PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Demian Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chong Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maia is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Maia
vs
Li

182 cm
26
190 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

167 cm
25
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Demian Maia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chong Li!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Mauricio Rocha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Maia. That did some damage!
Maia is breathing heavily.
Maia has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Li.
Li connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A slapping leg kick lands for Li.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Li - that will leave a mark!
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li throws a head kick but Maia moves out of range.
Li thuds his shin into the meat of Maia's side.
Maia shoots in looking for a takedown. Li tries to sprawl out of it but Maia keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Li manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Li fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Maia has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Li cracks the inside of Maia's front leg.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and Maia moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Li cracks the inside of Maia's front leg.
Maia is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Li moves out of range of the body kick.
Li tries a head kick but it misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Li.
Li scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Maia tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A slapping leg kick lands for Li.
Li connects with a solid leg kick.
Li connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nice body kick there by Li.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Li but Li pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Li feints and then cracks Maia's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Maia down.
Li lands a leg kick that knocks Maia off balance momentarily.
Li lands a high kick!
Li chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Li lands a head kick!
Chong Li is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Li lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Li explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Li misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li lands a head kick!
Li with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A solid body kick from Li.
Maia on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Li. Li obviously looking to wear him down.
Li displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Maia.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Demian Maia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Li connects with a high kick.
Li throws a nice inside leg kick.
Li throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Li fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Maia has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Li lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch but Li swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Maia. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Li lands a nice leg kick that just misses Maia's sensitive parts.
Li scores with a kick to the midsection.
Li throws a head kick that misses.
Li scoring well with a low kick there.
Li tries a head kick but it misses.
Maia on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Li turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Demian Maia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maia on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Li. Li obviously looking to wear him down.
Li lands a nice leg kick that just misses Maia's sensitive parts.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chong Li dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nice sprawl there from Li as Maia shoots in.
A slapping body kick lands there for Li.
Li connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Maia tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Li feints and then cracks Maia's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Maia down.
Maia fails with the takedown.
A head kick misses from Li.
Li lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Li lands a nice looking kick to the body. Maia takes a step back to recover.
Maia on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Li. Li obviously looking to wear him down.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li connects with a solid leg kick.
Chong Li seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Li thumps Maia with a low kick.
Li lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Maia on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Li. Li obviously looking to wear him down.
Li scores with a head kick.
Li should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
That kick from Li tenderised Maia's leg. Maia is trying to keep his angry face on.
Li lands with a slapping head kick.
Li throws a head kick that half lands.
Maia will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li lands with a slapping head kick.
Li throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Maia's head.
Li throws a nice outside leg kick.
A head kick misses from Li.
Li dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Maia. That did some damage!
Maia on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Li lands a nice looking kick to the body. Maia takes a step back to recover.
Li goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
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!
A solid leg kick lands there for Li.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Li.
Maia takes a head kick and keeps coming.
That kick from Li tenderised Maia's leg. Maia is trying to keep his angry face on.
Li lands a nice looking kick to the body. Maia takes a step back to recover.
A slapping leg kick lands for Li.
Li fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Maia has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A head kick misses from Li.
Li tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Li misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li throws a nice head kick!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Li.
An inside leg kick lands from Li.
A nice inside leg kick there by Li. That's going to slow Maia down.
Li lands with a slapping head kick.
A head kick misses from Li.
Li feints and then cracks Maia's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Maia down.
Li scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Maia might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Li lands with a thumping leg kick.
Maia chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Li can pounce on him.
Maia steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Li. That one must have hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chong Li showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A chopping leg kick lands by Li.
Li throws a head kick that half lands.
Li throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Maia takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Maia tries for a takedown but Li circles away easily
and Li counters with a thumping low kick.
Li throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Li goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Maia takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Li moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Li scores with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Li lands a front kick.
Li lands a head kick. Maia smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Li scores with a leg kick.
Li throws a head kick but Maia moves out of range.
Maia tries to score a power double leg takedown but Li sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Maia somewhat.
Li chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A nice leg kick lands there from Li.
Maia on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Li. Li obviously looking to wear him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Li lands with a kick to the temple. Maia shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Li has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Li scores with a spinning back kick!
Maia takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Maia chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Li can pounce on him.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Li, right into the meat.
Li throws a head kick but Maia moves out of range.
Li connects with an inside leg kick.
Good leg kick by Li there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Li has eaten all the pies!
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Maia crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Li - the referee stops the clock and Maia gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Li. Maia manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li lands with a thumping leg kick.
Li throws a head kick but Maia moves out of range.
Li misses with a head kick.

Maia manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Li on his heels. He'll look to pass Li's guard now, I'm sure.
Li is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Maia is controlling him.
Li tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Maia stops Li from standing up.

Maia thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia looking to pass the guard.
Chong Li is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Demian Maia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Li wants to stand but Maia is controlling the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Maia drops back looking for a leg! Li is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Li manages to kick Maia off! Maia jumps back into Li's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chong Li comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Li 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 26:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chong Li!