PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Larry Champshire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Santiago Maldonado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Champshire
vs
Maldonado

165 cm
19
155 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

180 cm
19
149 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Juggernaut Fuel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Larry Champshire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Santiago Maldonado!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Thiago Cunha and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Champshire tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maldonado paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Maldonado misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Champshire wants to clinch up but Maldonado keeps it at a distance.
Champshire tries to bum rush Maldonado with a series of wild strikes but Maldonado uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Champshire fails to land with a series of punches.
Maldonado misses with a low kick.
Maldonado avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Champshire misses with a takedown attempt - Maldonado sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Champshire looks for the body kick but Maldonado saw that one coming.
Maldonado throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Champshire shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Champshire throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Champshire looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Maldonado regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maldonado pushes Champshire off and gets back to his feet.
Maldonado fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Champshire shoots in for a takedown but Maldonado shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Maldonado delivers a nice body kick.
Maldonado fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Champshire checks it well.
Champshire uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maldonado.

Maldonado scores a takedown into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Champshire keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Maldonado stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
A head kick misses from Maldonado.
Maldonado looks gassed!
Maldonado tries a head kick but it misses.
Champshire doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Maldonado counters with a nice body kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Larry Champshire. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Champshire throws a lazy right hand but Maldonado sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Champshire avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Champshire slips under a jab.
Champshire misses with a takedown
and Maldonado finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Champshire decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Champshire trying to control the action but Maldonado is working from the bottom.
Champshire thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Champshire seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Maldonado does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Maldonado wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Champshire is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Champshire is just content to waste time from the top position. Maldonado takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Maldonado keeping full guard, as Champshire tries to pass.
Champshire slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The ground and pound from Champshire seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santiago Maldonado dominated that round.
That's time! Champshire's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Champshire shoots in but Maldonado avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Maldonado throws a jab but it's blocked by Champshire.
Champshire throws a push kick but Maldonado slaps the foot to one side.
Maldonado throws a body punch but Champshire moves out of range.
Champshire darts in trying to clinch
and Maldonado counters with a thumping low kick.
Champshire with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maldonado counters with a nice body kick.
Champshire has his takedown stuffed
and Maldonado counters with a nice low kick that buckles Champshire's knee momentarily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Larry Champshire. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maldonado misses with a body kick.
Larry Champshire is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Champshire tries to clinch but Maldonado moves away
and Maldonado counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldonado misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Maldonado clinches up with Champshire and pushes him back against the cage.
Champshire trying to land knees to the body.
Champshire tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Maldonado just stands there and leans against the cage.
Champshire fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Champshire drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Maldonado breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Maldonado lands with a thumping leg kick.
Champshire misses with a jab, cross combination.
Champshire fails with the takedown
and Maldonado counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Champshire fails with the takedown

and Maldonado counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maldonado escapes and gets back to his feet.
Maldonado throws a body punch but Champshire moves out of range.
Champshire with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maldonado counters with a good low kick that Champshire was not able to check.
Maldonado misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Champshire.
Champshire shoots for a takedown but Maldonado saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Maldonado misses with a jab, cross combination.
A head kick misses from Maldonado.
Champshire tries to clinch up.
Champshire avoids the body shot from Maldonado.
Maldonado misses with an uppercut.
Maldonado takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Champshire misses with a takedown attempt - Maldonado sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Champshire checks a leg kick.
Champshire misses with a wild combination.
Champshire throws a head kick that misses.
Champshire tries to clinch but Maldonado moves out of range.
Champshire swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Maldonado counters with a nice body kick.
Champshire tries for a takedown but Maldonado circles away easily

and Maldonado counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Champshire wants to break the clinch but can't.
Champshire tries to break free but Maldonado pushes him back against the cage.

That's four 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.

Maldonado breaks from the clinch.
Champshire fails with the takedown
and Maldonado counters with a series of strikes. Champshire will be more careful next time no doubt.
Champshire is looking to land body kicks.
Champshire misses with a body shot.
Champshire tries for a takedown but Maldonado circles away easily
and Maldonado counters with a big head kick but Champshire shrugs it off.
Champshire avoids the head kick by Maldonado.
Champshire blocks the body kick.
Champshire fails with the takedown
and Maldonado counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Champshire is looking to land body kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santiago Maldonado showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Champshire shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Maldonado as he jumps to the side.

Maldonado has closed the distance and engaged Champshire in a clinch.
Maldonado gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Champshire.

Maldonado escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Maldonado shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Maldonado controlling from the top position.
Champshire is looking to stand up but Maldonado isn't so interested in that idea.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Champshire 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldonado pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Champshire is keeping the position for now.
Champshire looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Champshire wants to stand up but Maldonado is controlling him.
Champshire lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Maldonado!
Champshire fails to advance to Maldonado's back.

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.
Maldonado avoids a series of strikes thrown by Champshire.
Maldonado wants to hold on but Champshire pushes him away.
Champshire looking to control but Maldonado is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Champshire thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Maldonado 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado is not content to let Champshire control the position.

Champshire is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Maldonado is just riding it out for now. Champshire eventually gives up the hold.
Champshire content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Champshire trying to control the action but Maldonado is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Champshire is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Maldonado is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Santiago Maldonado is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maldonado won't allow Champshire to pass to mount.
Larry Champshire has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Champshire tries for a takedown but Maldonado circles away easily

and Maldonado counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santiago Maldonado comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Maldonado has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 26:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Santiago Maldonado!