PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Albert Anastasia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitsuyo Maeda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anastasia's entrance music is Cold As Ice. A fine choice. Mitsuyo Maeda has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Anastasia
vs
Maeda

183 cm
29
148 lbs
13 - 3 - 0

170 cm
34
142 lbs
26 - 20 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Hellbent
Sparta Fightware

Milwaukee's Best 160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Albert Anastasia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 20 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mitsuyo Maeda!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maeda darts in looking for a takedown but Anastasia gets double underhooks and turns Maeda into the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Anastasia.
Anastasia pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Maeda is working for takedown but Anastasia is calmly controlling the position for now.

Maeda turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Maeda scoring with punches from side control.
Maeda in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Anastasia knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Maeda on the ground.
Anastasia tries to improve position but can't.
Maeda throws a strike aimed at the side of Anastasia's head but Anastasia avoids it well.
Maeda cracks Anastasia with a big right hand but Anastasia just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Sloppy strikes there by Maeda.
Maeda tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maeda wants to control but Anastasia is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anastasia manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Maeda throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Anastasia is refusing to be controlled, as Maeda sits in half guard.
Anastasia keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Anastasia tries to roll over but Maeda keeps him under control.
Anastasia is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Maeda with the ground and pound but Anastasia uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Maeda has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Maeda throws a strike but Anastasia rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Maeda has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Anastasia has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Maeda blocks a punch to the side of the head.
I was talking to Anastasia's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Anastasia tries a body shot but Maeda blocks it.
Anastasia tries to stall but Maeda uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Anastasia really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Anastasia misses with a hook to the ribs.
Anastasia goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia working hard to break the clinch.
Maeda is working for takedown but Anastasia is calmly controlling the position for now.
Albert Anastasia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mitsuyo Maeda.
Anastasia is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Anastasia lands a body punch in the clinch.
Anastasia wants to get back to striking at distance but Maeda won't allow it.
Anastasia misses with a hook from the clinch.

Maeda gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Anastasia is looking to improve his position.
Maeda thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Anastasia wants to get back to full guard.
Anastasia trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Anastasia defending well though.
Anastasia is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Maeda is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Anastasia is trying to control but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maeda missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Anastasia won't allow Maeda to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitsuyo Maeda dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Maeda gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Anastasia counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maeda has a takedown stuffed.
Maeda fails with the takedown
letting Anastasia counter with a right hand.
Albert Anastasia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mitsuyo Maeda.
Anastasia just misses with a punch to the body.
Maeda tries for a takedown but Anastasia circles away easily
and Anastasia connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Maeda moves away from the strike by Anastasia.
Anastasia moves out of range as Maeda strikes.
Maeda drops his hands momentarily and Anastasia takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Anastasia defends it nicely.
Anastasia throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Anastasia defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Maeda.
Maeda has his takedown stuffed
and Anastasia counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Maeda fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Anastasia scores with a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Anastasia misses.
Maeda shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Anastasia as he jumps to the side.
Mitsuyo Maeda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maeda tries for a takedown but Anastasia sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Maeda's jab looks to have found its range, popping Anastasia under the eye.
Anastasia defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Maeda.
Maeda closes this distance looking for a takedown but Anastasia circles away.
Anastasia defending well as Maeda loads up on a big left hand.
Anastasia swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Maeda shoots in for a takedown but Anastasia shows good takedown defense.
Albert Anastasia is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia wants to land a leg kick but Maeda is out of range.
Anastasia keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Anastasia slaps away a takedown attempt from Maeda, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Anastasia jabs at Maeda's body.
Anastasia attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
A jab from Anastasia misses.
Anastasia tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Maeda was well out of range. Poor timing from Anastasia.
Maeda doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Anastasia counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Maeda is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Anastasia's half guard.
Anastasia tries to get to full guard but Maeda has control of the leg.
Maeda thows a huge punch but Anastasia dodges it nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maeda with the ground and pound but Anastasia uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Anastasia working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Albert Anastasia will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Maeda shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Anastasia defends it nicely.
Anastasia stuffs the takedown.
Maeda misses with a takedown attempt
and Anastasia counters with a nice leg kick.
Albert Anastasia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mitsuyo Maeda.
Maeda shoots in for a double leg but Anastasia sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Maeda with a lazy takedown attempt
and Anastasia counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Maeda thinking.
Maeda fails with the takedown
and Anastasia counters with a nice low kick that buckles Maeda's knee momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda looks to throw the jab but Anastasia is out of range.
Maeda moves out of range as Anastasia strikes.
Maeda shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Anastasia counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Maeda thinking.
No joy there for Anastasia, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Maeda is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Anastasia's half guard.
Anastasia wants to improve his position but Maeda is controlling well.
Maeda is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maeda missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Maeda throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Maeda thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Maeda thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Maeda tries to pass the half guard into mount. Anastasia knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Maeda looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia tries to roll over but Maeda keeps him under control.
Maeda not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Maeda seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Anastasia does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Anastasia gets full guard.
Maeda throwing strikes from guard but Anastasia blocks nicely.
Maeda postures up and lands a big shot to Anastasia's brow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anastasia is looking to stand up but Maeda isn't so interested in that idea.
Maeda wants to control from the top but Anastasia keeps moving.
Maeda postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Maeda postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maeda lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Maeda throws a strike but Anastasia rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mitsuyo Maeda comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Maeda 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mitsuyo Maeda!
Mitsuyo Maeda took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Milwaukee's Best 160 for their support in the buildup to the fight.