PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Taz Devil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Paulson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paulson has chosen Pantera - Cowboys from Hell as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Devil
vs
Paulson

175 cm
23
160 lbs
11 - 7 - 1

177 cm
22
165 lbs
10 - 4 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Bloodbath Fighting Clothes

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 11 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Taz Devil!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Robert Paulson!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Valeri Chadov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A solid body kick from Devil.
Devil fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Devil rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Paulson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Paulson tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Paulson looks gassed!
Paulson misses with a looping left.
Devil tries to clinch up but Paulson circles away and keeps his distance.
Devil tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Paulson swats away the attempt to clinch by Devil.
Devil stuffs the takedown.
Paulson blocks a head kick by Devil.
Devil tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Paulson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Devil throws a body punch but Paulson moves out of range.
Devil misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Devil getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Devil wants to clinch.
Paulson digs a good hook to Devil's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Devil makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Paulson really felt that one!
Devil tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Paulson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Devil is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Paulson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Paulson looking to sit in guard and control but Devil gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paulson is trying to control the position but Devil postures up.
Paulson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Paulson pulls Devil in close to prevent any damage.
Devil has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Paulson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Devil wants to get up but he can't break Paulson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Paulson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Robert Paulson wasn't active enough on the ground.
Paulson misses with a double jab
and Devil counters with a nice body kick.
Devil takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Devil lands a front kick.
Paulson blocks a jab.
Paulson avoids a kick to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Devil misses the target.
Devil closes the distance but Paulson moves to the side
and Paulson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paulson looks to score with a jab to the body but Devil is just out of range.
Paulson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Devil.
Devil ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Devil has managed to clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Devil working hard to break the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Devil scores with a nice short uppercut.
Devil lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Devil lands a damaging elbow.
Devil lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Paulson backwards.
Devil lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Robert Paulson has been cut.
A head punch on the inside from Paulson fails to land.
Devil is looking to break free of the clinch but Paulson has double underhooks.
Devil lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Devil breaks from the clinch.
Devil throws out a loose jab but Paulson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Devil misses the body punch
and Paulson counters with a nice body shot.
Paulson works over Devil's head and body with a nice combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taz Devil dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Robert Paulson's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Devil tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Paulson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Paulson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Devil.
Paulson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Devil.
Devil lands with a nice body kick.
Devil misses with an uppercut
and Paulson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Devil moves to clinch but Paulson breaks away
letting Paulson counter with a right hand.
Paulson throws a combination that misses
and Devil counters with a nice leg kick.
Devil wants to clinch.
Devil wants to clinch.
Devil pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Paulson is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Devil is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Paulson walks into a straight right hand from Devil.
Paulson avoids a kick to the body.
Devil misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Devil looks to clinch

and Paulson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Devil pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Devil gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Devil goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Devil misses with a shot to the body
letting Paulson counter with a right hand.
Devil misses with a right hand

and Paulson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Paulson.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Paulson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Devil breaks the clinch.
Paulson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Devil sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Paulson with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Paulson shoots in but Devil avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Devil wants to clinch but Paulson slips to the side
and Paulson counters with a two punch combo.
Devil misses with the body kick

and Paulson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Devil won't be happy with that.
Paulson creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Devil sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The ground and pound from Paulson seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Paulson is looking to take a break and control but Devil is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Devil's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paulson trying to control the action but Devil is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Paulson is staying tight to Devil's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Paulson is looking to take a break and control but Devil is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Paulson working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Robert Paulson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Robert Paulson's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Devil moves to clinch but Paulson breaks away

and Paulson counters with a single leg into guard. Devil didn't expect that.
Paulson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Devil keeping moving, preventing Paulson from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Devil wants to get back to his feet but Paulson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Paulson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Devil is keeping the position for now.
Paulson trying to control the position from guard on top but Devil is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Robert Paulson.
Devil lands with a hook. Paulson tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Taz Devil is winning the standup battle so far.
Devil pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Paulson connects with a crisp jab.
Paulson circles away from the clinch attempt
and Paulson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Devil throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Paulson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Paulson takes a swing at Devil's ribcage but misses.
Devil swings for the body but Paulson moves out of range.
Paulson looks to score with a jab to the body but Devil is just out of range.
Taz Devil seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Paulson throws out a powerful jab.
Paulson swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Devil counters by clinching up.

Devil breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paulson tries to clinch up
and Devil connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Devil defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Paulson.
Paulson moves out of range as Devil throws a body kick.
Paulson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Paulson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Devil goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Paulson lands a jab.
Devil throws a half hearted mid kick.
Jab by Paulson.
Devil misses with a lunging right hand

and Paulson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Devil's guard now.
Paulson thows a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paulson trying to control the position from guard on top but Devil is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Devil pushes Paulson off and scrambles back to his feet.
Devil throws a hook to the side of Paulson's head but Paulson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Devil will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Devil tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Paulson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Devil thinking.
Devil scores with a hook to the body. Paulson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Devil throws a sloppy head kick and Paulson moves out of range easily.
A right-left combo lands from Paulson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Robert Paulson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Paulson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Paulson!