PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fedja Petrov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anderson Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Petrov's entrance music is Sentenced - Konevitsan Kirkonkellot. A fine choice. Fedja Petrov could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Anderson Maia's chin.

Petrov
vs
Maia

191 cm
21
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
199 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fedja Petrov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Anderson Maia!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Konstantin Menshow and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Petrov tries to clinch up but Maia circles away and keeps his distance.
Petrov throws a sloppy head kick and Maia moves out of range easily.

Maia shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Maia is looking to advance position but Petrov won't allow it.
Maia content to control rather than advance.
Petrov trying to hold on to Maia's head to control him but Maia postures up.

Maia is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrov has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Maia is working away from the top position though.
Petrov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Petrov trying to control from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Petrov moves in looking to clinch but Maia pushes him off.
Petrov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maia paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Maia darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Petrov kicks Maia off and gets back to his feet.
Petrov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Petrov tries to clinch up.
Petrov moves in looking to clinch but Maia pushes him off.

Petrov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Petrov wants to sweep here but Maia controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Petrov's guard.
Maia is trying to control the action in half guard but Petrov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Petrov wants to improve his position but Maia is controlling well.
Petrov makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Petrov.
Maia stays in close to Petrov's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Maia wants to pass the guard but Petrov is keeping the position.
Maia passes Petrov's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Petrov trying to control but Maia postures up.
Maia not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Petrov trying to get back to full guard but Maia takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Petrov sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Maia dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Maia is trying hard to land a takedown here. Petrov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Petrov is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Petrov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maia paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Petrov tries to clinch but Maia moves out of range.
Maia fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Maia shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Maia showed some decent athleticism there.
Petrov is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Maia's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Maia's back!
Petrov struggling to keep hold of the position.
Maia just trying to survive but Petrov is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrov controls the position.
Petrov struggling to keep hold of the position.
Maia manages to reverse the position and now he's in Petrov's guard. Nice work there by Maia.
Maia trying to control the position from guard on top but Petrov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Petrov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Maia on the ground.
Maia looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Petrov wants to clinch.
Maia throws out a powerful jab.
Petrov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Petrov doesn't manage to clinch there - Maia circles away.
Petrov misses with a wild body shot.
Petrov tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maia paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Petrov keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Fedja Petrov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Maia.

Maia scores with a takedown into Petrov's guard.
Petrov wants to sweep here but Maia controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrov is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Maia makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Maia pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Petrov is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Petrov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maia is one step ahead there.

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.
Petrov looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Maia puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Maia is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Petrov has managed to free his arm - good work.
Petrov is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Maia is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Maia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Maia looks for a takedown but Petrov sprawls well.
Anderson Maia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Petrov tries to clinch up but Maia circles away and keeps his distance.

Maia bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Petrov's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Maia tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Petrov tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Maia wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Petrov is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Petrov tries to buck Maia off but Maia is having none of it.
Petrov can't do much from the bottom here.
Maia wants to control but Petrov is keeping him busy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Petrov tries to score with a low kick but Maia moves his leg out of the way.
Maia scores with a jab to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Petrov tries to clinch but Maia is having none of it.
Maia keeps the fight on the outside.
Petrov tries to clinch up but Maia circles away and keeps his distance.
Maia keeps the fight on the outside.
Maia circles away from the clinch attempt.
Petrov paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Petrov tries to clinch but Maia is having none of it.
Petrov lands a nice leg kick that just misses Maia's sensitive parts.
Petrov doesn't manage to clinch there - Maia circles away.
Horrible takedown by Maia or perhaps it was just good defense by Petrov which made him look bad.
Anderson Maia is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maia slips under a jab from Petrov.
Petrov tries to close the distance and clinch but Maia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Petrov fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Petrov takes one to the side of the head.
Petrov dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Maia. That did some damage!
Maia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Petrov tries to close the distance and clinch but Maia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Maia misses with an uppercut. Petrov saw that one coming.
Maia lands a head shot.
Petrov tries to clinch up.
Petrov tries to clinch up.
Petrov finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Petrov moves in looking to clinch but Maia pushes him off.
Maia blocks a head kick by Petrov.
Fedja Petrov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maia throws a shot to the body.
Maia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Petrov tries to avoid it but Maia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Petrov to the ground. Petrov escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Fedja Petrov has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Maia.
Maia just misses with a punch to the body.
Petrov fails with an attempt to clinch.
Petrov tries to clinch but Maia moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Petrov tries to clinch but Maia moves out of range.

Maia closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Maia lands in his opponent's guard.
Fedja Petrov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maia looking to sit in guard and control but Petrov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Petrov stands up from Maia's guard - Petrov perhaps looking for a knockout.
Petrov wants to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fedja Petrov showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Maia has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anderson Maia!