PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Maxim Ward (ranked 1138 p4p, 1734 weight class) and Paul Muhapuro (ranked 167 p4p, 236 weight class). Muhapuro is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Warrant - Cherry Pie. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ward
vs
Muhapuro

185 cm
30
172
13 - 5 - 1

177 cm
34
173
26 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
Shadow Realm Apparel

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 13 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Maxim Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Paul Muhapuro!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Phil Schofield and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
We've got one fighter who appears to only be looking to counter and the other not looking particularly aggressive either, so we could be in for a dull fight.
Muhapuro uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ward.
Muhapuro with the counter takedown but Ward avoids it easily.
Ward takes a swing at Muhapuro's ribcage but misses.
Muhapuro feints the counter takedown.
Ward loads up on a big right hand but Muhapuro slips the punch.
Muhapuro tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Ward lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Muhapuro gets caught flat footed, as Ward shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Muhapuro is wriggling around but Ward manages to pass to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ward wants to work for an arm triangle but Muhapuro is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Ward missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ward wants to pass the guard but Muhapuro is defending well.

Ward 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.
Ward sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Muhapuro defending well though.
Ward 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Muhapuro is looking to escape.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ward in particular looking to stall.

Muhapuro has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Ward is on him like a limpet, forcing Muhapuro back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Ward wants to take a breather but Muhapuro is having none of it.
Muhapuro tries to kick Ward off but Ward keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ward working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ward is keen to just control but Muhapuro is a slippery customer.

Ward is working for a submission of some sort.
Ward with the ground and pound but Muhapuro uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward stops Muhapuro from standing up.
Muhapuro is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Ward wants to pass the guard but Muhapuro is keeping the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Muhapuro kicks Ward off and gets to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Muhapuro slips under a jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Maxim Ward dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ward lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Ward throws out a loose jab but Muhapuro uses good head movement to avoid it.

Ward 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.
Ward trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ward is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Muhapuro can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ward trying to control the position from guard on top but Muhapuro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Muhapuro is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Muhapuro manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Muhapuro has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Ward after a bit of a struggle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muhapuro is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Ward gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Ward throwing shots but Muhapuro is blocking nicely.
Ward thows a huge punch but Muhapuro dodges it nicely.
Muhapuro looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ward wants to control but Muhapuro is keeping him busy.
Ward controlling the action here.
Ward trying to control from half guard but Muhapuro is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Muhapuro has recovered full guard.
Ward postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ward pushes down on Muhapuro's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Maxim Ward overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ward is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

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.
Ward throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ward tries to pass the half guard into mount. Muhapuro knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Muhapuro is trying to stand back up but Ward is controlling him

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Muhapuro keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Ward misses the target.
Muhapuro tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ward throws a lazy right hand but Muhapuro sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Muhapuro keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Muhapuro feints the counter takedown.

Ward drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ward passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Muhapuro!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ward swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Muhapuro is now in Ward's guard. A big mistake from Ward there, giving up the dominant position!
Muhapuro wants to stand but Ward is controlling his posture from full guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward seems keen to control Muhapuro's posture.
Muhapuro wanted to stand there but Ward had control of the position.
Maxim Ward is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Muhapuro is fighting to break Ward's control of his arms but Ward is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Muhapuro must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ward has a closed guard, preventing Muhapuro from standing up.
Muhapuro won't allow Ward to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Muhapuro stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Muhapuro takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Ward clinches.
Muhapuro is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ward pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Ward gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward trying to control the action but Muhapuro is working from the bottom.
Ward takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Ward wants to lay and pray for a moment but Muhapuro keeps working.
Ward is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ward content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maxim Ward showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ward 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Gold scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maxim Ward!
Maxim Ward seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.