PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Elias Al Haddad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kyro Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Al Haddad
vs
Maia

174 cm
24
163 lbs
11 - 9 - 1

183 cm
29
165 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry (93%)
Fury Nutrition Inc.

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry (93%)

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 11 - 9 - 1, fighting out of New York, Elias Al Haddad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kyro Maia!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Lou da Vinci and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Haddad on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Al Haddad throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Maia stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Al Haddad scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Al Haddad misses with a left hand

and Maia counters with a takedown into side control.
Al Haddad is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Midnight MMA that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Maia works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Maia tries to score with some ground and pound. Al Haddad controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Maia creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Maia working the ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maia misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Maia tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Al Haddad is letting Maia control him for a moment.
Maia looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Al Haddad is avoiding damage well.
Al Haddad struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Maia in side control, throwing shots but Al Haddad defends.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maia looks up at the clock and then as Al Haddad takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Maia smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
The strikes coming from Maia are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Al Haddad dodges the ground and pound from Maia.
Al Haddad is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Maia is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Maia misses with a head shot. Al Haddad uses the momentum to regain guard.
Maia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Al Haddad swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia scoring with some ground and pound.
Al Haddad preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Maia lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Al Haddad avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Al Haddad is trying to hold Maia in close to prevent damage but Maia has managed to pass into half guard.
Al Haddad tries to kick Maia off but Maia keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Al Haddad on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Al Haddad defending well though.
Maia has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Al Haddad is concentrating on defense, preventing Maia from advancing position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maia trying to control from half guard but Al Haddad is working away.
Al Haddad trying to control from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jab from Al Haddad.
Al Haddad ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maia moves away.
Maia ducks under a wild hook from Al Haddad.
Maia throws a poor cross that misses
and Al Haddad counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Maia uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Al Haddad.
Maia swings widly with a right hand
and Al Haddad counters with a three punch combo that has Maia backing up. Maia nods at Al Haddad to acknowledge the strikes.
Al Haddad throws the left hand but Maia avoids the punch easily.
Maia steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Al Haddad.
Maia showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Al Haddad.
Elias Al Haddad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia misses with an uppercut
and Al Haddad cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maia takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Maia throws an overhand right that lands on Al Haddad's shoulder, as Al Haddad tries to avoid the shot.
Al Haddad closes the distance looking to clinch
and Maia counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maia misses with a looping left.
Jab, jab by Al Haddad - just one landing.
Al Haddad falls off balance throwing a combination

and Maia counters by clinching up.
Maia throws a head punch that misses.
Maia blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Al Haddad lands a left hand.
A short right from Al Haddad.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kyro Maia will probably get the nod.
That's time! Al Haddad's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Al Haddad throws a looping overhand right but Maia ducks down to avoid it.
Maia wants to counter with a clinch but Al Haddad pushes him away.
Al Haddad keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maia takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Al Haddad misses with a looping right.
Maia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Al Haddad tries to avoid it but Maia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Al Haddad to the ground. Al Haddad escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Al Haddad misses with a straight right.
A big right from Maia misses.
Al Haddad was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A big right from Maia misses.
Al Haddad displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Maia throws out the jab.
An attempted straight right counter from Al Haddad misses the target.
Al Haddad misses with a looping left.
Elias Al Haddad is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Al Haddad throws a jab but it's blocked by Maia.
Maia takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Oooh a lovely combination from Al Haddad sends Maia down but not out. Al Haddad dives into side control looking to finish.

Maia is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Al Haddad is looking to take a break and control but Maia is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia is trying to control Al Haddad's posture but Al Haddad avoids it.
Maia tries to buck Al Haddad off but Al Haddad is having none of it.
Kyro Maia has got the better of the ground game so far.
Maia struggling a bit here.
Al Haddad tries to stand but Maia is controlling his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Maia regains half guard.
Al Haddad throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Al Haddad wants to stand up but Maia has a hold of him and won't allow it.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Maia misses with a body shot
and Al Haddad cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Al Haddad is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maia can do to turn this around?
A big right from Al Haddad misses.
Maia keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Al Haddad comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A punch lands to the side of Maia 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Maia dodges the punch combination from Al Haddad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia thuds his right hand into Al Haddad's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Maia misses the body punch
and Al Haddad counters with a nice uppercut.
Al Haddad moves into range and connects with a jab.
Al Haddad misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maia.
Al Haddad misses with a left hand
and Maia counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Al Haddad takes a swing at Maia's ribcage but misses.
Al Haddad misses with a body punch
and Maia counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Al Haddad throws a body punch but Maia moves out of range.
Al Haddad connects with a right hand. Maia shakes it off.
Maia ducks under a wild hook from Al Haddad.
Maia avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Al Haddad throws a poor cross that misses
and Maia counters with a nice uppercut.
Al Haddad misses with a wild combination.
Elias Al Haddad is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Maia fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Al Haddad manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia slips a jab from Al Haddad.

Maia shoots in and bounces Al Haddad off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Maia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Al Haddad swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maia landing some decent shots from guard.
Maia throwing strikes but missing.
Maia trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elias Al Haddad dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Al Haddad displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Al Haddad ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Al Haddad fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Maia bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Al Haddad misses with a series of wild punches.
Maia loads up on a big right hand but Al Haddad slips the punch.
Elias Al Haddad is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A slow jab from Al Haddad misses its intended target.
A little jabbing left from Maia on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Al Haddad uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maia.
Al Haddad misses with a combination

and Maia counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maia working aggressively here.
Maia doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Al Haddad breaks from the clinch.
Al Haddad tries to clinch up but Maia circles away and keeps his distance.
Maia tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Haddad moves out of range of the strikes.
Maia fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Maia throws a body punch but Al Haddad moves out of range.
Al Haddad tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Maia manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A little jabbing left from Maia on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Al Haddad swinging wildly here.
Al Haddad misses with an uppercut.
Al Haddad walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Al Haddad throws out a loose jab but Maia uses good head movement to avoid it.
Al Haddad misses the shot to the body.
Maia looks to score with a jab to the body but Al Haddad is just out of range.
Maia avoids the body shot from Al Haddad.
Maia steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Al Haddad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Haddad walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Al Haddad misses with a wild body shot.

Maia shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maia sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Al Haddad defending well though.
Al Haddad wants to control but Maia is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Maia is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Maia lands strikes from half guard.
Al Haddad blocking the ground and pound attempt from Maia.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia prevents Al Haddad from improving his position.
Al Haddad gets back to full guard.
Maia slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Maia keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Al Haddad's head.
Maia looking to sit in guard and control but Al Haddad gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Maia seems keen to control Al Haddad's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maia is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Al Haddad controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Al Haddad throws a big right hand that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Al Haddad is fighting to break Maia's control of his arms but Maia is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kyro Maia.
I think Maia has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 30:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Elias Al Haddad!
Elias Al Haddad took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry (93%) for their support in the buildup to the fight.