PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Big Hurt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paavo Matinheimo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paavo Matinheimo is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Hurt
vs
Matinheimo

176 cm
21
197 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

177 cm
25
197 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Big Hurt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Paavo Matinheimo!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Fedor Mirinova and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hurt lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Hurt fails with the takedown
and Matinheimo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Matinheimo misses with a few strikes there.
Hurt tries to land a leg kick but Matinheimo saw it coming and moves away.

Matinheimo clinches.

Matinheimo gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Matinheimo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Hurt blocking the ground and pound attempt from Matinheimo.
Hurt trying to control but Matinheimo postures up.
Hurt is trying to get back to full guard.
Matinheimo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hurt's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matinheimo working over Hurt with some ground and pound. Hurt looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hurt is refusing to be controlled, as Matinheimo sits in half guard.
Hurt trying to control but Matinheimo postures up.
Matinheimo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Matinheimo is trying to work for a kimura but Hurt is defending well.
Hurt is looking to escape.
Hurt wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hurt blocking the ground and pound attempt from Matinheimo.
Hurt is trying to get back to full guard.
Hurt taking some punishment here, with Matinheimo in his half guard.
Hurt looks like he's trying to stand up.
Matinheimo sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Matinheimo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hurt's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matinheimo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Matinheimo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Matinheimo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Matinheimo prevents Hurt from improving his position.
Matinheimo slows the pace down in half guard.
Matinheimo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Matinheimo winds up and cracks Hurt with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hurt wants to get back to full guard.
Matinheimo is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Matinheimo passes the guard and advances to mount!
Hurt is looking to improve his position but Matinheimo isn't that keen on the idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paavo Matinheimo 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.

Hurt shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hurt showed some decent athleticism there.
Hurt wants to control but Matinheimo is keeping him busy.
Hurt controlling the action here.
Hurt prevents Matinheimo from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matinheimo slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hurt has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Matinheimo is proving hard to escape from.
Hurt wants to stand and escape but instead Matinheimo has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Hurt is looking to stand back up but Matinheimo counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Hurt.

That's two 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.
Matinheimo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Matinheimo wants to work for an arm triangle but Hurt is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Matinheimo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hurt wants to improve his position but Matinheimo is controlling well.
Matinheimo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Matinheimo perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Matinheimo is nestled in close to Hurt, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Hurt is not content to let Matinheimo control the position.
Matinheimo wants to free his trapped foot but Hurt is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matinheimo content to control rather than advance.
Matinheimo is looking to take a break and control but Hurt is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Hurt pushes Matinheimo off looking to stand but Matinheimo dives back in and keeps control.
Hurt trying to control here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Matinheimo tries to clinch up.

Matinheimo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Matinheimo is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hurt trying to control the position here.
Hurt wants to sweep but no luck.
Matinheimo wants to pass the guard but Hurt is keeping the position.
Matinheimo postures up and lands a big shot to Hurt's brow.
Matinheimo wants to pass the guard but Hurt is keeping the position.
Paavo Matinheimo has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hurt 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.
Hurt looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paavo Matinheimo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Hurt tries to clinch up

and Matinheimo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Matinheimo.
Matinheimo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Matinheimo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hurt trying to keep a closed guard but Matinheimo is proving a slippery customer.
Matinheimo throws a strike but Hurt rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hurt wants to stand and escape but instead Matinheimo has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matinheimo wants to control from the top but Hurt keeps moving.
Matinheimo won't allow Hurt to sweep him here.
Matinheimo working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Matinheimo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hurt can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Matinheimo controls the pace.
Hurt wants to stand but Matinheimo is controlling the position.
Hurt being controlled here, momentarily.

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.
Hurt can't keep his opponent in guard - Matinheimo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Matinheimo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hurt tries to roll over but Matinheimo keeps him under control.
Well, if Matinheimo is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Hurt is refusing to be controlled, as Matinheimo sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hurt keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hurt on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Hurt avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Matinheimo.
Paavo Matinheimo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Matinheimo is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Matinheimo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hurt taking some punishment here, with Matinheimo in his half guard.

Matinheimo is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Matinheimo performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Matinheimo has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Big Hurt has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matinheimo is keen to just control but Hurt is a slippery customer.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Matinheimo slips a nice elbow through Hurt's hands, connecting with Hurt's forehead.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Matinheimo connects with a nice short shot to Hurt's temple.
Matinheimo is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paavo Matinheimo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Matinheimo 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

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