PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Zane Maldonado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Danny Rand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Danny Rand has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Maldonado
vs
Rand

180 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Zane Maldonado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Danny Rand!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Hirohito Nitta and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maldonado wants to clinch

and Rand counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Maldonado has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rand is working away from the top position though.
Rand lands with a punch from half guard.
Maldonado is trying to control but can't.
Rand is keen to just control but Maldonado is a slippery customer.

Maldonado looking for submissions off his back.

Rand seems to be working for a kimura but Maldonado defends the submission attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maldonado has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rand is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rand is keen to just control but Maldonado is a slippery customer.
Maldonado is trying to control but can't.
Rand is controlling the pace.
Maldonado wants to get back to his feet.
Maldonado trying to hold on to Rand's head to control him but Rand postures up.

Rand is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Maldonado doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Rand.
Maldonado taking some punishment here, with Rand in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rand is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Maldonado!
Maldonado regains half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Maldonado gets back to full guard.
Rand forces his way into half guard.
Rand is pressing down on Maldonado's thigh, looking to free his foot. Maldonado is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado trying to hold on to Rand's head to control him but Rand postures up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Maldonado wants to control but Rand is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Maldonado tries to get to full guard but Rand has control of the leg.
Rand wants to pass the guard but Maldonado is defending well.
Maldonado trying to control from the bottom.
Rand is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Maldonado is looking for a sweep. Rand is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Maldonado is trying to control but can't.
Maldonado tries to roll over but Rand keeps him under control.
Maldonado is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maldonado is breathing heavily.

Rand escapes and gets back to his feet.

Rand drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rand trying to control the position from guard on top but Maldonado is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maldonado not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Maldonado seems keen to control Rand's posture.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rand passes into half guard.
Maldonado is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danny Rand dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rand scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Rand stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Rand shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Maldonado is trying to defend but Rand finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rand is looking to pass Maldonado's guard but actually Maldonado recovers to full guard.
Rand has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Maldonado 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rand passes into half guard.
Maldonado gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rand trying to control the position from guard on top but Maldonado is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rand stands up over Maldonado, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rand trying to control the position from guard on top but Maldonado is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Maldonado working for a triangle but Rand defends it easily.
Maldonado has Rand pulled in close to control his posture.
Maldonado trying to keep a closed guard but Rand is proving a slippery customer.

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.
Maldonado can't keep his opponent in guard - Rand advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rand prevents Maldonado from standing back up.
Still in half guard, Rand seems content to control.
Rand not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Maldonado is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Maldonado is staying active underneath Rand, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rand perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Rand is trying to control the action in half guard but Maldonado is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Maldonado trying to hold on to Rand's head to control him but Rand postures up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Maldonado looks to clinch

and Rand counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rand trying to control the action but Maldonado is working from the bottom.

Rand is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Maldonado has managed to free his arm - good work.
Maldonado is looking to escape.
Rand lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rand passes to side control.
You can see the frustration on Maldonado's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rand trying to control the action but Maldonado is working from the bottom.
Maldonado regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rand drops an elbow to the side of Maldonado's head.
Maldonado trying to hold on to Rand's head to control him but Rand postures up.
Rand not doing much here.
Rand is looking to take a break and control but Maldonado is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rand tries to pass the half guard into mount. Maldonado knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maldonado works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danny Rand showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rand feints and as Maldonado raises his hands in defense, Rand changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Maldonado is looking to stand up but Rand isn't so interested in that idea.
Rand trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rand looking to pass the guard.
Maldonado wants to sweep but no luck.
Rand trying to control but Maldonado is working from the bottom.
Maldonado wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maldonado keeping moving, preventing Rand from controlling successfully.
Maldonado looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldonado tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rand swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rand drives through with a takedown into Maldonado's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Rand throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rand wants to pass the guard but Maldonado is keeping the position.
Maldonado wants to get back to his feet but Rand is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rand passes into half guard.
Rand is just content to waste time from the top position. Maldonado takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Maldonado wants to stand but Rand is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado keeping moving, preventing Rand from controlling successfully.
Maldonado wants to control but Rand passes easily into half guard.
Maldonado is looking to control Rand's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maldonado avoid being mounted?
Maldonado desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maldonado has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rand is working away from the top position though.
Rand thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rand is trying to control. Maldonado wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Maldonado controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Maldonado is staying active underneath Rand, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Maldonado enables Rand to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Maldonado manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Maldonado keeping moving, preventing Rand from controlling successfully.
Maldonado wants to stand but Rand is controlling the position.

Rand 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.
Maldonado trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rand wants to control from the top but Maldonado keeps moving.
Rand working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rand stopping the sweep attempt from Maldonado.
Rand stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maldonado swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Rand drives through with a takedown into guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maldonado is trying to keep Rand in close.
Maldonado looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Danny Rand comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rand 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Danny Rand!