PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Digo Maha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Monteiro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Maha
vs
Monteiro

170 cm
19
144 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Digo Maha!
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, Ricardo Monteiro!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Seu Braga and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maha swats away the attempt to clinch by Monteiro.
Maha tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Monteiro avoids the body shot from Maha.
Monteiro lands with a kick to the temple. Maha shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Digo Maha has been cut.
Maha avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Monteiro looks to land a body kick but Maha moved away.
Monteiro fails with a takedown attempt.

Maha looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Monteiro is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Monteiro tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Maha postures up in Monteiro's guard and throws a big left but Monteiro blocks it.
Maha looking to pass the guard.
Monteiro wants to get back to his feet but Maha is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maha wanted to stand there but Monteiro had control of the position.
Maha trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Monteiro seems keen to control Maha's posture.
Maha throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Monteiro shoots and misses

so Maha counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Maha has gone for a leg lock! Monteiro slips out almost immediately though and dives into Maha's guard.
Monteiro trying to control the position from guard on top but Maha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monteiro trying to stand up but can't free himself from Maha's guard.
Maha trying to keep a closed guard but Monteiro is proving a slippery customer.
Monteiro wants to get up but he can't break Maha's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Monteiro trying to control but Maha is working from the bottom.
Monteiro wants to stand but Maha has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Monteiro looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maha is trying to keep Monteiro in close.
Maha is pulling down on Monteiro's head to control his posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Monteiro shoots and misses

and Maha decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Monteiro's guard.
Digo Maha has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Monteiro.

Monteiro had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Maha is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Monteiro Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Maha's back instead.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Maha wants to escape the position.
Maha breaks Monteiro's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maha tries to free his leg and advance position but Monteiro is retaining full guard.
Mahais looking to pass into half guard but Monteiro pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Monteiro is in guard.
Maha knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Monteiro on the ground.

Maha is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Monteiro trying to control but Maha is working from the bottom.
Maha can't keep his opponent in guard - Monteiro advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Digo Maha dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Digo Maha's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Maha clinches up against the cage.

Maha pulls Monteiro into guard.
Maha seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maha wants to stand and escape but Monteiro is having none of it.
Maha might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Monteiro passes into half guard.
Maha is refusing to be controlled, as Monteiro sits in half guard.
Monteiro prevents Maha from improving his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monteiro passes to full mount!
Monteiro tries to control but Maha wriggling away.
Monteiro scoring with strikes but Maha is staying in there.
Monteiro controlling from mount.
Maha wants to hold on but Monteiro pushes him away.

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.
Monteiro postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Maha looks a forlorn figure.
Maha is trying to escape the mount.
Maha srikes from the bottom but he's lost position and has given up his back.
Monteiro looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
You can see the frustration on Maha's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Maha is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Monteiro's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maha is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Monteiro.
Will Monteiro go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Maha trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Monteiro throwing sloppy strikes.

That's four 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.
Monteiro tries to keep control of the position but Maha is staying busy.
Monteiro is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Monteiro wants to control but Maha is keeping busy.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ricardo Monteiro just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Monteiro with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Maha is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Maha is looking to land body kicks.
Monteiro bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Monteiro showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Digo Maha's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Maha looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Monteiro wants to clinch

and Maha counters with a nice double leg into side control. Monteiro won't be happy with that.
Monteiro is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Maha off and has taken his back!
Monteiro punches the canvas rather than the man.
Monteiro is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Maha. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Maha tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Monteiro trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Maha working to try and regain half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Monteiro tries to control but Maha wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maha looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Maha prevents Monteiro from getting a body triangle.
Maha trying to control the action but Monteiro just sinks the hooks in.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Monteiro's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

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.
Monteiro just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Maha tries to escape but Monteiro has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Monteiro's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Monteiro controls the position.
Maha trying to control the action but Monteiro just sinks the hooks in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is taking a good look at Maha as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Monteiro!
Monteiro is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Maha covering up well and avoiding damage.
Monteiro scores with punches to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Monteiro lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Maha.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Monteiro controlling the positon.
Monteiro struggling to keep hold of the position.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ricardo Monteiro just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Maha tries to clinch but Monteiro is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
No joy there for Monteiro, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Monteiro with a poor takedown

and Maha counters with a nice double leg into side control. Monteiro won't be happy with that.
Maha lands a decent elbow from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Digo Maha showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Maha 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Digo Maha!