PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Tahida Menjadi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ko Maeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Menjadi's entrance music is P.I.M.P. A fine choice. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Menjadi
vs
Maeda

175 cm
18
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

168 cm
22
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Superior Ki Supplements

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tahida Menjadi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ko Maeda!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Sano and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Menjadi tries for a takedown but Maeda sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Menjadi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Maeda circles away.
Maeda avoids the head kick by Menjadi.
Maeda throws a sloppy head kick

and Menjadi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Menjadi tries a knee to the head but Maeda blocks it.
Maeda wants to get back to striking at distance but Menjadi won't allow it.
Menjadi throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Maeda is trying to break the clinch but Menjadi has him pressed against the cage.
Maeda wants to break the clinch but can't.

Menjadi breaks the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice sprawl there from Maeda as Menjadi shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tahida Menjadi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Menjadi avoids a kick to the body.
Menjadi lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Ko Maeda has been cut.
Maeda avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A head kick by Maeda misses

and Menjadi counters with a single leg into guard. Maeda didn't expect that.
Menjadi looking to sit in guard and control but Maeda gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Menjadi wants to stand but Maeda is controlling the position.

Menjadi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Maeda gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Maeda throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Menjadi on the side of the head.
Maeda lands with a thumping leg kick.
Tahida Menjadi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda tries to close the distance and clinch but Menjadi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Menjadi fails in his attempt to clinch.

Maeda bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Menjadi wants to control but Maeda postures up.
Menjadi is trying to buck Maeda off.

Maeda stands up.
Menjadi is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maeda throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Menjadi.
Menjadi moves out of range of the body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Maeda scores with a push kick.
Menjadi is looking to land body kicks.
Maeda lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Maeda throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Menjadi tries for a takedown but Maeda circles away easily
and Maeda connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Maeda fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Maeda clinches up with Menjadi and pushes him back against the cage.

Menjadi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menjadi avoids the head kick by Maeda.
Maeda takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Menjadi shoots for a takedown but Maeda saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Menjadi throws a sloppy head kick
and Maeda counters with an outside leg kick.
Maeda tries a head kick but it misses.
Menjadi shoots in but Maeda avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Menjadi throws a head kick that misses
and Maeda counters with a nice kick to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Menjadi walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Menjadi is trying to break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ko Maeda will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ko Maeda's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Maeda tries to land a body kick

and Menjadi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Menjadi.
Menjadi tries to free his leg and advance position but Maeda is retaining full guard.

Menjadi gets to his feet. Maeda looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Menjadi shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Maeda makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Maeda scores with a kick to the midsection.
Maeda plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Menjadi fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A head kick by Maeda misses
and Menjadi counters with a head kick. That will keep Maeda thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Maeda lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Maeda lands a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda lands a glancing blow to the side of Menjadi's head.
A head kick from Menjadi lands but Maeda takes it in his stride.
Menjadi throws a head kick that misses
and Maeda counters with a thumping low kick.
Menjadi walks into a left hand.
Maeda throws a half hearted mid kick.
Maeda will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Maeda shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Menjadi as he avoids it easily.
Menjadi throws a combination that misses
and Maeda counters with a nice body kick.

Maeda closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Menjadi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Menjadi wants to clinch but Maeda slips to the side
and Maeda counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Maeda tries to close the distance and clinch up but Menjadi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maeda thows a body kick. Menjadi tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A head kick from Maeda lands but Menjadi takes it in his stride.
Maeda looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Maeda scores with a leg kick.
Menjadi fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tahida Menjadi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Menjadi shoots in but no luck this time.
Maeda has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menjadi sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Menjadi on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Maeda. Maeda obviously looking to wear him down.
Menjadi blocks the body kick.
Maeda scores with a kick to the midsection.
Maeda lands a nice looking body kick.
Maeda tries a head kick but it misses.
Menjadi tries to clinch but Maeda moves away
and Maeda counters with a nice uppercut.

Maeda fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Menjadi sprawls well initially but Maeda persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Maeda wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Menjadi tries to roll over but Maeda keeps him under control.
Maeda tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Menjadi.
Menjadi is trying to stand up here but Maeda is controlling him well.

Menjadi pushes Maeda off and gets back to his feet.
Maeda avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maeda looks for the body kick but Menjadi saw that one coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ko Maeda will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ko Maeda's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Menjadi tries to clinch but Maeda is having none of it.
Maeda throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Menjadi.
Maeda throws a half hearted mid kick.

Menjadi scores with a takedown into Maeda's guard.
Menjadi is looking to advance position but Maeda has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Menjadi regains half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maeda is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Menjadi is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menjadi is looking to improve his position.
Maeda wants to get back to his feet.
Menjadi is trying to get back to full guard.
Maeda wants to take a breather but Menjadi is having none of it.
Menjadi is looking to escape.

Menjadi kicks off Maeda and gets to his feet.

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.
Menjadi throws a head kick but Maeda moves out of range.
Menjadi fails with the takedown.
Ko Maeda seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Maeda goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
A head kick misses from Maeda.
Maeda throws a nice looking combination but Menjadi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Maeda fails with the takedown.
Maeda keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menjadi fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tahida Menjadi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maeda misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A head kick by Menjadi misses
and Maeda counters with an outside leg kick.
Menjadi throws a sloppy head kick
and Maeda counters with a nice body kick.
Maeda avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maeda dodges the punch combination from Menjadi.

Maeda closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maeda decides to stand up, so the ref orders Menjadi to his feet.
Menjadi looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Menjadi tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Maeda counters with a head kick. That will keep Menjadi thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Tahida Menjadi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maeda stalks Menjadi and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Menjadi's face. Menjadi staggers backwards, shaken.
Menjadi throws a lazy head kick
and Maeda counters with an outside leg kick.
Menjadi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ko Maeda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maeda looks to land a combination. Menjadi sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ko Maeda.
I've got Maeda winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ko Maeda!