PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ray Seffu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samu Paelinck (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Samu Paelinck told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Seffu
vs
Paelinck

191 cm
21
219 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

190 cm
20
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ray Seffu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Samu Paelinck!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Eddie Farnsworth and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paelinck defending well as Seffu loads up on a big left hand.
Paelinck shoots in for a takedown but Seffu shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Paelinck slips a straight right by Seffu.
A big right from Seffu misses.
Seffu stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Seffu wants it to stay on the feet.
Seffu connects with an inside leg kick.
A big right from Seffu misses.
Paelinck is trying hard to land a takedown here. Seffu sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Seffu is looking to counter the offense by Paelinck and move into the clinch.
Ray Seffu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samu Paelinck.
Paelinck will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paelinck lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Good exchange - Paelinck coming out on top.
Seffu throws a looping overhand right but Paelinck ducks down to avoid it.
Seffu tries to clinch there but Paelinck circles away.
Paelinck keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paelinck swats away the attempt to clinch by Seffu.
Paelinck avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Seffu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Paelinck manages to avoid it.
Paelinck lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Seffu lands the left hand.
Paelinck comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
The fighters circling - Seffu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nice takedown defense from Seffu. No joy for Paelinck on that attempt.
Seffu is looking to counter the offense by Paelinck and move into the clinch.
Seffu throws a leg kick but Paelinck sees it coming and moves out of range.
Paelinck gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Seffu goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Paelinck feints the counter takedown.
Paelinck takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Paelinck ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Paelinck shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Seffu scrambles and gets back to his feet.
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!
Paelinck moves away from the strike by Seffu.
Seffu swings for the body but Paelinck moves out of range.
Paelinck goes for a double leg but Seffu avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Seffu continues to drive forward.
The crowd cheers as Seffu lands an impressive looking overhand right. Paelinck doesn't seem phased though.
Seffu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Seffu defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Paelinck.
A shot to the liver by Seffu. Beautiful body shot.
Paelinck has a takedown stuffed.
Ray Seffu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Seffu clinches up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Seffu misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Paelinck.
Paelinck is trying to pull guard but Seffu has him pressed against the cage.
Seffu misses with a punch on the inside.

Paelinck escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Seffu fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Paelinck checks it well.
Paelinck will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Seffu wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Paelinck on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Paelinck changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Seffu tries to avoid it but Paelinck manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Seffu to the ground. Seffu escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Paelinck keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Seffu keeps the fight on the outside.
We've been told by Seffu's head coaches at Netherlands Top Team & KT that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Seffu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Paelinck.
Paelinck moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paelinck bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Seffu wants to slow Paelinck down by chopping away at his legs.

Seffu gets caught flat footed, as Paelinck shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Seffu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Paelinck with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Paelinck wants to pass the guard but Seffu is keeping the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Paelinck stopping the sweep attempt from Seffu.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Seffu dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Paelinck moves away from the strike by Seffu.
Samu Paelinck seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Paelinck swings away with a leg kick that misses.

Paelinck fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Seffu, pushing him back against the cage.
Paelinck takes a knee right on the jaw!
Seffu misses with the head strike.
Seffu throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Paelinck blocks it with crossed arms.

Paelinck breaks the clinch.
Nice uppercut there from Seffu.
Seffu stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Seffu wants it to stay on the feet.
Samu Paelinck is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paelinck fails with the takedown
and Seffu makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Seffu throws a poor cross that misses

so Paelinck counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Seffu is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paelinck sitting in guard here, content to control.

Seffu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Paelinck landing with the ground and pound.
Paelinck engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Paelinck scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

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.

Paelinck stands and steps away. Seffu gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
A slow jab from Seffu misses its intended target.
Seffu scores with a kick to the body.
Seffu checks a low kick from Paelinck.
Paelinck checks a leg kick.
Seffu fails with an attempt to clinch.
Paelinck keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Seffu.
Nice sprawl there from Seffu as Paelinck shoots in.
A quick step to the side and Seffu tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ray Seffu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samu Paelinck.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Seffu lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Paelinck backwards.
Seffu with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Seffu missing with knees to the body.

Paelinck escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Paelinck swings for the body but Seffu moves out of range.
Seffu swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Seffu enables Paelinck to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Seffu manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Seffu is wriggling around but Paelinck manages to pass to half guard.

Seffu is trying to maintain the position but Paelinck is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Seffu tries to get to full guard but Paelinck has control of the leg.
Seffu is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Paelinck can do to turn this around?
Seffu works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Seffu looking to control.
Paelinck lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Paelinck working some strikes from top position.

Seffu is looking for a triangle but Paelinck pushes his legs off easily.
Seffu controls Paelinck momentarily but Paelinck frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Samu Paelinck will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Seffu throws a lazy right hand but Paelinck sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Seffu throws a body shot but no joy.
Nice takedown defense from Seffu. No joy for Paelinck on that attempt.
Seffu lands with an overhand left.
An inside leg kick from Seffu misses.
Seffu misses with an uppercut.

Seffu closes the distance and pushes Paelinck back into the cage.
Seffu misses with a short punch on the inside.
Seffu is pressed up against the cage. Paelinck has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Seffu down to the mat. Seffu avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Paelinck closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Seffu landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Seffu tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Paelinck fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ray Seffu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samu Paelinck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Seffu.
Paelinck managing to block the knees to the body from Seffu.
Paelinck fails to pull guard.

Paelinck breaks from the clinch.
Paelinck shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Seffu sprawls well. Seffu wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Paelinck gets slowly back to his feet.
Paelinck walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Paelinck throws a front kick aimed at Seffu's knee but Seffu avoids it well.
Paelinck tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Seffu paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Seffu is looking to clinch.
Paelinck is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Paelinck shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Seffu counters with a straight right hand.

Paelinck forces Seffu back against the cage and clinches.
Seffu misses with the head strike.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Paelinck.

Paelinck gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Paelinck looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Seffu keeping moving, preventing Paelinck from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Paelinck decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Seffu works the jab nicely.
Paelinck swats away the attempt to clinch by Seffu.
The fighters circling - Seffu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Paelinck dives in for a single leg takedown but Seffu sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Seffu is looking to counter the offense by Paelinck and move into the clinch.
Seffu misses with a wild body shot.

Paelinck changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Seffu looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
You can see the frustration on Seffu's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Paelinck decides to stand back up.
Paelinck closes the distance and clinches up with Seffu, looking for a takedown. Paelinck pushes Seffu against the cage but Seffu circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
No luck for Paelinck with that takedown attempt.
Seffu is looking to counter the offense by Paelinck and move into the clinch.
Paelinck takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A big left from Seffu misses.
Seffu fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Seffu throws a shot from downtown. Paelinck moves away and avoids it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Seffu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Paelinck manages to avoid it.
Paelinck doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Seffu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ray Seffu showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Seffu has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ray Seffu!
A very excited looking Ray Seffu made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.