PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Umberto Duran (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joaquim Maria (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Duran comes to the cage accompanied by Hatebreed - Live for this. Maria has chosen Kronos - Bloodtower as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Duran
vs
Maria

199 cm
29
280 lbs
21 - 14 - 0

193 cm
28
222 lbs
22 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Brute

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Umberto Duran!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joaquim Maria!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maria waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Duran.
Duran looks to clinch
and Maria counters with an outside leg kick.
Duran tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Maria counters with a slapping leg kick.
Maria looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Maria throws a body kick that misses.
Duran takes a swing at Maria's ribcage but misses.
Duran wants to clinch
and Maria counters with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duran wants to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Duran misses with an uppercut
and Maria counters with a body kick that stops Duran in his tracks momentarily.

Duran moves into range and clinches up with Maria.

Maria escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Duran moves into the clinch.
Duran swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Duran has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Maria avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Duran misses with a punch on the inside.
Duran will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Maria up against the cage.
Duran tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Maria's elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duran leaning his opponent against the cage.

Maria breaks the clinch.
Duran tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maria paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Maria plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like Umberto Duran has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maria looks to land a combination but Duran avoids it well.
Duran tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Maria counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Maria throws a sloppy head kick and Duran moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duran moves in looking to clinch but Maria pushes him off.
Duran swings for the body but Maria moves out of range.
Duran fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maria keeps Duran at a distance using the push kick.
Duran tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Duran is looking to clinch.

Duran clinches up with Maria and pushes him back against the cage.
Duran taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maria gets underhooks to prevent Duran's takedown attempt.
Duran keeps control of Maria as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Maria lands a right hand.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Duran just leaning against Maria, taking a breather.
Duran swings wildly with an uppercut but Maria uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaquim Maria dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Umberto Duran's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Duran clinches up against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Maria as Duran tries to tie him up.
Duran can't find room to land a body shot as Maria controls the action.
Maria has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Duran dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Maria wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Maria blocks a body shot from Duran.
Duran swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Duran has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Maria avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duran fails with an attempt to clinch.
Joaquim Maria seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Maria fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Duran is out of range.
Duran misses with a body shot
and Maria counters with an outside leg kick.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Maria in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Duran tries to clinch but Maria is having none of it.
Umberto Duran seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Duran closes the distance but Maria moves to the side
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Maria looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Duran lands a jab to the nose.
Good leg kick by Maria there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maria throws a half hearted mid kick.
Duran tries to close the distance and clinch but Maria swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Duran closes the distance but Maria moves to the side
and Maria counters with a nice low kick that buckles Duran's knee momentarily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maria fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Duran.
Duran tries to clinch
and Maria counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Duran tries to close the distance and clinch but Maria swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Maria circles away from the clinch attempt
and Maria makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duran tries to clinch but Maria is having none of it.

Duran clinches with his opponent.

Maria escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A looping hook to the body misses from Duran. Maria does a little dance to reset his feet.
Duran tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Maria counters with a two punch combo.
Duran tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Maria counters with a three punch combo that has Duran backing up. Duran nods at Maria to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Good standup being displayed there by Maria as he connects with a hook.
A big left from Duran misses.
Duran tries to clinch up but Maria circles away and keeps his distance.
Duran throws a body punch but Maria moves out of range.
Duran tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Maria counters with a thumping low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joaquim Maria showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Umberto Duran's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Duran tries to clinch but Maria moves away
and Maria counters with a nice low kick that buckles Duran's knee momentarily.
Duran is looking to wear down Maria with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Duran moves to clinch but Maria breaks away
and Maria counters with a big head kick but Duran shrugs it off.
Duran slips a jab from Maria.
A head kick misses from Maria.
Maria pivots, looking for a leg kick but Duran is out of range and Maria settles back down.
Sloppy strikes from Maria. Those never looked like landing.
Duran misses with a shot to the body
and Maria counters with a stiff right hand.
Duran ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maria moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duran wants to clinch.
Duran tries to close the distance and clinch but Maria swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Duran tries to clinch up.
Maria throws a head kick that misses
and Duran makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Maria circles away from the clinch attempt
and Maria counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duran doesn't manage to clinch there - Maria circles away.
Duran tries to clinch up
and Maria cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Duran wants to clinch.
Duran tries to clinch up but Maria circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maria lands an overhand right.
Duran avoids the head kick by Maria.
Maria keeps the fight on the outside.
Duran closes the distance but Maria moves to the side
and Maria counters with a solid body kick.
Duran closes the distance looking to clinch
and Maria counters with a good, hard body kick but Duran shrugs it off.
Umberto Duran has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joaquim Maria is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Duran misses
and Maria counters with a big head kick but Duran shrugs it off.
Duran loads up on a big right hand but Maria slips the punch.
Duran will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Duran misses with a double jab
and Maria connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Duran moves to clinch but Maria breaks away
and Duran takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Duran tries to clinch but Maria is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joaquim Maria comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Maria 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joaquim Maria!
After winning the bout, Joaquim Maria thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.