PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jan Mathisen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paulo Paco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Mathisen
vs
Paco

178 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
23
195 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jan Mathisen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Paulo Paco!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Vladimir Khabensky and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paco tries to clinch but Mathisen is having none of it.
A big right from Mathisen misses.
Mathisen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Paco sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Paco tries to close the distance and clinch but Mathisen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mathisen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Paco.
Mathisen moves in looking to clinch but Paco pushes him off.
Paco fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mathisen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Paco as he avoids it easily.
Paco avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Mathisen looks for a takedown but Paco sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jan Mathisen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Paco tries to clinch there but Mathisen circles away.
Paco throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mathisen misses with a takedown attempt - Paco sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mathisen has a takedown stuffed.
Paco wants to clinch

and Mathisen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Paco can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mathisen controls the pace.
Mathisen is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathisen wants to pass the guard but Paco is keeping the position.
Paco wants to stand up but Mathisen is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Mathisen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Paco is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Paco has escaped and now he's on top!
Paco is looking to stand up but Mathisen won't let him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathisen is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Paco got a little sloppy there for a moment and Mathisen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Paco has managed to get both his arms back between Mathisen's legs - danger averted.

Mathisen is working an open guard so Paco takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Mathisen swings for the body but Paco moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Paco gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Paco unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mathisen lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Paco throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mathisen blocks it with crossed arms.
Paco with a knee to the head.
Paco tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Paco looking to stall.
Paco throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mathisens head.
Paco unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Paco misses with a knee strike.
Paco pushes off an throws an elbow but Mathisen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Paco stalling in the clinch.
Paco lands a knee to the head.
Paco throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mathisen blocks it with crossed arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Paco dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Paco closes the distance and clinches.
Paco landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Paco is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
A frustrated look appears on Mathisen's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Paco connects with a knee to the head.
Paco using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mathisen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Paco holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Paco has a couple of punches blocked by Mathisen.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Paco tries a knee to the head but Mathisen blocks it.
Paco misses with a knee to the head.
Paco trying to land knees to the body.
Mathisen jumps guard but Paco stands there with Mathisen around his waist. Mathisen gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathisen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Paco smiles and moves away.
A head kick from Paco lands but Mathisen takes it in his stride.
Paco tries to clinch up
and Mathisen counters with a three punch combo that has Paco backing up. Paco nods at Mathisen to acknowledge the strikes.

Paco rushes Mathisen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Paco misses with a knee to the head.

Mathisen has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Paco uses from the top position.
Paco wants to get up but he can't break Mathisen's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mathisen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Paco gets to his feet. Mathisen looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Mathisen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Paco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Paco tries to close the distance and clinch but Mathisen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Paco tries to clinch up but Mathisen circles away and keeps his distance.
Mathisen shoots for a takedown but Paco saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jan Mathisen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Paco closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Paco throws a knee to the head but misses.
Paco is pressed up against the cage. Mathisen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Paco down to the mat. Paco avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Paco fails with an attempt to clinch.

Paco fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mathisen, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paco lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Paco throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mathisen takes a shot to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mathisen fails to pull guard.
Paco is looking to control Mathisen's arms but Mathisen gets an underhook and turns him. Now Paco has his back to the cage.
Mathisen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Paco tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Paco utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Mathisen wants to get back to striking at distance but Paco won't allow it.
Paco wants to stall.

That's four 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.
Paco tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Paco leaning his opponent against the cage.
Paco tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Paco lands a knee to the head.
Paco tries to land knees in the clinch but Mathisen avoids the damage to the body.
Mathisen avoiding damage as Paco throws knees to the body.
Paco trying to land knees to the body.
Mathisen managing to block the knees to the body from Paco.
Paco using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mathisen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Mathisen fails to pull guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Paco 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. And we move into the final round!

Paco moves in looking to clinch but Mathisen pushes him off.
Paco takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Mathisen takes a kick to the side of the head.
Mathisen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Paco sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mathisen somewhat.
Jan Mathisen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The fight stays on the outside here - Paco looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mathisen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Paco tries to avoid it but Mathisen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Paco to the ground. Paco escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Paco tries to clinch there but Mathisen circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Mathisen.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jan Mathisen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Paco doesn't manage to clinch there - Mathisen circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Paco darts in trying to clinch

and Mathisen counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paco with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Paco looking to stall.
Paco's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Mathisen tries to pull guard but Paco won't allow it.
Paco using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mathisen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Paco taking a breather.
Paco stops a takedown attempt from Mathisen.
Paco looking to slow down the pace here.
Paco lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

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.
Paco lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Paco is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Mathisen is keeping busy.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Paulo Paco.

Paco clinches up against the cage.
Paco just leaning against Mathisen, taking a breather.
Paco wants to stall.
Paco pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Paco is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Paco fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mathisen tries to pull guard but Paco holds him up against the cage and eventually Mathisen drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paco tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mathisen avoids it.
Paco looking to throw knees to the head but Mathisen is blocking nicely.
Mathisen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Paco fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Paco fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mathisen swats away the attempt to clinch by Paco.
Paco lands a head kick!
Paco is looking to clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mathisen.
Paco tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mathisen paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mathisen keeps the fight on the outside.
Paco tries to clinch but Mathisen moves out of range.
Mathisen shoots for a takedown but Paco saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mathisen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Paco tries to close the distance and clinch but Mathisen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Paco tries to clinch up.
Jan Mathisen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Paco doesn't manage to clinch there - Mathisen circles away.
Paco throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Paco wants to clinch up but Mathisen keeps it at a distance.
Paco misses with a two punch combination.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mathisen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Paco sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mathisen somewhat.
Paco darts in trying to clinch
and Mathisen counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Paco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Paco 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 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Paco!