PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paul Paulson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikolo Halike (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Paulson
vs
Halike

180 cm
25
162 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

180 cm
27
165 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Hell's Balls Recovery

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Paul Paulson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nikolo Halike!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paulson takes a swing at Halike's ribcage but misses.
Paulson tries to close the distance and clinch but Halike swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Halike throws a head kick but Paulson moves out of range.
Paulson shoots in looking for a takedown but Halike manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Paulson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Halike throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Paulson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Paulson scores with a sloppy right hand. Halike should have avoided that one.

Halike darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Halike is pressing down on Paulson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Paulson is holding on for now.
Paulson taking some punishment here, with Halike in his half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paulson wants to get back to full guard.
Halike scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Halike thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Paulson's head.
Paulson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Halike.
Paulson is looking to control Halike's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Paulson avoid being mounted?
Paulson manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halike tries to free his leg and advance position but Paulson is retaining full guard.
Halike is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Paulson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Halike is aware though and is defending well.
Halike trying to control but Paulson is working from the bottom.
Halike is looking to work some ground and pound but Paulson has wrist control.
Paulson looking for a sweep. Not yet Paulson, not yet.
Halike looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Halike pushes down on Paulson's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Halike seems to be working for a kimura but Paulson defends the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paulson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Halike is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Halike is keen to just control but Paulson is a slippery customer.
Paulson works his way to full guard. Good work.

Paulson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Halike doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Halike manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Paulson keeping moving, preventing Halike from controlling successfully.
Paulson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Halike trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paulson working a defensive guard here.
Halike working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paulson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Halike drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Paulson dives on top into guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Paulson connects with a couple of short punches.
Halike working a defensive guard here.
Paulson with a flurry of punches that miss.

Halike working for a triangle but Paulson defends it easily.
Halike utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

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

Paulson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Paulson working some strikes from top position.
Paulson trying to control but Halike is working from the bottom.

Halike throws his legs up looking for a submission but Paulson uses it to pass to side control.
Paulson lands an elbow.

Paulson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Halike has escaped the position, nice work there.
Paulson with the ground and pound but Halike regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
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 Paulson will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice sprawl there from Halike as Paulson shoots in.

Halike fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Paulson sprawls well initially but Halike persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Halike is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Paulson sees it coming and defends easily.
Paulson is trying to get back to full guard.

Halike is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Paulson doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Halike.
Halike prevents Paulson from improving his position.

Halike seems to be looking for submissions.

Paulson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Halike pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halike is keen to just control but Paulson is a slippery customer.
Paulson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Paulson is trying to control but can't.
Halike is looking to take a break and control but Paulson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Paulson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Halike.
Halike wants to lay and pray for a moment but Paulson keeps working.

Halike is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Paulson doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Halike.
Halike is breathing heavily.
Halike prevents Paulson from improving his position.

That's two 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.
Halike wants to pass the guard but Paulson is defending well.
Paulson is pressing down on Halike's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Halike throwing strikes from guard but Paulson blocks nicely.
Paulson controls Halike momentarily but Halike frees himself.

Halike 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.
Paulson trying to keep a closed guard but Halike is proving a slippery customer.
Halike must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Paulson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Paulson is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Paulson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Halike trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Halike thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Paulson working a defensive guard but Halike passes into half guard.
Halike performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Paulson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Halike.
Halike is stalling here. Paulson is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Halike seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Paulson has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Paulson in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

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.
Paulson cracks Halike with a big right hand but Halike just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Nikolo Halike has got the better of the ground game so far.
Halike tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Halike is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Paulson's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Paulson wants to take a breather but Halike is having none of it.
Halike is looking to improve his position.
Halike is staying active underneath Paulson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Paulson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Halike defending well though.
Halike is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolo Halike showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A head kick misses from Paulson.
Paulson looks to score with a jab to the body but Halike is just out of range.
Paulson throws a right hand that Halike ducks under and follows up with a left that Halike also avoids with ease.
A jab from Paulson misses.
Paulson ducks right into an uppercut from Halike.
Paulson throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Paulson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Halike connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Paulson with a lazy takedown attempt
and Halike counters with a nice uppercut.
A punch lands to the side of Paulson 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Paulson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Halike.
Paulson gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Halike lands a jab.
Jab, jab by Halike - just one landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulson tries to clinch up.
Halike tries to score with a low kick but Paulson moves his leg out of the way.
Halike lunges at Paulson with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Paulson's hand.
Paulson misses with a takedown

and Halike counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Halike seems to be working for a kimura but Paulson defends the submission attempt.
Halike sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Paulson defending well though.

Halike is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Paulson trying to control but Halike postures up.
Halike scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paulson trying to control but Halike postures up.
Paulson is trying to get back to full guard.
Halike is looking to take a break and control but Paulson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Halike is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Halike scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Paulson manages to get to full guard.
Paulson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Halike trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Paulson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Halike got a little sloppy there for a moment and Paulson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Halike has managed to get both his arms back between Paulson's legs - danger averted.
Halike throwing strikes but missing.
Paulson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Paulson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Halike throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Paulson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Paulson controls Halike momentarily but Halike frees himself.
Paulson striking off his back.

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.
Halike wants to control from the top but Paulson keeps moving.

Halike drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Halike jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Halike drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Halike jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Halike postures up in Paulson's guard and throws a big left but Paulson blocks it.

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

Halike avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Halike pushes down on Paulson's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Halike is working for a submission of some sort.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolo Halike comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Halike has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolo Halike!