PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Maeda (ranked 1624 p4p, 1634 weight class) and James Smith (ranked 178 p4p, 180 weight class). Maeda kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Submission. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Maeda
vs
Smith

169 cm
32
164
23 - 14 - 0

176 cm
34
164
22 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Urban Fighter

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 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Maeda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Smith!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Colin Fotheringham and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maeda misses with a body shot.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Smith! But no joy.
Smith on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Maeda gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Maeda controls his hands.
Maeda goes for a takedown attempt but Smith pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Maeda looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Nice shot lands for Maeda.
Smith gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Maeda.
Maeda scores with a decent looking hook.
Maeda gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Smith.
Maeda lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Maeda takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Maeda pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
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!
Maeda lands with an uppercut that bounces Smith off the cage and back into range.
Maeda digs a good hook to Smith's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda misses with a series of wild punches.
Smith throws a shot from downtown. Maeda moves away and avoids it.
Maeda cracks Smith with a good jab.
Maeda just misses with a punch to the body.
Smith looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Maeda slips a straight right by Smith.
Maeda pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice defenses there by Smith.
Smith gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Nice shot lands for Maeda.
Smith throws a shot from downtown. Maeda moves away and avoids it.
It looked like Maeda wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Maeda is looking to chop away at Smith's legs.
Maeda is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Smith will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
An attempted straight right counter from Maeda misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda throws the left hand but Smith avoids the punch easily.
Maeda tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Smith scores with a jab.
Thomas Maeda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith. Maeda does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maeda closes the distance and clinches up with Smith, looking for a takedown. Maeda pushes Smith against the cage but Smith circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Some bone on bone action there as Smith checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Smith looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Maeda cracks Smith with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Smith uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maeda.
Maeda lands a body shot.
A jab from Maeda misses.
Maeda scores with a decent looking hook.

Maeda fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Smith sprawls well initially but Maeda persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Maeda is thwarting Smith's attempts to control the position.
Smith keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda is pressing down on Smith's thigh, looking to free his foot. Smith is holding on for now.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith wants to control but Maeda is keeping busy.
Smith gets back to full guard.
Smith wants to sweep here but Maeda controlling him for the moment.
Maeda throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Smith works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Maeda stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maeda controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Maeda keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Smith's head.
Maeda stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maeda looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Smith is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Maeda passes into half guard.
Maeda trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Maeda is working away from the top position though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Maeda dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Maeda swings for the body but Smith moves out of range.
A jab from Maeda does it's job there.
Maeda throws a body punch but Smith moves out of range.
Smith looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Maeda throws a poor cross that misses
and Smith counters with a straight right hand.
A big right from Maeda misses.
Maeda connects with a single shot there.
Maeda tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Smith defends well and Maeda ends up having to push Smith into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Smith scores with a shot to the side of Maeda's head.
Maeda tries to pull guard but Smith forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Smith lands a shoulder strike.
Smith misses with a shot to the kidneys.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Maeda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maeda tries to pull guard but Smith won't allow it.

Smith is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Maeda can't fight it off and eventually Smith manages to take the fight to the floor. Maeda looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Maeda.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith scoring with punches to the head and body.

Smith avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Smith keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Maeda's head.
Smith connects with a couple of short punches.

Maeda is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Smith defends well.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Maeda.
Maeda trying to control the position.

Maeda is looking for a triangle but Smith pushes his legs off easily.
Maeda is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Smith can do to turn this around?
Smith trying to control but Maeda is working from the bottom.

Maeda throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maeda is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Smith defends well.
Smith throws a big elbow that misses.
Maeda is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Maeda is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Maeda sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Smith defending well though.
Smith wants to control but Maeda passes into side.
Smith is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maeda looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Smith tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Smith is letting Maeda control him for a moment.
Thomas Maeda overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maeda works to advance to full mount. Smith defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Maeda lands a big elbow.
Maeda looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Smith really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Maeda lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Maeda thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is in all sorts of trouble here.
Maeda punishing his opponent with strikes.
Smith in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Maeda cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Smith regains half guard.
Smith blocking the ground and pound attempt from Maeda.
Maeda moves nicely into side control.
Smith prevents Maeda from moving into mount.
Maeda connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Smith some visible discomfort.
Smith tries to improve position but can't.
Maeda lands a few punches from side control.
Maeda 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.
Maeda cracks Smith with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Maeda in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Maeda 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!

Smith jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Smith throws a big shot that misses.
Maeda misses with a straight left.
Maeda throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Maeda lands a jab to the nose.
Maeda loads up on a big right hand but Smith slips the punch.
Smith lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Maeda digs a good hook to Smith's body.

Maeda gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Smith to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Smith with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Maeda keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.

Smith got a little sloppy there for a moment and Maeda has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Smith has managed to get both his arms back between Maeda's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Smith keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Maeda's head.

Maeda throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Maeda looking to control.
Smith postures up and lands a big shot to Maeda's brow.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Maeda is keeping the position for now.

Maeda throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Smith makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Smith must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda has control of Smith's left arm, preventing Smith from doing any damage.
Smith scoring with punches to the head and body.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Maeda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith preventing the sweep.
Smith postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Smith working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Maeda's head.
Maeda avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Smith working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith connects with a couple of short punches.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Maeda wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Smith is now in half guard.
Maeda wants to control but Smith is keeping busy.
Maeda is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Smith is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Maeda looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Maeda moves into full guard.
Thomas Maeda is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Smith throws a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith throwing strikes but missing.
Maeda pulls Smith in to control the position.
Maeda bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Smith's guard.

Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Smith is pulling down on Maeda's head. It's preventing any offense from Maeda, at least for the moment.
Maeda has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Maeda controls from within his opponent's guard.
Maeda makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smith is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
James Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maeda passes Smith's left leg - he's now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Maeda 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Maeda!
Thomas Maeda very nearly forgot to thank Kore Fight Nutrition amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.