PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paul ku (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kuki Hilli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kuki Hilli struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 172.4lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Paul ku looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

ku
vs
Hilli

180 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paul ku!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kuki Hilli!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Marco Blurström and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hilli fails with a takedown attempt.
ku throws a low kick but it's checked well by Hilli.
Hilli fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
ku throws a leg kick but Hilli sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Hilli tries to score a power double leg takedown but ku sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hilli somewhat.
Paul ku has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kuki Hilli.
ku wants to clinch up but Hilli keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
ku attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hilli swats away the attempt to clinch by ku.
ku throws a low kick but Hilli avoids it.
ku scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
ku tries to clinch up.
Paul ku is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hilli avoids the head kick by ku.
ku is breathing heavily.
Hilli slips a straight right by ku.
Good leg kick by ku there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Hilli checks a leg kick.

Hilli drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
ku keeping moving, preventing Hilli from controlling successfully.
Hilli throwing strikes from guard but ku blocks nicely.

Hilli stands and steps away. ku gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Hilli avoids the head kick by ku.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hilli.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hilli shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts ku as he jumps to the side.
Hilli closes this distance looking for a takedown but ku circles away.
Hilli looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A low kick from ku misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Hilli checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
ku pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Hilli takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Horrible takedown by Hilli or perhaps it was just good defense by ku which made him look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
ku walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Hilli checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Hilli looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
ku cracks the inside of Hilli's front leg.
Hilli shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
ku throws and low kick but Hilli moves out of range easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
ku throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hilli fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paul ku will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

ku fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hilli shoots in but no luck this time.
A head kick misses from ku.
ku keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nice jab there from ku.
ku misses with a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hilli dives in and grabs ku's left leg, looking for a takedown. ku pushes down on Hilli's head and hops out.
Paul ku has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kuki Hilli.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
ku lands with a kick to the ribs.
ku swats away the attempt to clinch by Hilli.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ku misses with a body kick.
Hilli shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as ku sprawls well. ku wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hilli gets slowly back to his feet.
ku tries a head kick but it misses.
ku wants to clinch.
Hilli looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? ku is fending him off so far but Hilli persists. Nope, ku circles away and we're back to standing.

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.
Hilli closes the distance but ku moves to the side
and ku finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Hilli circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hilli fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Paul ku seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hilli doesn't succeed with the takedown
and ku counters with a good low kick that Hilli was not able to check.

ku pushes Hilli up against the cage in a clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
ku goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hilli prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ku pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
ku prevents a takedown attempt there.
Hilli blocks an elbow strike from ku.
Hilli blocks an elbow strike.
ku with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Hilli has ku pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Hilli pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending ku tumbling to the mat - Hilli dives into ku's guard.
Hilli in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hilli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. ku swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
ku stops Hilli from standing up.

ku stands and steps away. Hilli gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Hilli.
ku does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul ku dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

ku looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
ku stuffs the takedown attempt from Hilli. Hilli gets slowly back to his feet.
ku misses with a series of wild punches.

Hilli fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. ku sprawls well initially but Hilli persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
ku is trying to stand.
Hilli misses with a head shot. ku uses the momentum to regain guard.
Hilli throws and elbow that misses. ku uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hilli's guard. Nice move by ku!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ku has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hilli is proving hard to escape from.

Hilli uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Hilli moves out of range of the body kick from ku.
ku tries a head kick but it misses.

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.
ku throws a hook but Hilli blocks it.
Hilli throws a nice head kick!
Hilli fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
ku is looking to clinch.
ku defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hilli.
Paul ku has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kuki Hilli.
ku closes the distance looking to clinch

and Hilli counters with a single leg into guard. ku didn't expect that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ku is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Hilli is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Hilli wants to control from the top but ku keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
ku wants to stand and escape but Hilli is having none of it.

Hilli thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hilli postures up in ku's guard and throws a big left but ku blocks it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A good leg kick by ku.
Paul ku is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hilli tries for a takedown but ku circles away easily

and ku counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kuki Hilli comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think ku has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Kuki Hilli!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Kuki Hilli!
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Kuki Hilli!

Kuki Hilli wins by unanimous decision!