PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between steven maxwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bastian Bayer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

maxwell
vs
Bayer

167 cm
19
170 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

191 cm
18
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, steven maxwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Bastian Bayer!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Colin Fotheringham and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
maxwell circles away from the clinch attempt.
maxwell could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Bayer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bayer tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but maxwell was well out of range. Poor timing from Bayer.
Bayer looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Bayer closes this distance looking for a takedown but maxwell circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bayer.
maxwell avoids the head kick by Bayer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bayer has managed to clinch.
Bayer lands a knee to the body.
maxwell misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bayer avoiding damage.
maxwell looking to throw knees to the head but Bayer is blocking nicely.
Bayer is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
steven maxwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bastian Bayer.

Bayer jumps guard and drags maxwell to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

maxwell thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Bayer is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
maxwell trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
maxwell advances position into side control!
Bayer is looking to reverse the position.
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.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Bayer closes the distance and pushes maxwell back into the cage.
Bayer has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. maxwell is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Bayer is trying to work for a single leg takedown but maxwell pulls him back up using the underhooks.
maxwell is breathing heavily.
Bayer is looking for a takedown up against the cage. maxwell gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
maxwell throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Bayer blocks it with crossed arms.

Bayer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bayer missing with a left hand there. maxwell was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bayer.
Bayer fails with a takedown attempt.
maxwell closes the distance looking to clinch

and Bayer moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bayer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bayer tries to clinch up but maxwell circles away and keeps his distance.
Bayer fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bayer misses with a takedown attempt - maxwell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bayer throws an overhand right that lands on maxwell's shoulder, as maxwell tries to avoid the shot.

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.
Bayer misses with a head kick.
Bayer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
maxwell stuffs the takedown attempt from Bayer. Bayer gets slowly back to his feet.
Bayer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bayer shoots in but maxwell avoids the takedown attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that steven maxwell will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Bayer misses with the combination.

Bayer gets a clinch.
maxwell misses with a knee strike.

Bayer has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed maxwell clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Bayer thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

maxwell is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Bayer gets his way!

Bayer working for a choke but maxwell is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bayer is trying to stick to maxwell's back but maxwell is turning into Bayer. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Bayer's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by maxwell.
Bayer trying to strike off his back.
Bayer is adopting a defensive guard.
maxwell might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bayer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

maxwell thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bayer shoots in for a double leg but maxwell sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's two 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.
Bayer is trying hard to land a takedown here. maxwell sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Bayer instigates a clinch.
maxwell tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Bayer landing knees to the head.
Bayer manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
maxwell gets underhooks to prevent Bayer's takedown attempt.
steven maxwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bastian Bayer.

Bayer pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bayer shoots in for a takedown but maxwell shows good takedown defense.
Bayer fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but maxwell avoids it really well and circles away.
Bayer looks for a takedown but maxwell sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bayer will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Bayer closes the distance and clinches.
Bayer unloads a knee to the mid-section. maxwell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Bayer is pushing maxwell up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Bayer throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
maxwell tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Bayer stalling the fight.
maxwell prevents the takedown attempt.
maxwell prevents a takedown attempt there.
Bayer stalling.
Bayer has had enough of the clinch but maxwell keeps him there for the moment.
Bayer tries to pull guard but maxwell won't allow it.
maxwell tries to land a knee to the head but Bayer blocks with his arms.
Bayer stalling against the cage.
Bayer looking for a takedown.
maxwell tries to land a knee to the head but Bayer blocks with his arms.

Bayer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bayer is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
maxwell slaps away a takedown attempt from Bayer, before circling back to the center of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bastian Bayer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bayer shoots in and drives through. maxwell sprawls well.
Bayer throws a combination but it was largely blocked by maxwell.
Bayer tries to clinch but fails miserably

and maxwell holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Bayer fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bayer scores with a knee to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bayer successfully pulls guard.
Bayer wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bayer is trying to control the position but maxwell postures up.

maxwell is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bayer looking for a sweep. Not yet Bayer, not yet.
Bayer is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

maxwell has gone for a leg lock! Bayer slips out almost immediately though and dives into maxwell's guard.

maxwell is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bayer defends well.
Bayer seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

maxwell is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bayer defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bayer trying to control but maxwell is working from the bottom.
Bayer might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control maxwell kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
maxwell utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Bayer wants to control from the top but maxwell keeps moving.
maxwell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bayer with a jab.
Bayer misses with a takedown attempt

and maxwell counters by clinching up.
steven maxwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bastian Bayer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bayer pulls guard effortlessly.
Bayer pulls maxwell in close to prevent any damage.

maxwell is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Bayer looking to control.
Bayer is controlling maxwell's posture.
maxwell stopping the sweep attempt from Bayer.

maxwell thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Bayer really doesn't want to stay on the ground with maxwell. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four 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.
maxwell postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bayer tries to close the distance and clinch up but maxwell swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Bayer gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A knee to the head by Bayer.
Bayer tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. maxwell smiles and moves away.
Bayer fails with the takedown

and maxwell counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bayer is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bastian Bayer.
I think Bayer 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bastian Bayer!