PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Black Mamba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mario Maci (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mario Maci looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Mamba
vs
Maci

190 cm
22
230 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

198 cm
20
265 lbs
0 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Black Mamba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mario Maci!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mamba misses with a double jab
and Maci counters with a good low kick that Mamba was not able to check.
Mamba misses with a head kick.
Mamba throws a right hand that Maci ducks under and follows up with a left that Maci also avoids with ease.

Mamba darts in and clinches Maci up against the ropes.
Mamba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Maci is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mamba is defending well for now.
Maci crunches a lovely knee into Mamba's ribcage.

Mamba breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Mamba drives through with a takedown into guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Mamba drops back, looking for a kneebar! Maci looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Maci looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Maci!
Mamba is breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
You can see the frustration on Mamba's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mamba is not content to let Maci control the position.
Mamba seems a little lost for a moment, as Maci dominates the positioning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Mamba fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Maci, pushing him back against the ropes.
Mamba managing to block the knees to the body from Maci.
Maci trying to land knees to the body.
Maci missing with knees to the body.
Maci keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mamba's efforts to push away.

Mamba drags the fight down to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maci postures up.
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.
Maci trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Maci controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A right-left combo lands from Mamba.

It looks like Mario Maci has been cut.
Mamba misses with a double jab
and Maci counters with a leg kick.
Mamba definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Mamba moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mamba blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Maci missing with knees to the body.

Mamba gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Maci regains guard.
Maci seems keen to control Mamba's posture.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mamba stopping the sweep attempt from Maci.
Maci managing to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
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 Black Mamba will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mario Maci'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.

No joy there for Mamba, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Mamba has managed to clinch.
Mamba stalling in the clinch but Maci improves position.
Mamba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Maci trying to land knees to the body.
Maci missing with knees to the body.
Maci tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mamba avoids it.

Mamba gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Mamba is looking to work some ground and pound but Maci has wrist control.
Maci bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mamba's guard.
Mamba is trying to control the position but Maci postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maci engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mamba holds on and takes a little breather.

Black Mamba has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Mamba throws a right and a left that both miss.

Mamba moves into the clinch.
Mamba managing to block the knees to the body from Maci.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mamba on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Maci is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mamba is defending well for now.

Mamba ties up his opponent against the ropes and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Mamba no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Maci not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Maci has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad MMA Tokyo. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Maci works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Maci wants to pass the guard but Mamba is defending well.
Mamba avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maci.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maci controlling the action here.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Mario Maci wasn't active enough on the ground.
A punch combination from Mamba misses.
Mamba misses with a series of wild punches.
Mamba rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Maci moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mamba throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Maci counters with a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mamba changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Maci looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sloppy strikes there by Mamba.
Maci has one of Mamba's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
Mamba tries to move to full mount but Maci actually manages to regain half guard.
Mamba throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maci is trying to get back to full guard.
Maci keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
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 Black Mamba will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mario Maci's cut.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mamba looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mamba closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Black Mamba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mamba throws a series of punches but Maci moves out of range.
Mamba getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Mamba fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Maci takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maci dodges the punch combination from Mamba.
Mamba tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mamba moves into the clinch.
Mamba avoiding damage as Maci throws knees to the body.

Mamba successfully pulls guard.
Maci slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Maci is staying tight to Mamba's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Maci tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mamba is letting Maci control him for a moment.
Maci tries to move into full mount but can't pass Mamba's legs.
Maci staying calm.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Mario Maci wasn't active enough on the ground.

Mamba shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maci controlling the position.
Mamba won't allow Maci to sweep him here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Maci can do anything to dispel that myth.
Mamba throws a big right hand that misses.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Maci holds on and takes a little breather.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mario Maci.

Mamba darts in and clinches Maci up against the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mamba is trying to trip Maci. He has hold of a leg but Maci is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Mamba persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Mamba postures up in Maci's guard and throws a big left but Maci blocks it.
Mario Maci has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Maci is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Mamba frees his head nicely. Oh but Maci has switched to an armbar! Mamba is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Mario Maci!