PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Akira Maeda (ranked 2146 p4p, 1662 weight class) and Caleb DeCoteau (ranked 264 p4p, 204 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Maeda
vs
DeCoteau

192 cm
34
209
19 - 16 - 1

190 cm
36
221
21 - 16 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 19 - 16 - 1, fighting out of London, Akira Maeda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Caleb DeCoteau!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Eliza Hachem and Darius Henderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
DeCoteau falls off balance throwing a combination
and Maeda cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Maeda with a hook.
DeCoteau has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Maeda finds it's way round the side to connect with DeCoteau's head.
DeCoteau swings and misses with a hook to the body.
DeCoteau takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Caleb DeCoteau has been cut.
Maeda misses with a hook

and DeCoteau counters with a crisp one two that drops Maeda! DeCoteau thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Maeda to his feet! Maeda is in big trouble!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maeda showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from DeCoteau.
DeCoteau moves out of range of the strikes.
Maeda thuds a left hand into DeCoteau's body.
Maeda wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Caleb DeCoteau is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Maeda misses with a straight left.
DeCoteau was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Maeda just misses with a punch to the body.
Maeda swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Maeda connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Maeda throws a left and a right that both miss
and DeCoteau counters with a right hand to the body.
Nice shot by Maeda.
DeCoteau ducks under a wild hook from Maeda.
Maeda throws a jab but it's blocked by DeCoteau.
DeCoteau works the jab nicely.
DeCoteau misses with a two punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda connects with a looping right hand.
Maeda waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract DeCoteau.
DeCoteau throws a counter combo.
Maeda fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
DeCoteau fails to land with a series of punches.
An attempted straight right counter from Maeda misses the target.
DeCoteau on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
A swing and a miss from Maeda.
The fighters circling - Maeda throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
DeCoteau doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Maeda scores with a body shot.
DeCoteau blocks a jab.
DeCoteau scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A solid body kick from DeCoteau.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda misses the jab.
Maeda throws a hook but DeCoteau blocks it.
Maeda misses with a lunging right hand
and DeCoteau counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Maeda scores with a hook.
Maeda misses with a takedown attempt
and DeCoteau counters with a nice uppercut.
Maeda connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
DeCoteau takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Maeda scores with a nice strike.
Maeda jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice body punch from Maeda.

Maeda gets a takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maeda thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed DeCoteau's head.
Maeda is keen to just control but DeCoteau is a slippery customer.
DeCoteau wants to improve his position but Maeda is controlling well.
DeCoteau makes his way to full guard. A much better position for DeCoteau.
Maeda working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
DeCoteau trying to control the position.
Maeda with a nice head shot there.
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 Caleb DeCoteau's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

DeCoteau misses with a series of wild punches.
DeCoteau takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Caleb DeCoteau is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maeda throws a jab when DeCoteau was well out of range.
DeCoteau throws a counter combo.
Maeda throws a shot to the body.
Maeda misses with a jab to the body
and DeCoteau counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Akira Maeda is winning the standup battle so far.
Maeda thows a left - swing and a miss!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda misses with a takedown attempt
and DeCoteau counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
DeCoteau with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Maeda to score with a decent uppercut.
Maeda throws a lazy right hand but DeCoteau sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda throws out a loose jab but DeCoteau uses good head movement to avoid it.
Maeda scores with a punch to the head.
A jab from Maeda misses.
DeCoteau throws a counter combo.
DeCoteau defending well as Maeda loads up on a big left hand.
DeCoteau throws a counter combo.
Maeda misses with a lunging right hand
enabling DeCoteau to counter with a crisp jab.
Maeda swings and misses with a shot to the body

and DeCoteau counters with a crisp right hand that drops Maeda! DeCoteau lets Maeda back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

Maeda is rocked!
Maeda throws a body punch but DeCoteau moves out of range.
A little jabbing left from DeCoteau on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Oh Maeda is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maeda throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
DeCoteau is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Maeda with a body shot.
Maeda seems to have got his legs back now.
Maeda throws a lazy right hand but DeCoteau sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
DeCoteau flicks out a counter leg kick but Maeda steps away.
DeCoteau staying out of range there.
A countering left hand to the body from DeCoteau misses.
A slow jab from Maeda misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
DeCoteau misses with a looping left.
DeCoteau scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
DeCoteau throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maeda throws an overhand right that lands on DeCoteau's shoulder, as DeCoteau tries to avoid the shot.
Maeda misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from DeCoteau.
No joy there for DeCoteau, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
DeCoteau misses with a looping left.
Maeda throws a lazy uppercut

and DeCoteau counters with a nice right hand that sends Maeda toppling to the canvas! Maeda scrambles and gets back to his feet - can DeCoteau finish him?!
DeCoteau slips a straight right by Maeda.
Maeda thows a left - swing and a miss!
DeCoteau lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Maeda throws a looping overhand right but DeCoteau ducks down to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
DeCoteau with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Maeda to score with a decent uppercut.
Maeda swings widly with a right hand

and DeCoteau counters with a nice right hand that sends Maeda toppling to the canvas! Maeda scrambles and gets back to his feet - can DeCoteau finish him?!
Maeda gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and DeCoteau counters with a huge right that knocks Maeda out cold! DeCoteau is running around with a crazed look on his face - you can see how much that meant to him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Caleb DeCoteau!
After the fight, Caleb DeCoteau was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.