PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hukkelberry Flint (ranked 3089 p4p, 1528 weight class) and Paulo Maldini (ranked 307 p4p, 164 weight class). Flint comes into the arena with Farmer Song blaring out of the sound system. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Flint
vs
Maldini

175 cm
22
155
6 - 4 - 0

181 cm
28
154
6 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hukkelberry Flint!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paulo Maldini!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maldini lands a really nice looking cross but Flint seems unphased.
Maldini throws an overhand right that lands on Flint's shoulder, as Flint tries to avoid the shot.
Flint's jab looks to have found its range, popping Maldini under the eye.
Flint fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Maldini throws a body shot but no joy.
Flint changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Maldini tries to avoid it but Flint manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Maldini to the ground. Maldini escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Flint misses with a hook
and Maldini counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Flint shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hukkelberry Flint. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circle momentarily. Maldini darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Flint 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.
Flint needs to keep his hands up - Maldini had a free shot at his head there.
Maldini lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini misses with a hook.
Flint tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Maldini swivels and escapes.
Maldini swings widly with a right hand
and Maldini takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Flint shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A little jabbing left from Maldini on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Flint staying out of range there.

Flint rushes Maldini and presses him up against the cage.

Flint breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Flint jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A lazy left from Maldini finds it's target.

Flint fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Maldini to the ground. Flint is now in Maldini's guard.
Flint prevents Maldini from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flint is looking to work some ground and pound but Maldini has wrist control.
Flint throwing strikes from guard but Maldini blocks nicely.

Flint drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Flint jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Flint working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Flint 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.
Maldini utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Flint accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Flint missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Flint drops back looking for a leg! Maldini is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Maldini manages to kick Flint off! Flint jumps back into Maldini's guard.
Flint wants to control from the top but Maldini keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldini utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Flint's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Maldini is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Maldini preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Flint content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Maldini preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Maldini can do anything to dispel that myth.
Maldini wants to get back to his feet but Flint is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

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.
Flint with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Flint cracks Maldini with a solid left hand.
Flint in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Flint trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Maldini working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Flint.
Flint with a flurry of punches that miss.
Flint is looking to work some ground and pound but Maldini has wrist control.

Flint drops back looking for a leg! Maldini is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Maldini manages to kick Flint off! Flint jumps back into Maldini's guard.
Maldini utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Hukkelberry Flint will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nice straight punches there by Flint. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Flint.
Paulo Maldini seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Flint gets a clinch.
Maldini is pressed up against the cage. Flint has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Maldini down to the mat. Maldini avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Flint doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Maldini cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Flint looks to throw the jab but Maldini is out of range.
Flint misses with a hook. Maldini ducked under it nicely.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Maldini! But no joy.
Maldini throws an overhand right that lands on Flint's shoulder, as Flint tries to avoid the shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flint shoots in for a double leg but Maldini sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hukkelberry Flint. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maldini looks to throw the jab but Flint is out of range.
Flint changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Flint shoots in for a takedown but Maldini shows good takedown defense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flint is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maldini throws a body shot but no joy.
Maldini misses with a two punch combination.
Flint throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Flint takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Flint moves out of range as Maldini strikes.
Maldini moves away from the strike by Flint.
Maldini stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Maldini wants it to stay on the feet.
Maldini looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Maldini just misses with a punch to the body.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Maldini takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flint shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Maldini defends it nicely.
Maldini scores with a punch to the head.
Flint throws a poor cross that misses
and Flint takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Flint misses with a looping right.

Flint gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Flint tries to throw a body punch but Maldini avoids it by throwing Flint back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flint lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Flint tries to pull guard but Maldini won't allow it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Flint tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Maldini's elbow.

Maldini pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice defenses there by Maldini.
Maldini misses with a right hand
and Flint counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Maldini throws a good cross that connects.
Maldini throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A left lands for Flint.

Flint clinches.

Flint pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldini misses with a hook.
A big left from Flint misses.
Maldini looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Maldini scores with a shot to the body.
Maldini throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sloppy strikes from Maldini. Those never looked like landing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maldini clobbers Flint with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Flint dives in and grabs Maldini's left leg, looking for a takedown. Maldini pushes down on Flint's head and hops out.
Maldini swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Flint on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Paulo Maldini is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Flint scores with the left hand. Maldini knows he should have avoided that one.
Flint throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Flint takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paulo Maldini will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Flint shoots in but Maldini avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Flint tries to clinch up but Maldini circles away and keeps his distance.
Sloppy strikes from Maldini. Those never looked like landing.
Maldini throws a body punch but Flint moves out of range.
A jab from Maldini misses.
Flint wants to clinch up but Maldini keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Flint closes the distance and pushes Maldini back into the cage.
Flint keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Maldini's efforts to push away.

Flint breaks from the clinch.
Flint throws a poor cross that misses
and Maldini cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Flint stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Flint tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Maldini manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A little jabbing left from Maldini on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Flint looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Flint fails with the takedown
and Maldini counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hukkelberry Flint. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Flint swings widly with a right hand
and Maldini counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Flint tries to clinch but Maldini is having none of it.
Flint takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldini fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Flint doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Maldini counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Maldini stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Maldini wants it to stay on the feet.
Flint tries to close the distance and clinch but Maldini swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Maldini thows a left - swing and a miss!
Maldini misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Flint.
Flint misses with a takedown
and Maldini counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
No joy there for Maldini, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Flint throwing a counter right hand but Maldini manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldini misses the shot to the body.
Maldini keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Flint with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maldini counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Flint slips under a jab from Maldini.

Flint looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Maldini is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Flint dives into side control.

Flint lands some shots froms side control.
Flint in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Maldini really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Flint. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flint misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Flint tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Flint working the ground and pound but Maldini is defending the strikes.
Flint throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Flint looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Maldini is avoiding damage well.
Hukkelberry Flint overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Flint fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Flint fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Flint throws a strike aimed at the side of Maldini's head but Maldini avoids it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Maldini comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Maldini 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Maldini!