|
|
PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alex Valentine (ranked 2601 p4p, 293 weight class) and Thomas Maeda (ranked 907 p4p, 118 weight class). Thomas Maeda has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?
 |
|
 |
| 176 cm
21
155 lbs
6 - 2 - 0 |
|
169 cm
23
164 lbs
12 - 2 - 0 |
Powerful takedowns
Good kicks
KO power |
|
BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power |
|
| |
|
Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Alex Valentine!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Maeda!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maeda is trying hard to land a takedown here. Valentine sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Valentine lands a nice looking body shot.
Valentine shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Maeda manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Maeda is looking for a triangle but Valentine pushes his legs off easily.
Valentine advances to half guard.
Maeda actively working from the bottom here.
Valentine seems to be working for a kimura but Maeda defends the submission attempt.
Maeda is trying to get back to full guard.
Valentine has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda punching from the bottom.
Maeda is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Valentine pulls his head out easily.
Maeda tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Valentine has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Valentine takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Maeda felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Valentine is riding his opponent, not letting Maeda buck him off.
Maeda wants to control his opponent's hands but Valentine gets his hands free.
Maeda defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Valentine's arms.
Valentine doesn't have the hooks in and Maeda manages to turn into his guard.
Valentine keeping moving, preventing Maeda from controlling successfully.
Maeda postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Valentine is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Maeda, into his guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
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 tries to free his leg and advance position but Maeda is retaining full guard.
Valentine controls from within his opponent's guard.
Valentine avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Maeda looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Valentine passes into side control.
Maeda is trying to get back to half guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Valentine is looking to take a break and control but Maeda is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
A lull in the action here as Valentine stalls from top position.
Valentine is looking to take a break and control but Maeda is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
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.
Maeda tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Maeda's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Maeda tries to improve position but can't.
Maeda is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Valentine controlling the position.
Maeda is looking to regain half guard here but Valentine keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Valentine taking a breather here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Alex Valentine dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.
Maeda drives through with a takedown into Valentine's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Maeda advances position into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maeda swings around for an armbar but Valentine sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Maeda's guard.
Maeda has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Valentine is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Maeda.
Maeda struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maeda tries to bench press Valentine off him but Valentine keeps the position.
Maeda wants to control but Valentine postures up.
Maeda is not content to let Valentine control the position.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Maeda tries to improve position but can't.
Valentine controls the position.
Maeda gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Maeda is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Valentine pulls his head out easily.
Maeda actively working from the bottom here.
Maeda looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Maeda is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Valentine pulls his head out easily.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Maeda is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Valentine pulls his head out easily.
Maeda looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Maeda is breathing heavily.
Valentine takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Valentine shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Maeda's guard.
Valentine 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.
Valentine tries to free his leg and advance position but Maeda is retaining full guard.
Alex Valentine overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maeda has an active guard here but Valentine has managed to pass into half guard.
Maeda makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Maeda.
Maeda looking for a sweep. Not yet Maeda, not yet.
Maeda looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Valentine passes into side control.
Valentine is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Maeda has escaped the position, nice work there.
Maeda is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Valentine sitting and controlling from the half guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maeda looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Valentine pushes past his half guard into mount!
Maeda tries to hold on but Valentine pushes him away.
Maeda is looking to improve his position but Valentine isn't that keen on the idea.
Valentine is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maeda can do to turn this around?
Maeda tries to hold on but Valentine pushes him away.
Maeda is trying to reverse the position but instead Valentine has taken his back - oops!
Valentine controlling the position well here. Maeda rolled but Valentine kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Alex Valentine dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.
Maeda tries for a takedown but Valentine circles away easily
so Valentine counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Valentine is pushing down on Maeda's leg trying to pass to half guard. Maeda is fighting to maintain full guard but Valentine has managed to sneak the leg through.
Valentine is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Valentine's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Maeda is pressing down on Valentine's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valentine sitting in guard here, content to control.
Maeda trying to control the position.
Maeda is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Valentine rolls with it to try and escape but Maeda cranks on the arm and Valentine is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!
Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Thomas Maeda! Thomas Maeda retains his lightweight title!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
|
S |
C |
G |
|
energy
A | B |
|
hype
A | B |
|
pop
A | B |
|
mgr
A | B |
|
FIGHT
RATING
29% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
