PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Not Ponor (ranked 794 p4p, 1434 weight class) and Paulo Blikstein (ranked 123 p4p, 212 weight class). Paulo Blikstein has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ponor
vs
Blikstein

188 cm
27
194
14 - 9 - 0

187 cm
27
200
11 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Big Chief Nutrition & Laundry Services

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Not Ponor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Blikstein!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ponor misses with a wild body shot.
We've been informed that Blikstein has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
A jab from Ponor does it's job there.
Ponor seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
An inside leg kick from Blikstein misses.
A little feinted left hand from Ponor on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Blikstein moves into the clinch successfully.
Ponor prevents a body shot from Blikstein.
Ponor misses with a punch to the body.
Blikstein misses with a shot to the kidneys.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blikstein lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Ponor or not.
Ponor is leaning against Blikstein and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ponor throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bliksteins head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ponor.
Blikstein has a couple of punches blocked by Ponor.

Blikstein gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Blikstein thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ponor's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blikstein throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Blikstein wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ponor keeps working.
Blikstein has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Blikstein throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Ponor to regain full guard.
Blikstein postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Blikstein postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Blikstein with a flurry of punches that miss.
Blikstein throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ponor works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Blikstein throwing strikes from guard but Ponor blocks nicely.
Blikstein works over Ponor with some ground and pound from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Blikstein missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Blikstein looking to sit in guard and control but Ponor gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Blikstein keeping moving, preventing Ponor from controlling successfully.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Blikstein controlling the position.
Blikstein 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponor not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ponor goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Ponor lands a high kick!

It looks like Paulo Blikstein has been cut.
Blikstein tests Ponor's chin there with a solid looking shot.

It looks like Not Ponor has been cut.
An inside leg kick lands from Ponor.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blikstein shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ponor sprawls well. Ponor wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Blikstein gets slowly back to his feet.
Ponor throws a hook to the side of Blikstein's head but Blikstein sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Blikstein tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Ponor throws a quick inside leg kick.

Blikstein decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Blikstein thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ponor's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Blikstein working the head and body with strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Not Ponor will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ponor takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Ponor throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Blikstein sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A low kick from Blikstein misses
and Ponor cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Blikstein drops Ponor with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Ponor looks back up at him and smiles so Blikstein waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

Ponor is rocked!
Blikstein fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Ponor to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Ponor looks to clinch but Blikstein throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Ponor taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Paulo Blikstein!