PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Eddy Maiden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dick Tanner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maiden kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Wildfire in the streets. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Maiden
vs
Tanner

185 cm
35
170 lbs
23 - 12 - 1

189 cm
41
154 lbs
31 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 23 - 12 - 1, fighting out of London, Eddy Maiden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dick Tanner!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Patrick Alders and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maiden keeps the fight on the outside.
Maiden avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tanner wants to clinch.
Tanner tries to close the distance and clinch but Maiden swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Maiden 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.

Tanner moves into the clinch successfully.

Maiden's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tanner takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Tanner looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Maiden lands a lovely overhand right.
Maiden thows a left - swing and a miss!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A combination from Maiden does no damage.
Tanner appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Maiden slips under a jab from Tanner.
Maiden shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tanner but Tanner pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Tanner closes the distance and pushes Maiden back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanner scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Eddy Maiden has been cut.
Maiden wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Tanner tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Maiden avoids it.

Tanner breaks from the clinch.
Tanner lunges at Maiden with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Maiden's hand.
Dick Tanner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tanner is looking to clinch but Maiden is avoiding it.
Tanner just misses with a punch to the body.
Maiden changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Tanner is looking to clinch.
A right-left combo lands from Tanner.
Maiden shoots for a takedown but Tanner saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Maiden swats away the attempt to clinch by Tanner.
Maiden tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Tanner defends well and Maiden ends up having to push Tanner into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddy Maiden. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maiden gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Tanner.
A jab from Maiden does it's job there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Tanner darts in and clinches Maiden up against the cage.

Maiden manages to break the clinch.
Tanner tries to close the distance and clinch but Maiden swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tanner wants to clinch up but Maiden keeps it at a distance.

Tanner gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Maiden on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Tanner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Maiden shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Tanner is trying to defend but Maiden finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Maiden not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Maiden lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanner tries to roll over but Maiden keeps him under control.

Maiden looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Tanner is controlling Maiden's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Maiden is working for an americana but Tanner has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Maiden was thinking about the submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Tanner pulls Maiden in close to prevent any damage.
Tanner keeping moving, preventing Maiden from controlling successfully.
Maiden's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Tanner wants to sweep here but Maiden controlling him for the moment.
Maiden stands and throws Tanner's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Tanner gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dick Tanner will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Eddy Maiden's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Tanner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tanner is looking to clinch.
Tanner tries to clinch up.

Maiden feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Tanner is looking to stand back up but Maiden counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Tanner.

Tanner is trying to maintain the position but Maiden is very close to passing his half guard.
Maiden is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maiden is looking to pass into half guard but Tanner pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Tanner is in guard.

Maiden looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tanner is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maiden trying to keep a closed guard but Tanner is proving a slippery customer.
Tanner trying to control but Maiden is working from the bottom.
Tanner controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Tanner preventing the sweep.
Tanner is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Maiden seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Tanner postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Tanner tries to clinch up but Maiden circles away and keeps his distance.
Maiden feinted with a counter takedown.
Dick Tanner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Tanner has closed the distance and engaged Maiden in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maiden wants to get back to striking at distance but Tanner won't allow it.
Maiden is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Tanner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tanner closes the distance looking to clinch

and Maiden counters with a shoot takedown. Tanner fights it but they end up in guard.
Maiden is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Eddy Maiden overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maiden trying to control but Tanner is working from the bottom.
Tanner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maiden is one step ahead there.
Maiden trying to control but Tanner is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maiden working some strikes from top position.
Tanner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maiden is one step ahead there.
Maiden trying to control but Tanner is working from the bottom.
Maiden is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Tanner is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maiden with a flurry of punches that miss.
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 Eddy Maiden will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Eddy Maiden's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Maiden scores with a nice strike.
Maiden takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Tanner closes the distance and clinches.
Tanner throws a knee to the head but misses.
Maiden is trying to push Tanner away but Tanner has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Maiden is trying to break free.
Maiden can't break the clinch.
Maiden is trying to break the clinch but Tanner is controlling him.

Tanner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maiden shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tanner misses with an uppercut.
Maiden drops down looking for a counter takedown but Tanner sprawls and moves away.
Maiden scores with a nice head shot.
Tanner tests Maiden's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Maiden closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maiden is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Tanner moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Maiden trying to control but Tanner is working from the bottom.
Maiden landing some decent shots from guard.
Maiden preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Maiden is fighting to break Tanner's control of his arms but Tanner is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Maiden postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Maiden postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Maiden wants to pass the guard but Tanner is keeping the position.
Tanner seems keen to control Maiden's posture.
Tanner keeping full guard, as Maiden tries to pass.
Tanner avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanner takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Tanner rushes Maiden and presses him up against the cage.
Tanner lands a hook that snaps the head of Maiden backwards.
Tanner is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Maiden tries to break free but Tanner pushes him back against the cage.

Maiden breaks the clinch.
Maiden shoots in for a double leg but Tanner sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Maiden moves out of range as Tanner strikes.
Tanner tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Maiden manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Maiden shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tanner pinned against the cage. Tanner gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddy Maiden. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanner stuffs the takedown.
Maiden fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Tanner on the side of the head.
Maiden bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Tanner's head.
Tanner connects with a looping right hand.
Maiden lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Maiden.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maiden moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Nice straight punches there by Tanner. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Tanner.
Tanner tries to clinch but Maiden moves out of range.
Maiden throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Tanner counters with a stiff right hand.
Tanner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maiden swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maiden misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Eddy Maiden.
I think Maiden has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eddy Maiden!
In his post fight interview, Eddy Maiden started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.