PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between David Maher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sailo Damtea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Maher
vs
Damtea

185 cm
26
220 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

188 cm
19
220 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, David Maher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sailo Damtea!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Roger Salmon and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maher throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Maher scores with a decent looking hook.
Maher swinging wildly here.
Maher throws a shot to the body.

Damtea fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Maher sprawls well initially but Damtea persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Maher wants to get back to full guard.

Damtea is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Damtea trying to mount his opponent but Maher defends it.
Maher is looking to improve his position.
Maher makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Maher.
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!

Damtea 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.
Maher 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.

Damtea stands up from Maher's guard - Damtea perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Damtea closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Maher's guard.
Damtea looking to pass the guard.
Maher wants to sweep here but Damtea controlling him for the moment.
Damtea trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Damtea is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Maher is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Maher has escaped and now he's on top!

Damtea has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Maher can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Maher postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Damtea is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Maher has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Damtea is looking for a triangle but Maher pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damtea looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maher is one step ahead there.

Damtea throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Maher's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Maher got a little sloppy there for a moment and Damtea has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maher has managed to get both his arms back between Damtea's legs - danger averted.
Maher trying to control but Damtea is working from the bottom.
Maher wants to pass the guard but Damtea is keeping the position.

Maher drops back looking for a leg! Damtea is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Damtea manages to kick Maher off! Maher jumps back into Damtea's guard.
Maher lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Damtea is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Maher looking to pass the guard.
Maher working some strikes from top position.

Maher got a little sloppy there for a moment and Damtea has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maher has managed to get both his arms back between Damtea's legs - danger averted.
Maher chips away with some ground and pound.
Maher is in close to Damtea's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Maher trying to control the position from guard on top but Damtea is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Damtea looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Maher avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Damtea working for a triangle but Maher defends it easily.
Maher is in close to Damtea's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Damtea utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Maher landing some decent shots from guard.
Maher sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Damtea's guard.

Damtea actively working from the bottom here.
Maher uses his free foot to push down on Damtea's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Damtea.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Maher wants to control the pace but Damtea is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sailo Damtea will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A combination from Maher does no damage.
Maher thuds a left hand into Damtea's body.
Damtea closes the distance and clinches up with Maher, looking for a takedown. Damtea pushes Maher against the cage but Maher circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Damtea shoots in but no luck this time.
Damtea checks a leg kick.
Maher stuffs the takedown.
David Maher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sailo Damtea.
Damtea keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Damtea is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Maher.

It looks like Sailo Damtea has been cut.
Damtea fails with the takedown.
No luck for Damtea with that takedown attempt.

Oooooh!!! Maher has knocked Damtea down with a huge combo! Maher steps away and waves a wobbly Damtea back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Damtea is rocked!
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!
Damtea fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Maher cracks Damtea with a nasty uppercut that draws ooohs from the crowd and sends Damtea tumbling backwards onto the mat. He tries to recover but Maher pounces and lands a hail of unanswered strikes that forces the referee to step in to end the fight! Damtea is not happy but he gave the referee no choice!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). David Maher!
An out of breath David Maher thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.