PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dirk Valentine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royce Maeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Valentine's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Danger! High Voltage. Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Royce Maeda enters the cage!

Valentine
vs
Maeda

179 cm
22
192 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

178 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

NCC: Nemesis Cage Clothing

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Dirk Valentine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Royce Maeda !
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Donald Grub and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maeda blocks a head kick by Valentine.

Valentine shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Maeda trying to control from the bottom.
Valentine passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Maeda !
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Valentine misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Valentine trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Maeda is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Valentine throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Valentine content just to control the position here.
Valentine landing strikes from the mount.
Maeda tries to reverse the position but Valentine maintains control.
Maeda is squirming around, avoiding Valentine's attempts to control the action.
Maeda really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Maeda is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

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.
Valentine thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Valentine thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maeda holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Valentine tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Valentine wants to control the pace but Maeda is squirming around nicely.
Valentine throwing strikes here but Maeda is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Valentine tries to control but Maeda wriggling away.
Maeda gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine wants to control but Maeda is keeping him busy.
The fighters are battling for position here. Maeda manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Maeda looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Maeda escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Valentine gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Valentine wants to control from the top but Maeda keeps moving.

Valentine avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Maeda looks gassed!
Valentine tries to free his leg and advance position but Maeda is retaining full guard.

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.
Valentine wants to stand but Maeda is controlling his posture from full guard.
Valentine sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Maeda 's guard.
Maeda is refusing to be controlled, as Valentine sits in half guard.
Valentine passes the guard and advances to mount!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Valentine wants to control the pace but Maeda is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Valentine 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.

Valentine closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Maeda wants to control but Valentine is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Maeda is trying to get back to full guard.
Valentine is looking to stall here but Maeda recovers full guard.

Maeda has his foot on Valentine's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Valentine works his way back into a safe position though.
Maeda being controlled here, momentarily.
Valentine content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Maeda throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Valentine looking to pass the guard.

Maeda keeping busy on the bottom but Valentine has passed one foot through into half guard.
Maeda is breathing heavily.
It looks like Valentine is going to stand back up.

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.
Maeda looks like he's trying to stand up.
Valentine trying to control the action but Maeda is working from the bottom.

Maeda manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Valentine fails to land with a series of punches.
No luck for Valentine with that takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maeda misses with a takedown attempt

and Valentine counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Valentine is stalling here. Maeda is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Valentine seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Maeda has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Valentine trying his best to control but Maeda has mounted him.
Maeda tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Maeda can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Valentine is looking to escape.

Maeda is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valentine fails with the takedown

and Maeda counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Maeda .
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maeda wants to control from the top but Valentine keeps moving.

Maeda stands up and waves to Valentine to follow him.
Maeda fails with the takedown
and Valentine makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Maeda really felt that one!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Royce Maeda will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Maeda has his takedown stuffed

and Valentine counters with a takedown into side control.
Valentine cracks Maeda with a big elbow.
Maeda tries to buck Valentine off but Valentine is having none of it.
Valentine working away.

Valentine looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Dirk Valentine overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
You can see the frustration on Maeda 's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valentine controlling from side mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda is trying to control Valentine's posture but Valentine avoids it.
Maeda is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Valentine's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Valentine prevents Maeda from improving his position.
Valentine misses with a head shot. Maeda uses the momentum to regain guard.
Maeda is trying to control the position from the bottom.

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.
Maeda wants to sweep but no luck.
Maeda is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Valentine landing with the ground and pound.

Valentine stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Maeda shoots and misses

and Valentine counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Valentine.
Maeda tries to pull guard but Valentine holds him up against the cage and eventually Maeda drops back down to his feet.
Dirk Valentine has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Maeda .

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda goes for a takedown in the clinch but Valentine prevents it.
Valentine tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Maeda gets underhooks to prevent Valentine's takedown attempt.

Maeda has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Valentine uses from the top position.
Maeda lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Valentine!
Valentine is trying to reverse the position but instead Maeda has taken his back - oops!

Maeda is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Valentine is defending well though. Maeda let's go of the attempt for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valentine manages to reverse the position and now he's in Maeda 's guard. Nice work there by Valentine.
Valentine postures up in Maeda 's guard and throws a big left but Maeda blocks it.
Valentine passes into half guard.
Valentine works his way into side control.
Maeda is working to avoid the ground and pound but Valentine connects with a decent elbow.
Valentine landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Valentine looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dirk Valentine showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Valentine has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight for Dirk Valentine!
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight for Dirk Valentine!
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Dirk Valentine!

Dirk Valentine wins by unanimous decision!