PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Taneli Maija (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Maija
vs
Souza

183 cm
32
177 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

185 cm
26
185 lbs
10 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Milwaukee's Best 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Taneli Maija!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jake Souza!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Trevor Gratis and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Souza forces Maija back against the cage and clinches.
Souza fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Souza working aggressively here.
Souza lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Maija backwards.
Souza works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Souza.
A nice right hand lands inside from Souza.
Souza letting Maija take a breather here.
Souza tries a body shot but Maija blocks it.

Maija gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Souza is looking for a triangle but Maija pushes his legs off easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Souza working for a triangle but Maija defends it easily.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Souza is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Souza looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Maija trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Maija wants to control from the top but Souza keeps moving.
Souza is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Maija trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.

Maija got a little sloppy there for a moment and Souza has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maija has managed to get both his arms back between Souza's legs - danger averted.
Souza preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Souza utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Maija slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza tries to buck Maija off but Maija is having none of it.
Maija wants to lay and pray for a moment but Souza keeps working.
Souza takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Maija trying to control the action but Souza is working from the bottom.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maija landing a few strikes.
Maija slows the pace down.
Maija has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Souza struggling a bit here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza tries to buck Maija off but Maija is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maija tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Souza gets back to half guard.
Souza is staying active underneath Maija, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
We've been hearing good reports from Maija'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.

Maija is looking for a kimura but Souza is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Maija to get the leverage.
Maija seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Souza does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Souza wants to get back to his feet.

Souza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Maija pulls his head out easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maija blocks the strikes from Souza.
Maija wants to take a breather but Souza is having none of it.
Maija lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Nice strikes from Maija there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Souza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maija is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Souza!
Souza slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Souza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Maija passes to side control.
Souza struggling a bit here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Souza is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Maija has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Souza!
Souza really wants to buck Maija off and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taneli Maija dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Maija misses with a lunging right hand
and Souza counters with a big head kick but Maija shrugs it off.
Maija jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Souza moves out of range as Maija strikes.
Maija throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Maija checks a leg kick.
Maija throws the left hand but Souza avoids the punch easily.
Maija shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Souza as he jumps to the side.

Souza takes the fight into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Souza as Maija tries to tie him up.
Maija's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Maija misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maija takes a knee to the side of the body.
Souza has a couple of punches blocked by Maija.
Maija's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
The referee calls for Maija to work.
Souza stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Souza goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Souza pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Maija closes the distance and clinches up with Souza, looking for a takedown. Maija pushes Souza against the cage but Souza circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Maija looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taneli Maija. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Souza rushes Maija and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Souza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Souza connects with a body shot.
Souza lands with an uppercut that bounces Maija off the cage and back into range.
Maija tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Souza was well out of range. Poor timing from Maija.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maija throws a low kick, looking for Souza's leg but Souza calmly moves out of range.
Maija fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maija. Souza does a little dance to reset his feet.

Maija gets a double leg takedown into Souza's guard.
Souza striking off his back but it's not causing Maija any problems.

Souza is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Maija is aware though and is defending well.
Maija wants to control from the top but Souza keeps moving.
Souza is striking off his back. Maija thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.

Souza is defending against the submission attempts here by Maija.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maija is thwarting Souza's attempts to control the position.

Maija is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Souza is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Taneli Maija!
A very excited looking Taneli Maija made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.