PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Harrison Maldonado (ranked 25337 p4p, 0 weight class) and Decision Specialist Dani (ranked 7870 p4p, 0 weight class). Decision Specialist Dani told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Maldonado
vs
Specialist Dani

204 cm
22
177 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

200 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Harrison Maldonado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Decision Specialist Dani!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dani moves into the clinch.

Maldonado's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Maldonado gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Dani to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Dani stays in close to Maldonado's body and controls the position.

Dani postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Maldonado is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Dani, into his guard.

Maldonado loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dani wants to improve his position but instead Maldonado has moved into half guard.
Dani taking some punishment here, with Maldonado in his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldonado prevents Dani from improving his position.
Dani wants to control but Maldonado is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Maldonado not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Maldonado throwing shots but Dani is blocking nicely.
Maldonado lands with a punch from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dani trying to control from the bottom.
Dani throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Dani keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Maldonado throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dani has hold of Maldonado's hands but Maldonado slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Dani controlling the position for now.
Dani gets back to full guard.
Dani wants to sweep here but Maldonado controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Maldonado postures up.
Dani wants to sweep here but Maldonado controlling him for the moment.
Maldonado postures up.
Maldonado working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dani looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Maldonado really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Maldonado postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Maldonado lands a couple of digs.
Maldonado makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Dani tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Maldonado has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Dani looks winded!
Maldonado throwing strikes from guard but Dani blocks nicely.
Maldonado in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldonado throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dani works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Maldonado stands up over Dani, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Maldonado throws a strike but Dani rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maldonado lands some strikes from the bottom.
Dani wants to control from the top but Maldonado keeps moving.
Dani stopping the sweep attempt from Maldonado.
Dani trying to control but Maldonado is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dani stopping the sweep attempt from Maldonado.
Maldonado looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harrison Maldonado dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Dani shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Maldonado throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Some wild striking there from Dani.

Maldonado clinches with his opponent.
Maldonado looking to stall.
Dani is trying to break the clinch but Maldonado has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Maldonado breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dani leaves Maldonado with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Dani has his takedown stuffed
enabling Maldonado to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dani misses with a head kick.

Maldonado drives through with a takedown into Dani's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Dani working a defensive guard but Maldonado passes into half guard.
Dani is trying to get back to full guard.
Dani trying to control but Maldonado postures up.
Dani is breathing heavily.
Maldonado missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Maldonado throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Dani to regain full guard.
Maldonado makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Maldonado is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dani can do to turn this around?
Dani wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dani is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Harrison Maldonado overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maldonado lands a couple of digs.
Maldonado postures up in Dani's guard and throws a big left but Dani blocks it.
Maldonado won't allow Dani to sweep him here.
Maldonado scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Dani has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Maldonado 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 Dani.
Maldonado working the ground and pound from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maldonado is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Dani knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Maldonado working the head with strikes.
Check out the look on Maldonado's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Maldonado lands a few punches from side control.
Maldonado connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Dani some visible discomfort.
Maldonado postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Maldonado is putting a hurting on Dani here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dani tries to improve position but can't.
Dani tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Maldonado presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
BOOM! Maldonado connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Dani tries to reverse the position but Maldonado maintains control.
Maldonado landing strikes from the mount and Dani is in trouble!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dani wants to hold on but Maldonado pushes him away.
Maldonado with good strikes from the mount here!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dani tries to buck Maldonado off but he can't manage it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harrison Maldonado dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Maldonado lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Maldonado closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Maldonado misses with a body punch.
Maldonado trying to control the position but instead, Dani has worked for underhooks and has pushed Maldonado into the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Maldonado.
Dani fails to pull guard.
Maldonado dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Dani is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Maldonado to keep the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maldonado can't break the clinch.

Maldonado's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Maldonado thuds his right hand into Dani's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Maldonado throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dani's waist but Dani gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Maldonado off to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dani darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Dani seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Maldonado does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Maldonado keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Maldonado tries to get to full guard but Dani has control of the leg.
Maldonado is not content to let Dani control the position.
Maldonado wants to control but Dani is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Dani is trying to control. Maldonado wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dani is taking a breather. Maldonado says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Dani takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Dani seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Maldonado does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

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

Maldonado closes the distance and clinches.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Maldonado manages to break the clinch.
Maldonado throws a nice looking combination but Dani bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Dani closes the distance and clinches.
Maldonado is looking to break free of the clinch but Dani has double underhooks.
Maldonado tries to break the clinch but Dani is controlling the position.
Maldonado is looking to control Dani's arms but Dani gets an underhook and turns him. Now Maldonado has his back to the cage.
Maldonado has Dani pressed against the cage, preventing Dani from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dani breaks the clinch.
Dani swats away the attempt to clinch by Maldonado.
Dani shoots in for a takedown but Maldonado shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Harrison Maldonado has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Decision Specialist Dani.
Dani tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Maldonado defends well and Dani ends up having to push Maldonado into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Dani shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Maldonado pinned against the cage. Maldonado gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Maldonado clinches with his opponent.
Maldonado throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dani blocks it with crossed arms.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dani breaks the clinch.
Dani is trying hard to land a takedown here. Maldonado sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Maldonado scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Dani moves into range and clinches up with Maldonado.
Maldonado stalling in the clinch.
Maldonado missing with knees to the body.
Maldonado dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Maldonado landing knees to the body.

Maldonado escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dani tries for a takedown but Maldonado sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Maldonado appears to be looking for a big counter.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maldonado fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Decision Specialist Dani has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harrison Maldonado is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Dani gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Maldonado to score an easy takedown into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harrison Maldonado showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maldonado has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harrison Maldonado!