PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mitsuyo Maeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gordon Lefleaur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Maeda
vs
Lefleaur

177 cm
31
166 lbs
11 - 7 - 1

184 cm
32
170 lbs
25 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mitsuyo Maeda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gordon Lefleaur!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Sosuke Kotani and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lefleaur throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lefleaur misses with a low kick.
Maeda throws a head kick that Lefleaur semi-blocks.
Lefleaur takes a swing at Maeda's ribcage but misses.
Lefleaur tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maeda paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lefleaur throws a head kick that misses.
Lefleaur throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Maeda shoots in and drives through. Lefleaur sprawls well.
Maeda misses with a head kick.
Lefleaur fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lefleaur throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lefleaur takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Lefleaur misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
That kick from Maeda tenderised Lefleaur's leg. Lefleaur is trying to keep his angry face on.
Maeda looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Lefleaur misses.
Lefleaur gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Maeda counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Lefleaur's guard now.
Maeda trying to control the position from guard on top but Lefleaur is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maeda engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Lefleaur keeping moving, preventing Maeda from controlling successfully.
Lefleaur seems keen to control Maeda's posture.
Maeda throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda is looking to work some ground and pound but Lefleaur has wrist control.
Lefleaur keeping moving, preventing Maeda from controlling successfully.
Maeda trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Maeda pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lefleaur is keeping the position for now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lefleaur is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Maeda.
Lefleaur throws a leg kick but Maeda sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Maeda shoots in for a takedown but Lefleaur shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitsuyo Maeda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lefleaur rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Maeda moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Maeda takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Good exchange - Lefleaur coming out on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lefleaur changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Maeda looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Lefleaur scores with a nice head shot.
Lefleaur with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Lefleaur tries to clinch but Maeda moves out of range.
Maeda tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lefleaur misses with a kick to the body

and Maeda decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lefleaur's guard.
Lefleaur is trying to keep Maeda in close.
Maeda looking to pass the guard.
Maeda trying to control the position from guard on top but Lefleaur is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lefleaur is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Maeda in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Maeda wants to pass the guard but Lefleaur is keeping the position.
Maeda throws a big right hand that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maeda controls from within his opponent's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lefleaur throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitsuyo Maeda dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Maeda fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lefleaur avoids it really well and circles away.
Maeda throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Maeda on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Lefleaur misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maeda.
Maeda shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Lefleaur as he avoids it easily.
Lefleaur takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Lefleaur avoids the head kick by Maeda.
Maeda takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Maeda throws a sloppy head kick and Lefleaur moves out of range easily.
Maeda is looking to chop away at Lefleaur's legs.
Lefleaur swings widly with a right hand

and Maeda counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Lefleaur!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lefleaur prevents Maeda from moving into mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda in side control lands a decent elbow.
Lefleaur is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The ground and pound from Maeda seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Lefleaur tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Maeda wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Maeda tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
An elbow from Maeda crashes against the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda trying to control the action but Lefleaur is working from the bottom.
Maeda is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Lefleaur is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Maeda looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lefleaur tries to improve position but can't.
Lefleaur is trying to get back to his feet.
Maeda is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Lefleaur will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Lefleaur struggling a bit here.
Maeda wants to control but Lefleaur is keeping him busy.
Maeda landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda trying to control the position but Lefleaur is working away.

Maeda thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Maeda trying to control the position but Lefleaur is working away.
Maeda tries to score with some ground and pound. Lefleaur controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maeda trying to control the position but Lefleaur is working away.
Maeda creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Lefleaur sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitsuyo Maeda dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Maeda slips a straight right by Lefleaur.
Lefleaur motions for Maeda to come forward. Lefleaur throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Lefleaur is looking to clinch but Maeda is avoiding it.
Maeda fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Lefleaur checks it well.
Lefleaur thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lefleaur avoids a kick to the body.

Maeda gets the takedown into side control.
Maeda misses with the ground and pound.
Maeda connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Lefleaur some visible discomfort.
Maeda creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Lefleaur sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Maeda trying to control the action but Lefleaur is working from the bottom.
Lefleaur tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lefleaur controls the position for a moment.
Maeda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lefleaur keeps working.
The strikes coming from Maeda are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lefleaur is not content to let Maeda control the position.
Lefleaur tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Maeda wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Mitsuyo Maeda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda controlling the position.
Lefleaur is trying to control Maeda's posture but Maeda avoids it.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Lefleaur tries to improve position but can't.
Gordon Lefleaur has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lefleaur ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Maeda scores with a leg kick.
A head kick misses from Lefleaur.
Maeda shoots in but no luck this time.
Lefleaur plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lefleaur tries a head kick but it misses.

Maeda decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Maeda is keen to just control but Lefleaur is a slippery customer.
Maeda looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Maeda is trying to control. Lefleaur wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

We're going to have a standup here because Mitsuyo Maeda wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Maeda stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lefleaur.
Gordon Lefleaur seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lefleaur loads up on a big right hand but Maeda slips the punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lefleaur throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gordon Lefleaur seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lefleaur tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maeda paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lefleaur throws a leg kick but Maeda checks it.
Maeda scores with a kick to the midsection.
Lefleaur lands with a nice combination. Maeda backs away looking to recover.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maeda fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A punch combination from Maeda misses.
Lefleaur takes a swing at Maeda's ribcage but misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Maeda checks a leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lefleaur misses with a wild body shot.

Maeda shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Lefleaur napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Lefleaur being controlled for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mitsuyo Maeda.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Maeda, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mitsuyo Maeda!
Mitsuyo Maeda decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.