PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roberto Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabricio Cabral (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maia kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Wake me Up. Fabricio Cabral has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Maia
vs
Cabral

180 cm
23
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
215 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes musicals

Heisenberg

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Roberto Maia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Fabricio Cabral!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cabral darts in and clinches Maia up against the cage.
Cabral drops down looking for an ankle pick but Maia pulls his leg out and moves away.
Maia dives in for a single leg takedown but Cabral sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Maia wants a takedown.
Cabral is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roberto Maia. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cabral gets control of Maia's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cabral will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Maia drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Maia jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Maia drops back, looking for a kneebar! Cabral looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Cabral looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Cabral!
Maia is trying to improve his position.
Cabral trying to control the action but Maia is working from the bottom.
Maia looks to move to half guard but instead Cabral has passed into mount! Damn!
Maia is looking to get to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
We've been hearing good reports from Maia's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Cabral really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Maia. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Maia tries to roll over but Cabral keeps him under control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Maia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Maia has a hand on Cabral's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Cabral takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Maia working to try and regain half guard.
Cabral looking to control but Maia is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cabral sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Maia is working to get back to half guard.
Maia manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Maia actively working from the bottom here.
Maia is trying to get back to full guard.
Maia manages to get to full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cabral tries to free his leg and advance position but Maia is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cabral got a little sloppy there for a moment and Maia has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cabral has managed to get both his arms back between Maia's legs - danger averted.
Maia could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Cabral trying to control the position from guard on top but Maia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cabral stopping the sweep attempt from Maia.

Cabral avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Cabral won't allow Maia to sweep him here.
Cabral wants to control from the top but Maia keeps moving.

Maia is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cabral is aware though and is defending well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maia looking for a sweep. Not yet Maia, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maia is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Cabral has his hands clasped together but Maia extends and breaks Cabral's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Maia.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Roberto Maia!
Roberto Maia seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.