PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thor Helsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Giel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Helsson comes into the arena with Devils March blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Helsson
vs
Giel

201 cm
21
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

197 cm
19
265 lbs
1 - 3 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thor Helsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Paul Giel!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Viktor Lagutenko and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Giel throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Giel leaves Helsson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Giel throws a good cross that connects.
Giel lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Helsson backs up against the cage.
Giel lands with a nice combination. Helsson backs away looking to recover.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Helsson is defended easily by Giel.
Helsson wants to clinch.
Helsson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thor Helsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giel's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Giel duly obliges.
Helsson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Giel counters with a one-two to the body.
Helsson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Giel's waist but Giel gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Helsson off to one side.
Helsson shoots for a takedown but Giel saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Helsson wants to clinch
and Giel counters with a two punch combo.
Nice shot lands for Giel.
Giel tries to bum rush Helsson with a series of wild strikes but Helsson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Helsson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Giel counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helsson misses with a takedown
letting Giel counter with a right hand.
Helsson is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Helsson with a poor takedown
and Giel counters with a one-two to the body.
Helsson shoots for a takedown but Giel saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Giel moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Giel misses with a series of wild punches.
Giel throws a left and a right that both miss

and Helsson counters with a shoot takedown. Giel fights it but they end up in guard.

Helsson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Giel manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Helsson has Giel in his guard.
Giel wants to get up but he can't break Helsson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Helsson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Giel sitting in guard here, content to control.
Giel has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Helsson is proving hard to escape from.
Helsson looking to control.
Giel trying to control but Helsson is working from the bottom.
Giel with a flurry of punches that miss.

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.
Giel wanted to stand there but Helsson had control of the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Helsson takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Giel looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Helsson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Giel counters with a left and a right that stings Helsson.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Danga de danga de dang - Giel scores with a four punch combination!
Giel is working the combinations to good effect here.
Helsson darts in trying to clinch
and Giel counters with a straight right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Giel dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Helsson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Giel counters with a stiff right hand.
Helsson wants to clinch
enabling Giel to counter with a crisp jab.
Thor Helsson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Good standup being displayed there by Giel as he connects with a hook.
A combination from Giel does no damage.
Helsson wants to clinch
and Giel counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Paul Giel seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Giel will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Helsson shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giel lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A punch combination from Giel misses.
Giel misses with a series of wild punches.
Paul Giel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Giel stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Giel wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thor Helsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Giel displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Giel might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Giel swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Giel stuffs the takedown attempt from Helsson. Helsson gets slowly back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Helsson throws a combination that misses
and Giel counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giel throws a shot to the body.
Giel moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A jab from Helsson misses.
A left and a right from Giel both land. Nice combination.
Helsson tries to clinch but Giel moves away
and Giel counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Giel misses with a series of wild punches.
Helsson clinches but Giel breaks the clinch
and Giel counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Giel misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Helsson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Giel cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Helsson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Giel counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Helsson shoots and misses
and Helsson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Giel scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Giel scores with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helsson takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Giel fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Giel with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Helsson takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Helsson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Giel cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A decent looking cross lands there for Giel.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Helsson darts in trying to clinch
and Helsson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Giel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Giel slaps away a takedown attempt from Helsson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Helsson throws a head kick but Giel moves out of range.
Helsson fails with the takedown
and Giel counters with a straight right hand.
Giel blocks a head kick by Helsson.
Giel throws a right hand that Helsson ducks under and follows up with a left that Helsson also avoids with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giel bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Helsson's head.
A punch lands to the side of Helsson 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Helsson avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giel throws a series of punches but Helsson moves out of range.
Helsson has his takedown stuffed
and Giel counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thor Helsson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Helsson takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Some wild striking there from Giel.
Giel swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Helsson counters with a two punch combo.
Helsson fails with a takedown attempt.
Helsson misses with a takedown
and Giel counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giel scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Giel misses with a few strikes there.
Thor Helsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Giel catches Helsson with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Helsson closes the distance but Giel moves to the side
enabling Giel to counter with a crisp jab.
Helsson shoots and misses
and Giel counters with a straight right hand.
Giel lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Giel misses with a double jab.
Giel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Giel tries to bum rush Helsson with a series of wild strikes but Helsson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Helsson with a poor takedown
and Giel counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Giel thuds his right hand into Helsson's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Giel misses with a wild combination.
Some wild striking there from Giel.
Giel misses with a wild combination.
Helsson tries to clinch up
and Giel counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giel misses with a wild combination.
Helsson with a poor takedown
and Giel counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Giel scores with a nice head shot.
Helsson dodges the punch combination from Giel.
Helsson has his takedown stuffed
and Giel cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Helsson takes a jab right on the kisser.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Helsson has his takedown stuffed
and Giel counters with a series of strikes. Helsson will be more careful next time no doubt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Giel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Giel winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 26:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 26:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Giel!