PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Zane Maldonado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kirin Maki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maki has chosen Dragon Screamer as his entrance music. Kirin Maki is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Maldonado
vs
Maki

180 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
147 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Zane Maldonado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kirin Maki!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Ren Mimura and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Maki looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Maki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Maki throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Maki misses with a head kick.
Maldonado throws a head kick but Maki moves out of range.
Maki misses with a head kick.
Maki has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Maldonado is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Maki throws a sloppy head kick and Maldonado moves out of range easily.
Maki looks winded!
Maki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Maki misses with a head kick.
Maki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Maldonado drives through with a takedown into guard.
Maldonado is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldonado has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Maldonado.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Maldonado forces Maki back against the cage and clinches.
Maki is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Maldonado lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Maldonado gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Maldonado in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maldonado stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Maldonado drives through with a takedown into guard.
Maldonado is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Maki really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Maldonado. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Maldonado continues to hold on tight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zane Maldonado dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Maldonado shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Maldonado keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maki is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maldonado decides to return to a standing position.
Maldonado keeps the fight on the outside.
Maki tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maldonado paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A head kick misses from Maki.
Maldonado thows a left - swing and a miss!

Maldonado looking to score a takedown here. Maki is defending well but Maldonado drives through and ends up in Maki's guard.
Maldonado is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Maldonado seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Maki for as long as he can get away with.
Maldonado is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maki can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado continues to stall.

Maldonado gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maldonado shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Maki's guard.
Maldonado is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Maldonado's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Maldonado pushing down on Maki's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Maldonado is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Maldonado decides to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zane Maldonado dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Maldonado throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Maki tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Maldonado is in Maki's guard.
Maldonado is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Further stalling from Maldonado.
Zane Maldonado overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
If it seems like I'm not saying a lot, it's just because Maldonado is stinking the place up with his stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldonado throwing strikes but missing.
Maldonado sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Maldonado cracks Maki with a solid left hand.

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.
Maldonado's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kirin Maki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maki throws a sloppy head kick
and Maldonado counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Maldonado shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Maldonado gets to his feet. Maki looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Maki is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Maki blocks a head kick by Maldonado.
Maldonado blocks a head kick by Maki.

Maldonado clinches up against the cage.
Maldonado scores with a shot to the side of Maki's head.
Maldonado effectively controlling the action here.
Maldonado lands an uppercut.
Maldonado tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Maldonado throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Maldonado lands with a right to the head.
Maldonado is working Maki over against the cage.
A hook to the body from Maldonado.

Maldonado has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Maki uses from the top position.
Maldonado seems keen to control Maki's posture.
Maldonado manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Maki manages to get himself to full guard.

Maldonado drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Maldonado jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Maldonado makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
More hug and hope from Maldonado.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zane Maldonado showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Maldonado, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:25
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:25
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zane Maldonado!
The defeated Kirin Maki had this to say: 'É hora de trabalhar...'.