Rambam and Rabbi Akiva

The Rishonim were prolific writers, authoring hundreds of books on all topics. Countless times do they quote their predecessors, the sages of the Mishnah, Gemara, and the Geonim. Seldom do we find a personal touch regarding the personalities they quote. Here's an exception:
The Mishnah in Avos (אבות פ"ג מט"ו) states:
"He [R. Akiva] used to say: Everything is revealed [before Hashem]; permission is granted [to man to make his choices]. The world is judged in favor, and all are judged according to their actions."
This overtly ambiguous Mishnah is subject to much expansion among the commentators; the Rambam is among the prominent of them. Before he sets out to explain this deep Mishnah, the Rambam adds a little personal note: "This statement includes many great things; the likes of which only R. Akiva was capable..."
פירוש המשניות להרמב"ם אבות פ"ג מט"ו