PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Paavola (ranked 4358 p4p, 4406 weight class) and Kai Damon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Paavola
vs
Damon

182 cm
22
205
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
24
210
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gabriel Paavola!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kai Damon!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paavola takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Damon scores with a decent looking hook.
Kai Damon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Damon is looking to clinch.
A counter left hand to the body from Paavola misses its target.
Damon misses with a double jab
enabling Paavola to counter with a crisp jab.

It looks like Kai Damon has been cut.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Damon.

Paavola shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Paavola was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Damon is looking to get back to his feet here but Paavola is keeping cool and he's managed to take Damon's back.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Paavola gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Paavola avoiding Damon 's attempts to control his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damon breaks Paavola's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Paavola on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Paavola tries to get out of the position.
Damon trying to control the position from guard on top but Paavola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Damon has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Paavola is proving hard to escape from.

Damon gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Paavola with a lazy takedown attempt
and Damon counters with a three punch combo that has Paavola backing up. Paavola nods at Damon to acknowledge the strikes.

Paavola darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Damon moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paavola sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Paavola is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Paavola has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Paavola lands a couple of digs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Paavola trying to control but Damon is working from the bottom.
Paavola controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Damon wants to get back to his feet but Paavola is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Paavola wants to control from the top but Damon keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Paavola landing with the ground and pound.
Paavola lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Damon is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Paavola connects with a couple of short punches.
Damon is trying to keep Paavola in close.
Paavola preventing the sweep.
Damon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Damon looking for a sweep. Not yet Damon, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paavola throwing strikes but missing.
Paavola lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Paavola working some strikes from top position.
Paavola postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Paavola prevents Damon from getting back to his feet.
Damon keeping full guard, as Paavola tries to pass.
Paavola chips away with some ground and pound.
Paavola scoring with some ground and pound.

Damon is rocked!
Paavola knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Damon on the ground.
Damon is trying to control the position but Paavola postures up.
Paavola working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Damon is still in real trouble! Can Paavola finish him?
Damon looks winded!
Paavola gets to his feet and stands over Damon, holding his ankles. He dives in with a big left hand that connects! Damon felt that one! Paavola unloads more punches and elbows and this one is over! The ref has dived in to save Damon from any more punishment!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gabriel Paavola!
Gabriel Paavola seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.