PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Eulalio Gonzalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taneli Maija (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gonzalez kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is El Party Me Llama. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Gonzalez
vs
Maija

179 cm
36
175 lbs
19 - 18 - 2

183 cm
37
177 lbs
17 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent MT
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition

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 19 - 18 - 2, fighting out of Hilo, Eulalio Gonzalez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Taneli Maija!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Colin Fray and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maija connects with the punch.
Maija throws a body punch but Gonzalez moves out of range.
Gonzalez chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Gonzalez gets caught napping as Maija dives in and scores a takedown. Gonzalez manages to retain guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maija advances to half guard.
Gonzalez wants to get back to full guard.
My spies in Bad Pluto! (18 Elite Coach) inform me that Maija has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!

Gonzalez actively working from the bottom here.
Maija seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gonzalez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Maija is looking for a kimura here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maija works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maija looking to secure an arm triangle but Gonzalez defends it well.
Maija takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Maija goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Gonzalez turns into him and now he's in Maija's guard.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez wants to pass the guard but Maija is keeping the position.
Maija working a defensive guard here.
Gonzalez trying to control the position from guard on top but Maija is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Maija working for a triangle but Gonzalez defends it easily.
Gonzalez trying to control but Maija is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maija working a defensive guard here.
Gonzalez's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Gonzalez throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Maija is looking for a triangle but Gonzalez pushes his legs off easily.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Maija keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Gonzalez is looking to work some ground and pound but Maija has wrist control.

That's four 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.
Gonzalez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gonzalez trying to control the position from guard on top but Maija is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Gonzalez scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Gonzalez pushes Maija up against the cage in a clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gonzalez throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Maija tries to throw a body punch but Gonzalez avoids it by throwing Maija back against the cage.
Gonzalez dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Taneli Maija will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Maija dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
No joy there for Gonzalez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Maija misses with an uppercut.
Eulalio Gonzalez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gonzalez lands with a thumping leg kick.
Gonzalez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gonzalez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Maija throws a body punch but Gonzalez moves out of range.
Gonzalez appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Maija throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gonzalez ducks under a wild hook from Maija.
Gonzalez appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maija throws an off balance right hand
and Gonzalez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Maija throws a lazy right hand but Gonzalez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Maija gets caught napping as Gonzalez dives in and scores a takedown. Maija manages to retain guard.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Maija keeps moving.
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!
Gonzalez is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maija looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gonzalez trying to control but Maija is working from the bottom.
Gonzalez slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Maija keeps moving.

Maija is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gonzalez defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gonzalez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gonzalez tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Gonzalez advances to mount.
Gonzalez punching from mount but Maija doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Gonzalez with a couple of short strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maija wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Gonzalez.
Gonzalez punishing his opponent with strikes.
Gonzalez controlling the position easily from mount.
Gonzalez scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Gonzalez postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Maija looks a forlorn figure.
Maija tries to hold on but Gonzalez postures up.
Eulalio Gonzalez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gonzalez in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gonzalez looking for a guillotine from mount but Maija is having none of it.
Maija tries to lock up and control but Gonzalez gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gonzalez cracks Maija with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Gonzalez goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Maija turns into him and now he's in Gonzalez's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maija wants to pass the guard but Gonzalez is keeping the position.
Gonzalez wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Maija is now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eulalio Gonzalez dominated that second round.
That's time! Gonzalez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gonzalez slips a jab from Maija.
That kick from Gonzalez tenderised Maija's leg. Maija is trying to keep his angry face on.
Maija stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Gonzalez.
Good leg kick by Gonzalez there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Gonzalez feints and then cracks Maija's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Maija down.
Maija swings widly with a right hand
and Gonzalez counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Gonzalez cracks a nice hook into Maija's ribs.

Maija drives through with a takedown into Gonzalez's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Maija drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gonzalez looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gonzalez looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gonzalez!

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gonzalez wants to control but Maija is keeping him busy.
Maija manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonzalez trying to control from half guard but Maija is working away.
Gonzalez trying to control from Maija's half guard. Maija has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gonzalez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Maija keeping moving, preventing Gonzalez from controlling successfully.
Gonzalez tries to free his leg and advance position but Maija is retaining full guard.

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.
Gonzalez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gonzalez sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Maija's guard.
Gonzalez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maija keeps working.
Gonzalez throwing shots but Maija is blocking nicely.
Gonzalez wants to control but Maija is keeping him busy.
Gonzalez is pressing down on Maija's thigh, looking to free his foot. Maija is holding on for now.
Gonzalez takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Gonzalez not landing any meaningful shots this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Maija looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez is looking to improve his position.

Maija is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Maija seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gonzalez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gonzalez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Maija is working for a kimura here but Gonzalez manages to reverse the position and he's now in Maija's guard.
Maija has momentary wrist control but Gonzalez slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maija is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Maija keeping full guard, as Gonzalez tries to pass.
Gonzalez content to stall in guard here.
Gonzalez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maija can do to turn this around?
Gonzalez postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Maija throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eulalio Gonzalez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gonzalez has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eulalio Gonzalez!
Eulalio Gonzalez got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'