PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paavo Matinheimo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joey Path (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Path has chosen Robert Tepper - No Easy Way Out as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Matinheimo
vs
Path

177 cm
21
197 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

186 cm
22
198 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paavo Matinheimo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joey Path!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Path tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Matinheimo paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Good shot there by Matinheimo.
Path fails with an attempt to clinch.
Matinheimo lands with a nice body punch.
Path throws a right hand that Matinheimo ducks under and follows up with a left that Matinheimo also avoids with ease.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Matinheimo.
Path wants to control but Matinheimo postures up.
Path on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
The strikes coming from Matinheimo are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Path wants to get back to his feet but Matinheimo drags him back down.

Matinheimo is trying to get an arm triangle but Path is defending well.
Matinheimo has knee on belly momentarily but Path bucks him off and regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matinheimo wants to work for an arm triangle but Path is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Matinheimo wants to take a breather but Path is having none of it.
Matinheimo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Matinheimo tries to pass to full mount but Path defends it.
Path trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Matinheimo is trying to work for a kimura but Path is defending well.
Matinheimo trying to control the action but Path is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Path is looking to clinch.
Matinheimo's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Matinheimo duly obliges.
Matinheimo stalks Path and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Path's face. Path staggers backwards, shaken.
Matinheimo throws a series of punches but Path moves out of range.
Matinheimo misses with the combination.
Matinheimo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Matinheimo misses with an uppercut. Path saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Path wants to clinch up but Matinheimo keeps it at a distance.
Path tries to clinch up but Matinheimo circles away and keeps his distance.
Matinheimo checks a leg kick.
Matinheimo scores with a nice head shot.

Matinheimo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Path is trying to improve his position.
The ground and pound from Matinheimo seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Path is trying to get back to half guard.
Sloppy strikes there by Matinheimo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo working the ground and pound but Path is defending the strikes.
Path is trying to control Matinheimo's posture but Matinheimo avoids it.
Matinheimo prevents Path from escaping the position.
Matinheimo tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Matinheimo gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Path fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Matinheimo jabs Path right on the nose. Path blinks but takes it well.

Path gets a clinch.
Path pressing his opponent against the cage.
Matinheimo wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Matinheimo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paavo Matinheimo dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice straight punches there by Matinheimo. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Matinheimo.
Path takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Path closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Matinheimo leaning his opponent against the cage.
Matinheimo is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Path is looking to break free of the clinch but Matinheimo has double underhooks.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Paavo Matinheimo.
Path doesn't manage to clinch there - Matinheimo circles away.
Matinheimo shoots in and drives through. Path sprawls well.
Matinheimo scores with a shot to the body.

Path has managed to clinch.
Matinheimo tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Path smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Path tries to close the distance and clinch but Matinheimo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Path is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Path has his takedown stuffed
and Matinheimo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Path thinking.
Matinheimo scores with a crisp jab that stopped Path in his tracks.
Path on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Matinheimo scores with a decent looking hook.
Paavo Matinheimo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Matinheimo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Matinheimo connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Path tries to grapple but his opponent circles
letting Matinheimo counter with a right hand.
Matinheimo moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Path tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Matinheimo counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo just misses with a punch to the body.
Matinheimo lands a right hook to the body.
Path tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Path takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Path is breathing heavily.
Matinheimo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Path moves away.
Matinheimo closes the distance and clinches up with Path, looking for a takedown. Matinheimo pushes Path against the cage but Path circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paavo Matinheimo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matinheimo lands with a cross.

Matinheimo gets a takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Path is trying to get back to full guard.

Matinheimo is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Path has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo wants to control but Path is keeping him busy.
Path avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Matinheimo.
Path tries to roll over but Matinheimo keeps him under control.
Path moves into full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Matinheimo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four 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.
Matinheimo trying to control but Path is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Matinheimo takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Matinheimo falls off balance throwing a combination

and Path counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Path lands a nice uppercut.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A short uppercut from Matinheimo.
Matinheimo looking to slow down the pace here.

Path breaks from the clinch.
Matinheimo looks to score with a jab to the body but Path is just out of range.
Matinheimo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Path.
Matinheimo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Paavo Matinheimo is winning the standup battle so far.
Matinheimo takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Path tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Matinheimo counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Path!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paavo Matinheimo dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Path tries to close the distance and clinch but Matinheimo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Matinheimo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Path was covering up waiting for the punch and Matinheimo finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Matinheimo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Matinheimo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Matinheimo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Matinheimo stands and throws Path's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Matinheimo decides to stand back up. Matinheimo steps back and let's Path get back to his feet.
Path tries for a takedown but Matinheimo circles away easily
and Matinheimo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Path closes the distance but Matinheimo moves to the side
and Matinheimo counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Path takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Path tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Matinheimo lands a body shot.
Path defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Matinheimo.
Path has his takedown stuffed

and Matinheimo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Path won't be happy with that.
Matinheimo wants to control but Path is keeping him busy.
Matinheimo in side control lands a decent elbow.
Matinheimo connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Path some visible discomfort.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Matinheimo working the ground and pound.
Paavo Matinheimo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Matinheimo trying to control the action but Path is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo controls the position.
Path is not content to let Matinheimo control the position.
Path can't do much from the bottom here.
Matinheimo is looking to take a break and control but Path is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Matinheimo misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Joey Path has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matinheimo trying to control the action but Path is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Path takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Path fails with the takedown
and Matinheimo counters with a nice uppercut.
Paavo Matinheimo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joey Path.
Matinheimo tests Path's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A swing and a miss from Path.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paavo Matinheimo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Matinheimo, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paavo Matinheimo!