PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Maia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Knuble (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Maia
vs
Knuble

180 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

150 cm
22
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thiago Maia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Knuble!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maia misses with a body kick.
Maia shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Knuble sprawls well. Knuble wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Maia gets slowly back to his feet.
No joy there for Knuble, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Knuble blocks a jab.
Knuble displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Maia.
No luck for Maia with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Maia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maia shoots in but no luck this time.
Knuble tries a head kick but it misses.
Maia looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Knuble closes the distance and clinches.
Maia tries for a takedown but Knuble manages to get underhooks.
Maia is looking to break free of the clinch but Knuble has double underhooks.
Maia has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Knuble avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Maia tries for a takedown but Knuble manages to get underhooks.

Knuble breaks from the clinch.

Knuble closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Maia did well to prevent Knuble getting side control.

Maia looking for submissions off his back.
Maia is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knuble trying to control from half guard but Maia is working away.
Knuble is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Maia is refusing to be controlled, as Knuble sits in half guard.
Maia is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are battling for position here. Maia manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

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

Maia is looking for a triangle but Knuble pushes his legs off easily.

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.
Knuble is looking to stand up but Maia won't let him.
Knuble sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Maia's guard.
Knuble is nestled in close to Maia, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Knuble seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Maia does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Knuble thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Knuble seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Maia does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Maia has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Knuble escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Knuble!
Maia is trying to improve his position.
Knuble is looking to take a break and control but Maia is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Knuble really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Maia. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Knuble working the body and head with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia is looking for a sweep.
Maia is working hard here to advance position.
Knuble working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Knuble working away.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maia blocks a head kick by Knuble.
Maia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Knuble decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Maia's guard.

Knuble gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Knuble has eaten all the pies!

Knuble darts in and clinches Maia up against the cage.
Maia is pressed up against the cage. Knuble has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Maia down to the mat. Maia avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Knuble shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Maia is trying to defend but Knuble finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Maia works his way to full guard. Good work.

Maia looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Knuble must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
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!

Maia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Knuble gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Maia looking for a sweep. Not yet Maia, not yet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Maia throws his legs up looking for a submission but Knuble uses it to pass to side control.
Knuble moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Knuble dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Maia misses with a takedown attempt

and Knuble counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Maia's guard now.
Mike Knuble has got the better of the ground game so far.
Maia throwing short punches from the bottom.
Knuble preventing the sweep.

Maia looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Maia keeping moving, preventing Knuble from controlling successfully.
Knuble slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Maia throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Knuble preventing the sweep.
Knuble tries to stand but Maia is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Maia working for a triangle but Knuble defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maia throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Knuble wants to control from the top but Maia keeps moving.
Maia tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Knuble trying to stand up but can't free himself from Maia's guard.
Knuble preventing the sweep.
Knuble throwing strikes from guard but Maia blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Knuble sitting in guard doing not very much at all here. Maia doesn't need a second invitation though! He's locked up a guillotine and he's squeezing tight! That is tiiiiiiiiight! Knuble paying the price for stalling here - he's pushing hard on the arm trying to free himself but it's no use! He's tapped! WOW, quick submission from Maia - great work!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Thiago Maia!