PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Samuel Washington (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitsuyo Maeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Washington comes into the arena with TNT blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Washington
vs
Maeda

169 cm
26
145 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

170 cm
33
142 lbs
25 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $140

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Samuel Washington!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 18 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mitsuyo Maeda!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, John Kavanagh and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maeda slips a jab from Washington.
Maeda doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Washington counters with a shoot takedown. Maeda fights it but they end up in guard.
Maeda is trying to control the position but Washington postures up.
Maeda looking to hit a scissor sweep but Washington is one step ahead there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Maeda is on top in guard.
Washington has his hands on Maeda's head, controlling the position.
Washington wants to sweep but no luck.
Maeda is stalling in the full guard.
Washington has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Washington can't keep his opponent in guard - Maeda advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Maeda is keen to just control but Washington is a slippery customer.
Washington trying to control from the bottom.
I've been told that Maeda has been drilling his wrestling of late, which has already helped him take this fight to the mat. Let's see how much of an impact it has on the outcome of the ground game.
Washington is refusing to be controlled, as Maeda sits in half guard.
Washington is trying to maintain the position but Maeda is very close to passing his half guard.
Washington controlling the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Samuel Washington wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Maeda shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Washington keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Washington keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Maeda not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Maeda tries to pass to full mount but Washington defends it.
Maeda not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Washington wants to control but Maeda is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maeda sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Washington defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Washington keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Washington is staying active underneath Maeda, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Maeda winds up and cracks Washington with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Maeda is looking to take a break and control but Washington is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Washington is trying to control but can't.
Maeda lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Washington tries to roll over but Maeda keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Washington taking some punishment here, with Maeda in his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maeda wants to control but Washington is keeping him busy.
Maeda seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Washington wants to control but Maeda is keeping busy.
Maeda sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Washington is trying to maintain the position but Maeda is very close to passing his half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Washington keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Well, if Maeda is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitsuyo Maeda dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Washington changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Washington feints a jab promting Maeda to slip. Washington then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Maeda slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

Maeda shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Maeda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Washington keeps working.
Washington has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Maeda is working away from the top position though.
Maeda is trying to control. Washington wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Mitsuyo Maeda has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maeda.
Maeda trying to control the action but Washington is working from the bottom.
Washington trying to control but Maeda postures up.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Maeda trying to control from half guard but Washington is working away.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mitsuyo Maeda.
Washington chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Maeda defending well as Washington loads up on a big left hand.
Washington throws a sloppy head kick and Maeda moves out of range easily.
Maeda tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Washington swivels and escapes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Washington throws a body punch but Maeda moves out of range.
Maeda fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Maeda shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Washington pinned against the cage. Washington gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Samuel Washington has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mitsuyo Maeda.
Washington scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Maeda walks into a jab.

It looks like Mitsuyo Maeda has been cut.
Maeda with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Washington to score with a decent uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Washington pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Washington connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Washington throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda fails to land the takedown.
Washington looks to land a right hand but Maeda moved out of range.
Nice defenses there by Maeda.
Washington throws a looping overhand right but Maeda ducks down to avoid it.
Washington throws a sloppy head kick and Maeda moves out of range easily.
Washington is looking to chop away at Maeda's legs.
An inside leg kick from Washington misses.
Washington throws a push kick but Maeda slaps the foot to one side.
Maeda sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Washington scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Washington throws a shot from downtown. Maeda moves away and avoids it.
Washington throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Maeda checks a leg kick nicely.
Washington throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maeda shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Washington counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Maeda shoots in for a double leg but Washington sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Washington ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maeda moves away.
Maeda displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Washington throws out the jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Washington misses with a straight left.
Maeda steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Washington.
Maeda has a takedown stuffed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuel Washington dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mitsuyo Maeda's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Maeda ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Washington lands a front kick.
Washington jabs Maeda right on the nose. Maeda blinks but takes it well.
Washington throws a body punch but Maeda moves out of range.
Washington scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Washington throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Washington shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Maeda manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Maeda is looking to sweep but instead, Washington has passed into half guard.
Washington wants to take a breather but Maeda is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda is looking to control Washington's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maeda avoid being mounted?
Washington seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Washington looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Maeda gets back to full guard.
Washington is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda looking to hit a scissor sweep but Washington is one step ahead there.
Maeda trying to strike off his back.
Maeda trying to keep a closed guard but Washington is proving a slippery customer.
Washington controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Maeda wants to sweep here but Washington controlling him for the moment.
Washington looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Washington throws an elbow that misses. Maeda uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Washington's guard. Nice move by Maeda!
Maeda throws an elbow that misses. Washington uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Maeda's guard. Nice move by Washington!
Maeda looking for a sweep. Not yet Maeda, not yet.
Washington looking to sit in guard and control but Maeda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Maeda throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda postures up.
Maeda throws a strike but Washington rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Maeda is pulling down on Washington's head to control his posture.
Washington working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Maeda has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maeda manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Maeda lands a big elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samuel Washington showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Washington has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28

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