PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matija Maestro (ranked 109 p4p, 890 weight class) and Lars Kay (ranked 20 p4p, 99 weight class). Maestro comes into the arena with Shortwire - Reconfig blaring out of the sound system. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Maestro
vs
Kay

174 cm
25
150
15 - 0 - 0

177 cm
24
150
8 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

SynCity Fightwear

Champion Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matija Maestro!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lars Kay!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maestro takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Kay throws a hook but Maestro avoids it easily.
Kay ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kay tries to clinch
and Maestro counters with a nice body shot.
Kay tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Maestro manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kay closes this distance looking for a takedown but Maestro circles away.
Maestro clobbers Kay with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Kay shoots and misses
and Maestro counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Maestro 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.
Maestro passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Kay felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kay tries to improve position but can't.
Kay is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Maestro is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Maestro wants to control the pace but Kay is squirming around nicely.
Kay is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maestro avoids the attempt from Kay to control.
Maestro controlling from mount.
Kay regains half guard.

Maestro is working for a kimura but Kay is defending it quite comfortably.
Kay wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Maestro with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Kay actively working from the bottom here.
Kay wants to improve his position but Maestro is controlling well.

Kay looking for submissions off his back.
Maestro controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Maestro is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kay regains full guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maestro not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Kay looking for subs off his back but Maestro has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's four 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.
Maestro sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Maestro is looking to take a break and control but Kay is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Kay looking for submissions off his back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kay moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Maestro lands a two punch combo.
Kay takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Maestro cracks Kay with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A telegraphed right hand from Maestro misses the target.
Maestro fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kay takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Kay doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Maestro looks to land a right hand but Kay moved out of range.
Maestro is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kay can do to turn this around?
Nice defenses there by Maestro.
Kay ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maestro moves away.
Maestro lands a nice looking body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kay takes a jab right on the kisser.
Matija Maestro is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kay uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maestro.
Maestro thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kay fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Maestro closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Maestro lands in his opponent's guard.

Kay looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Kay has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Maestro is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Kay.
Maestro staying calm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maestro advances to full mount.
Kay is desperately trying to improve his position but Maestro has a good base and remains in mount.
Kay is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Maestro controlling the pace for now.
Maestro manages to capitalize on a mistake by Kay to take his back!
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maestro is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Kay is defending well though. Maestro let's go of the attempt for now.
Kay is trying to break free.

Maestro working for the rear naked choke here. He's got one arm under but Kay is defending well. A couple of punches soften him up though and Maestro has tightened the hold! This one could be all over! It is! Kay taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Matija Maestro!
Matija Maestro retains his featherweight title!
An out of breath Matija Maestro thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.