his opponent but Siciliano defends it.
Siciliano gets full guard.
Maia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Siciliano swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maia distracts Siciliano with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia looking to pass the guard.
Maia advances position into side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Maia is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Siciliano has escaped the position, nice work there.
Siciliano is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Siciliano is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Maia's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Siciliano is looking to improve his position.
Maia is trying to control. Siciliano wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maia is looking for a kimura here.
Siciliano moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Siciliano lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Maia!
Maia regains half guard.
Maia gets back to full guard.
Maia trying to strike off his back.

Maia looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Siciliano wants to pass the guard but Maia is keeping the position.

Maia working for a triangle but Siciliano defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Siciliano being controlled here momentarily.
Maia preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Siciliano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Siciliano postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Maia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Siciliano throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
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 tries to pass to full mount but Siciliano defends it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maia is looking to take a break and control but Siciliano is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Maia tries to pass the half guard into mount. Siciliano knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Demon Maia will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A punch combination from Siciliano misses.
Siciliano wants to clinch but Maia slips to the side

and Maia counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Maia is working for a kimura but Siciliano is defending it quite comfortably.
Maia looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Siciliano is staying active underneath Maia, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Maia tries to pass to full mount but Siciliano defends it.
Siciliano wants to get back to full guard.
Siciliano trying to control from the bottom.
Siciliano regains full guard. Nicely done.
Maia tries to free his leg and advance position but Siciliano is retaining full guard.
Maia stands and throws Siciliano's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Siciliano is looking to reverse the position.
Siciliano is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Maia tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Maia has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Maia in side control, throwing shots but Siciliano defends.
Siciliano manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Siciliano tries to pass the half guard into mount. Maia knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Maia is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Siciliano scores with a couple of nice shots.

Siciliano is working for a kimura but Maia is defending it quite comfortably.
Maia regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Siciliano.

Maia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Fred Siciliano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Siciliano keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Maia's head.
Maia looking to hit a scissor sweep but Siciliano is one step ahead there.
Siciliano trying to control but Maia is working from the bottom.
Siciliano slips nicely into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Maia is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Siciliano pulls his head out easily.
Siciliano working over Maia with some ground and pound. Maia looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Siciliano prevents Maia from improving his position.
Siciliano takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Maia wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siciliano lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Maia is trying to control but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Siciliano working the head and body with strikes.
Maia is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Maia is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Siciliano scores with a couple of nice shots.
Maia wants to get back to full guard.

Siciliano is working for a kimura but Maia is defending it quite comfortably.
Siciliano drops an elbow to the side of Maia's head.
Maia is trying to get back to full guard.
Siciliano lands strikes from half guard.
Siciliano working Maia over with strikes.
Siciliano works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Siciliano looking for a guillotine from mount but Maia is having none of it.
Maia really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Siciliano lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Maia is desperately trying to improve his position but Siciliano has a good base and remains in mount.

Siciliano is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Maia can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Siciliano cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Siciliano lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Siciliano raining down hammerfists from mount.
Demon Maia is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Siciliano has hold of Maia's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Maia manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Siciliano scoring with strikes but Maia is staying in there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fred Siciliano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Maia 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Demon Maia!
Demon Maia thanked the fans post fight for their support.