PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gage Bennett (ranked 2589 p4p, 2381 weight class) and Akira Maeda (ranked 295 p4p, 278 weight class). Bennett comes to the cage accompanied by High Cotton by Alabama. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Bennett
vs
Maeda

189 cm
33
206
14 - 17 - 0

192 cm
33
209
18 - 16 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 17 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gage Bennett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 16 - 1, fighting out of London, Akira Maeda!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Daniel Bishop and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Bennett misses its intended target.
Bennett keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maeda.
Maeda blocks a head kick by Bennett.
Bennett will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Maeda throws out a counter right but Bennett avoids it with no problem.
Maeda just misses with a punch to the body.
Maeda throws a jab when Bennett was well out of range.
Bennett has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Blood and Iron Training in the buildup to the fight.
Maeda connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Bennett's hands.

It looks like Gage Bennett has been cut.
Maeda scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Maeda looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bennett blocking the ground and pound attempt from Maeda.
Bennett wants to get back to his feet.

Maeda is working for a kimura but Bennett is defending it quite comfortably.
Maeda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bennett's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda controlling the action here.
Maeda trying to control from Bennett's half guard. Bennett has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Bennett is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Maeda content to stall in guard here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Maeda has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two 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.
Maeda is in close to Bennett's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Bennett knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Maeda on the ground.
Maeda with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maeda slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Maeda in side control, throwing shots but Bennett defends.
Maeda wants to control but Bennett is keeping him busy.
Bennett stops Maeda from passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda in side control, throwing shots but Bennett defends.
Maeda happy to just control the position for now.
Maeda lands an elbow.
Maeda working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Bennett on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Bennett tries to get out of the position.
Maeda is looking to take a break and control but Bennett is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bennett is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Maeda has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
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 throws a strike aimed at the side of Bennett's head but Bennett avoids it well.
Maeda in side control lands a decent elbow.
Maeda trying to control the action but Bennett is working from the bottom.
Bennett trying to remain calm as Maeda controls from the top position.
Maeda lands a few punches from side control.
Maeda in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maeda throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Maeda moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Maeda dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gage Bennett's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bennett stuffs the takedown.
Maeda misses with a wild body shot.
Bennett walks into a stiff left hand from Maeda.

Gage Bennett's cut is getting worse.
No joy there for Bennett, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Bennett misses with a double jab.
Bennett throws a shot from downtown. Maeda moves away and avoids it.
Bennett thumps Maeda with a low kick.
Bennett takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Gage Bennett is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bennett scores with a jab.
Maeda throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bennett lunges at Maeda with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Maeda's hand.

Maeda scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
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 sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Maeda wants to control but Bennett is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bennett's head.
Maeda throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Maeda throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Maeda not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Maeda thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Maeda is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Bennett is staying active underneath Maeda, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bennett keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Maeda lands with an overhand left.
A big left from Maeda misses.
Maeda scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Gage Bennett's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Maeda ducks under a wild hook from Bennett.
Maeda is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Bennett uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maeda.
Maeda defending well as Bennett loads up on a big left hand.
Maeda takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Bennett misses with an uppercut.
Bennett misses with an uppercut.
Bennett uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maeda.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bennett. Maeda does a little dance to reset his feet.
Maeda cracks Bennett with a good jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bennett.
Bennett closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Bennett misses with a looping right.
Maeda throws out a counter right but Bennett avoids it with no problem.
Bennett throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Maeda needs to keep his hands up - Bennett had a free shot at his head there.
Bennett takes one on the button.
Bennett rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Maeda moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maeda scores with a decent looking hook.

Jeez, Gage Bennett's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

Maeda drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maeda throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bennett works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Maeda looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Bennett is looking to stand up but Maeda isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda pushes down on Bennett's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Bennett avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maeda.
Well, if Maeda is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Maeda prevents Bennett from standing back up.
Maeda thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Maeda throwing shots but Bennett is blocking nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Akira Maeda will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Gage Bennett's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Bennett needs to keep his hands up - Maeda had a free shot at his head there.
Bennett throws the left hand but Maeda avoids the punch easily.
Maeda uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bennett.
A leg kick checked by Maeda.
Maeda throws a lazy right hand but Bennett sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Bennett throws a jab but it's blocked by Maeda.
Maeda scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Maeda throws a series of punches but Bennett avoids them all with ease.
Maeda connects with a body shot.
Akira Maeda seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Maeda lands with a straight right. Bennett didn't see that one coming.
Maeda lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bennett circles away quickly and effectively.
Maeda has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Bennett looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Good exchange - Maeda coming out on top.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A slow jab from Maeda misses its intended target.
Bennett throws an off balance right hand
letting Maeda counter with a right hand.
Bennett throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Bennett has time to react.
Bennett gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Maeda misses with a body shot.
Gage Bennett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bennett throws a right and a left that Maeda avoids nicely.
Maeda throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maeda connects with the punch.
Bennett throws a head kick but Maeda moves out of range.
Maeda lands with a nice body punch.
Maeda connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Bennett momentarily.
Maeda dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Maeda throws a shot from downtown. Bennett moves away and avoids it.
Maeda displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bennett throws out the jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maeda throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Bennett stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Maeda is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Bennett is rocked!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Gage Bennett's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Akira Maeda!
Akira Maeda managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Brooklyn Threads, into his post fight interview.