PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Russell Paulman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kendrik Down (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paulman comes to the cage accompanied by War is my Love . Down has chosen Let's Go as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Paulman
vs
Down

183 cm
31
180 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

183 cm
33
179 lbs
17 - 10 - 1

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Russell Paulman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kendrik Down!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Patrick Alders and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Paulman moves into the clinch.
Paulman lands a good knee to the midsection. Down won't want to take too many of those.
Paulman with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Paulman trying to land knees to the body.
Paulman goes for a takedown in the clinch but Down prevents it.
Down is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Paulman gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Paulman misses with a knee to the head.

Down has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Paulman regains guard immediately.
Paulman pulls Down in close to prevent any damage.
Paulman bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Down's guard.

Paulman wants to control from the top but Down keeps moving.
Paulman lands a couple of digs.
Paulman has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Paulman sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulman looking to pass the guard.
Paulman is stalling in the full guard.
Down seems keen to control Paulman's posture.
Down can't keep his opponent in guard - Paulman advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Paulman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Down keeps working.
Down regains full guard. Nicely done.

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.
Paulman throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Paulman trying to control but Down is working from the bottom.
Down avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Paulman working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Paulman is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Paulman has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Down trying to control the position.
Paulman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Paulman throwing strikes but missing.
Paulman wants to pass the guard but Down is keeping the position.
Down tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Down scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Paulman wants to clinch up but Down keeps it at a distance.
Down avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Paulman moves in looking to clinch but Down pushes him off.
Paulman tries to clinch up but Down circles away and keeps his distance.
Down's coach down at Roosters Coop was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Down's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Down scores with a decent looking hook.

Paulman closes the distance and clinches.
Down prevents a takedown attempt there.
Down wants a takedown but no success here.
Paulman throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Paulman lands an elbow inside that Down shrugs off.

It looks like Kendrik Down has been cut.
Paulman tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Down avoids it.
Down gets underhooks to prevent Paulman's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Russell Paulman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Down prevents the takedown attempt.
Paulman with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Down has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Paulman is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Paulman misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Down.
Paulman tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Down prevents a takedown attempt there.
Down tries to score a body lock takedown but Paulman shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Down avoids the elbow strike from Paulman, against the cage.
Down takes an elbow to the forehead.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Paulman misses with an elbow over the top.
Down misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Paulman has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Down is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Down is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Paulman is defending well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Down's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Paulman moves into range and clinches up with Down.
Paulman missing with knees to the body.
Paulman tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Paulman dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kendrik Down's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Paulman takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Down's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Down duly obliges.
Down swats away the attempt to clinch by Paulman.

Down tries to keep at a distance but Paulman has taken the fight into the clinch.
Paulman utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Down is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Paulman is defending well.
Down blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Down blocks an elbow strike from Paulman.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paulman tries a knee to the head but Down blocks it.
Paulman looking to throw knees to the head but Down is blocking nicely.
Paulman drops down looking for an ankle pick but Down pulls his leg out and moves away.
Down lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulman fails with an attempt to clinch.

Down scores with a takedown into Paulman's guard.
Paulman is pulling down on Down's head to control his posture.
Paulman wants to hit a switch here but Down passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Paulman there!
Paulman is working to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Down.
Down raining down shots from the mount!
Down with good strikes from the mount here!
Paulman manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Down not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paulman wants to get back to full guard.
Paulman keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Paulman on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Paulman trying to control here.
Paulman is looking for a sweep. Down is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Down drops an elbow to the side of Paulman's head.
Paulman wants to get back to full guard.
Paulman trying to control from the bottom.
Paulman is staying active underneath Down, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Paulman is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paulman keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Down is thwarting Paulman's attempts to control the position.
Paulman controlling the position well.
Paulman wants to get back to full guard.
Paulman trying to control from the bottom.
Down is taking a breather. Paulman says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Down dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Paulman gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paulman misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Down.
Down has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Paulman avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Paulman unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Down wants a takedown.
Russell Paulman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kendrik Down.
Paulman throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Down blocks it with crossed arms.
Paulman tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Paulman tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Down tries to score a body lock takedown but Paulman shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Down is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Paulman is keeping busy.
Down stalls.

Down has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Paulman is trying to keep an underhook but Down manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Down passes the guard and advances to mount!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Paulman wants to hold on but Down pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Paulman wants to clinch up but Down keeps it at a distance.
Paulman tries to clinch but Down moves away

and Down counters with a takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Paulman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Paulman is trying to work for a sweep but Down has mounted him!
Paulman is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Down punishing his opponent with strikes.
Paulman bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Paulman with a flurry of punches that miss.
Down 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.
Paulman is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Paulman trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Down manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Paulman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Down.
Kendrik Down has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulman pulls Down in to control the position.
Down slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Paulman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Paulman trying to control the position.
Paulman is really struggling to control Down but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Down trying to control but Paulman is working from the bottom.
Paulman wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Down scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Down tries to free his leg and advance position but Paulman is retaining full guard.
Paulman keeping moving, preventing Down from controlling successfully.

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.
Paulman bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Down's guard.

Down keeping moving, preventing Paulman from controlling successfully.
Paulman throws an elbow that misses. Down uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Paulman's guard. Nice move by Down!

Down with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Paulman looking to hit a scissor sweep but Down is one step ahead there.
Paulman is controlling Down's posture.
Paulman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Down throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Paulman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paulman keeping moving, preventing Down from controlling successfully.
Paulman wants to sweep here but Down controlling him for the moment.
Paulman can't keep his opponent in guard - Down advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
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. Down connects with a nice short shot to Paulman's temple.
Paulman is staying active underneath Down, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Paulman is looking to control Down's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Paulman avoid being mounted?
Down not doing much here.
Paulman moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Paulman is looking to sweep but instead, Down has passed into half guard.
Paulman has his hands clasped together around Down's back. He's all about the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Down not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Paulman tries to get to full guard but Down has control of the leg.
Paulman trying to control here.
Down lands with a punch from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Down not doing much here.
Paulman blocking the ground and pound attempt from Down.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kendrik Down comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Down 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kendrik Down!
A victorious Kendrik Down thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.