PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jan Claude Van Damme (ranked 25452 p4p, 25453 weight class) and Simon Maynard (ranked 521 p4p, 527 weight class). Van Damme comes into the arena with Wai khru ram muay blaring out of the sound system. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Van Damme
vs
Maynard

185 cm
18
195
1 - 3 - 0

194 cm
25
193
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jan Claude Van Damme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Simon Maynard!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Michael Johnstone and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maynard throws a chopping leg kick but Van Damme manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Van Damme seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Maynard fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Van Damme manages to avoid it.
Van Damme misses with a body kick.
Maynard connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Van Damme's hands.
Maynard throws a right and a left that both miss.
Maynard throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Van Damme throws a head kick but Maynard moves out of range.
Maynard misses with a lunging right hand
and Van Damme finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Van Damme goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Maynard fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Van Damme manages to avoid it.
Simon Maynard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maynard throws a poor cross that misses
and Van Damme counters with a body kick that stops Maynard in his tracks momentarily.
Maynard misses with a jab, cross combination.
It appears Van Damme was looking to counter with a kick there.
Maynard looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Danga de danga de dang - Maynard scores with a four punch combination!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maynard connects with the punch.
Van Damme steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Maynard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maynard swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Van Damme lands with a slapping head kick.
Maynard changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Van Damme throws a quick inside leg kick.
Van Damme uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Maynard.
Maynard misses with a head kick.
Van Damme quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Maynard throws a jab but it's blocked by Van Damme.
Van Damme scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Maynard swings for the body but Van Damme moves out of range.
Van Damme fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Maynard.
Van Damme will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Maynard blocks a head kick by Van Damme.
Maynard blocks a head kick by Van Damme.
Maynard pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maynard throws a jab but it's blocked by Van Damme.
Van Damme thinks about countering with a head kick.
Maynard throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Damme bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Maynard jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Van Damme slips a straight right by Maynard.
Van Damme lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Van Damme tries to work over Maynard's front leg with a kick but Maynard checks it.
Van Damme takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Maynard scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Maynard throws a body punch but Van Damme moves out of range.
Maynard throws a big shot that misses.
Van Damme pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maynard looks to score with a jab to the body but Van Damme is just out of range.
A low kick from Maynard misses
and Van Damme counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme moves away from the strike by Maynard.
Maynard throws a push kick but Van Damme slaps the foot to one side.
Van Damme thinks about countering with a head kick.
Van Damme throws a solid leg kick but Maynard takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Van Damme.
Maynard works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Van Damme lands a leg kick that knocks Maynard off balance momentarily.
Maynard is looking to slow Van Damme down with leg kicks.
Van Damme shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Van Damme ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A slow jab from Maynard misses its intended target.
Van Damme misses with a body kick.
Maynard swings for the body but Van Damme moves out of range.
Van Damme throws a push kick but Maynard slaps the foot to one side.
Maynard misses with a low kick.
Van Damme tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Maynard is able to avoid easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme avoids a punch combination nicely.
Van Damme thinks about countering with a head kick.
Van Damme uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maynard.
Van Damme misses with a body kick.
A head kick misses from Maynard.
Maynard thows a left - swing and a miss!
Van Damme misses with a low kick.
Maynard moves out of range of the body kick.
Van Damme is looking to land body kicks.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Van Damme keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sloppy strikes from Maynard. Those never looked like landing.
Van Damme thows a body kick. Maynard tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Maynard throws the left hand but Van Damme avoids the punch easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Maynard dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Maynard scores with a jab.
Maynard missing with a left hand there. Van Damme was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Van Damme throws a quick counter kick to the body but Maynard avoids it.
Maynard throws a lazy uppercut
and Van Damme makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Maynard really felt that one!
Van Damme pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maynard throws a head kick that half lands.
Van Damme takes one to the chin there.
A clash of legs there as Maynard blocks the low kick.
Maynard tries to bum rush Van Damme with a series of wild strikes but Van Damme uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Van Damme thinks about countering with a head kick.
Van Damme bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Maynard throws a shot from downtown. Van Damme moves away and avoids it.
Maynard takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Maynard tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Maynard throws a big shot that misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maynard throws a sloppy head kick and Van Damme moves out of range easily.
Simon Maynard seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Damme throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Maynard.
Van Damme throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Van Damme walks into a left hand.
A head kick misses from Maynard.
Nice shot by Maynard.
Van Damme checks the leg kick.
Sloppy strikes from Maynard. Those never looked like landing.
And Van Damme counters with a quick kick to the body but Maynard blocks it.
Maynard tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Maynard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Maynard is breathing heavily.
Maynard misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Van Damme.
Van Damme thinks about countering with a head kick.
Maynard misses with a wild body shot.
Van Damme jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Van Damme with the inside leg kick.
Maynard avoids the head kick by Van Damme.
The fighters circle momentarily. Maynard darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maynard on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Van Damme. Van Damme obviously looking to wear him down.
Maynard turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Maynard swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Maynard checks the leg kick.
Van Damme thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Maynard if he has to take too many more of those.
Maynard misses with a looping right.
Van Damme thinks about countering with a body kick.
Van Damme avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Van Damme throws a low kick, looking for Maynard's leg but Maynard calmly moves out of range.
A punch combination from Maynard misses.
A head kick misses from Van Damme.
Maynard raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Van Damme looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Maynard looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
A head kick misses from Maynard.
Maynard misses with a jab, cross combination.
Van Damme quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Maynard lands with an overhand left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maynard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Maynard throws a poor cross that misses
and Van Damme makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Maynard misses with a head kick.
Van Damme takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Van Damme might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Van Damme throws a quick inside leg kick.
Van Damme throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Maynard avoids the head kick by Van Damme.
Maynard throws a hook but Van Damme avoids it easily.
Van Damme half committed to a counter leg kick.
Maynard blocks the body kick.
A big left from Maynard misses.
Van Damme throws a quick inside leg kick.
Maynard throws a predictable looking body shot
and Van Damme counters with a body kick.
Van Damme shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maynard throws a sloppy head kick and Van Damme moves out of range easily.
Van Damme throws a half hearted mid kick.
Maynard throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maynard throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Maynard does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Van Damme throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Maynard lands a really nice looking cross but Van Damme seems unphased.
Maynard sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Maynard on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Van Damme. Van Damme obviously looking to wear him down.
Van Damme scores with a leg kick.
Van Damme scores with a head kick.
Maynard throws a jab when Van Damme was well out of range.
Van Damme quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
A head kick misses from Van Damme.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Simon Maynard will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Van Damme's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Van Damme lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Maynard scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Van Damme lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Van Damme throws a push kick but Maynard slaps the foot to one side.
Van Damme goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Maynard ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Van Damme moves away.
Maynard misses with a body shot.
Van Damme thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Maynard if he has to take too many more of those.
Van Damme looking to land some kicks to the body here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maynard looks to throw the jab but Van Damme is out of range.
Van Damme misses with a low kick.
Maynard looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Maynard takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Maynard fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Van Damme jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Maynard tests Van Damme's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses.
Maynard's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Maynard swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Maynard misses with a looping left.
Van Damme plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Maynard throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Van Damme.
As Maynard backs away, Van Damme returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Van Damme throws a body kick that misses.
Maynard lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Maynard misses with a combination
and Van Damme counters with a nice body kick.
Maynard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Van Damme.
Maynard falls off balance throwing a combination
and Van Damme counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Maynard cracks Van Damme with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Van Damme looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Maynard! But no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maynard tries a head kick but it misses.
Van Damme throws a head kick that misses.
Maynard thuds his right hand into Van Damme's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Van Damme is rocked!
Maynard throws a nasty head kick that just misses. He throws another kick to the head of his opponent and almost takes it off! Van Damme crumples to the floor and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:29 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Simon Maynard!