PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Roger Cantor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kyro Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cantor
vs
Maia

175 cm
22
170 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

183 cm
28
165 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Roger Cantor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kyro Maia!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Steve Montenegro and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cantor takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Maia connects with a nice looking jab.
Cantor lands with a kick to the temple. Maia shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Maia misses the shot to the body.
Good exchange - Maia coming out on top.
Maia has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
A shot to the body from Maia misses
and Cantor counters with a left to the body.
Cantor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cantor 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.
Maia moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Maia ducks right into an uppercut from Cantor.
Cantor gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A jab from Maia misses.
Cantor avoids the body shot from Maia.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantor throws a left and a right that both miss

and Maia counters with a shoot takedown. Cantor fights it but they end up in guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Cantor working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Maia doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Maia manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Maia got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cantor has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maia has managed to get both his arms back between Cantor's legs - danger averted.
Cantor looking for a sweep. Not yet Cantor, not yet.
Cantor keeping moving, preventing Maia from controlling successfully.
Maia keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cantor's head.
Maia stands up over Cantor, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cantor controls Maia momentarily but Maia frees himself.
Maia with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cantor looking for a guillotine here but Maia defends easily.
Maia content to stall in guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cantor looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maia is one step ahead there.
Maia is working Cantor over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Maia in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Maia accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Maia postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Maia throwing strikes but missing.
Maia throwing strikes but missing.
Maia is looking to work some ground and pound but Cantor has wrist control.
Maia loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Maia missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Cantor is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Cantor throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cantor keeping full guard, as Maia tries to pass.
Maia postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Cantor tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Cantor controls Maia momentarily but Maia frees himself.
Maia working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cantor has momentary wrist control but Maia slips an elbow through the middle.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cantor has momentary wrist control but Maia slips an elbow through the middle.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maia landing with the ground and pound.
Maia is working Cantor over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cantor pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cantor throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Maia is trying hard to land a takedown here. Cantor sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Maia uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cantor has time to react.
A big left from Cantor misses.
Maia cracks Cantor with a good jab.
Maia has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Maia shoots in looking for a takedown. Cantor tries to sprawl out of it but Maia keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cantor manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Cantor on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Maia displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cantor throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia looks to land a left hand but Cantor moved out of range nicely.
Maia throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cantor on the side of the head.
Cantor looks to throw the jab but Maia is out of range.
Maia punishes Cantor's body with a nice straight punch.
Cantor connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Maia's hands.
The fighters circling - Cantor throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Maia looks to land a right hand but Cantor moved out of range.
Cantor throws a big shot that misses.
Roger Cantor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cantor scores with a spinning back kick!
Cantor takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia misses the shot to the body.
Cantor lands a glancing blow to the side of Maia's head.
Maia displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cantor throws out the jab.
Maia misses with an uppercut.
Maia walks into a straight right hand from Cantor.
Cantor scores with a push kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cantor lands with a right hand.
Maia throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cantor stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Cantor throws a head kick that misses.
Maia misses with an uppercut. Cantor saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cantor will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Maia swings widly with a right hand
and Cantor counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cantor misses with a looping left.
Maia has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cantor.
A jab from Cantor misses.
Sloppy strikes from Cantor. Those never looked like landing.
Maia walks into a straight right hand from Cantor.
Nice sprawl there from Cantor as Maia shoots in.
Roger Cantor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kyro Maia.
Maia gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Kyro Maia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cantor tries to avoid it but Maia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cantor to the ground. Cantor escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cantor avoids the body shot from Maia.
A decent looking cross lands there for Cantor.
Cantor chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Maia misses with a body shot.
Cantor misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cantor takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Cantor lands a lovely overhand right.
Maia defending well as Cantor loads up on a big left hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cantor throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kyro Maia seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cantor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
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 Roger Cantor will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Cantor misses with a head kick.
Cantor throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Maia lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Cantor throws a shot from downtown. Maia moves away and avoids it.
Cantor throws a hook but Maia blocks it.
Maia tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cantor was well out of range. Poor timing from Maia.
Cantor lands with an uppercut that bounces Maia off the cage and back into range.
A telegraphed right hand from Maia misses the target.
Maia stuns Cantor with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Cantor walks into a stiff left hand from Maia.
Maia fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Cantor on the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia takes a swing at Cantor's ribcage but misses.
Cantor throws a combination that misses

and Maia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Maia controlling the action here.
Maia throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cantor is trying to maintain the position but Maia is very close to passing his half guard.
Cantor tries to roll over but Maia keeps him under control.
Maia working the head and body with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cantor wants to improve his position but Maia is controlling well.
Cantor trying to hold on to Maia's head to control him but Maia postures up.
Maia slips a nice elbow through Cantor's hands, connecting with Cantor's forehead.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maia misses with a head shot. Cantor uses the momentum to regain guard.
Maia makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Maia postures up in Cantor's guard and throws a big left but Cantor blocks it.
Maia wants to control from the top but Cantor keeps moving.
Cantor is trying to keep Maia in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia connects with a couple of short punches.
Maia is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Maia with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maia throws a big elbow that misses.

Cantor has his foot on Maia's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Maia works his way back into a safe position though.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cantor is on top in guard.
Cantor with a nice head shot there.
Maia working a defensive guard here.
Cantor wants to control from the top but Maia keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cantor looking to sit in guard and control but Maia gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Maia scoring with punches to the head and body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cantor looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maia is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cantor has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Maia can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maia with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kyro Maia comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Maia has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kyro Maia!