PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Maldini (ranked 894 p4p, 1688 weight class) and Naoko Marui (ranked 101 p4p, 164 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Maldini
vs
Marui

181 cm
29
154
9 - 0 - 0

167 cm
30
158
14 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 9 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paulo Maldini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Naoko Marui!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Percy O'Donnell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marui swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Maldini connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Marui's corner calls for a 1-2. Marui obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Marui throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Maldini sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Maldini ducks under a wild hook from Marui.
Marui is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Maldini scores with a shot to the body.
Donk. Maldini catches Marui right on the button with a cross.
Maldini has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Average Joe�s Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Marui throws a right hand that Maldini ducks under and follows up with a left that Maldini also avoids with ease.
Marui defending well as Maldini loads up on a big left hand.
Marui is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Maldini with a body shot.
Danga de danga de dang - Maldini scores with a four punch combination!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Marui has managed to clinch.
Maldini wants to break the clinch but can't.
Marui misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Maldini.
Maldini working hard to break the clinch.
Maldini is trying to break the clinch but Marui is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marui tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Maldini tries to break free but Marui pushes him back against the cage.

Maldini breaks from the clinch.
Marui has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Marui there as he acknowledges the shot.
Maldini drops his hands momentarily and Marui takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Maldini avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Marui. Those never looked like landing.
Maldini moves forwards but Marui connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Marui takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Marui misses with a jab, cross combination.
Marui throws out a loose jab but Maldini uses good head movement to avoid it.
Marui looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Maldini avoids the body shot from Marui.

Marui drives through and clinches with Maldini against the cage.
Marui working aggressively here.
Maldini looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Maldini is trying to break the clinch but Marui is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marui keeps control of Maldini as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Maldini wants to break the clinch but can't.
Maldini wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Marui tries a body shot but Maldini blocks it.
Marui avoids a wild elbow strike from Maldini.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Marui misses with a hook to the ribs.
Marui throws a punch but it's blocked by Maldini.
Marui taking a breather.
A frustrated look appears on Maldini's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Marui can't find room to land a body shot as Maldini controls the action.

Maldini breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Marui stuns Maldini with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Maldini lands with a nice combination. Marui backs away looking to recover.
Marui looks to land a right hand but Maldini moved out of range.
Maldini rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Marui moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Good exchange - Maldini coming out on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marui misses with a two punch combination.
Maldini is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
The fighters circle momentarily. Maldini darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Marui will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Marui throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Marui moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Maldini uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Marui.
Maldini is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Maldini throws a jab but it's blocked by Marui.
Maldini keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Marui.
Marui throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Maldini scores with the left hand. Marui knows he should have avoided that one.
Maldini ducks under a wild hook from Marui.
Marui throws a right and a left that both miss.
Naoko Marui seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marui on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maldini misses with a straight right.
Marui looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Marui tries to clinch but Maldini moves away
and Maldini connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Marui looks to score with a jab to the body but Maldini is just out of range.
Maldini throwing a counter right hand but Marui manages to avoid it.
Marui fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A swing and a miss from Maldini.
Maldini throws a hook to the side of Marui's head but Marui sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Maldini avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Marui throws a right and a left that Maldini avoids nicely.
Marui takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Maldini swats away the attempt to clinch by Marui.
Marui misses with a double jab.
Marui swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Maldini counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A jab from Maldini misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Naoko Marui will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Marui throws a right and a left that Maldini avoids nicely.
Marui throws a shot from downtown. Maldini moves away and avoids it.
Maldini rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Marui counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maldini throws a jab when Marui was well out of range.
Maldini throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Marui misses with a wild combination.
Maldini appears to be looking for a big counter.
Marui looks to land a combination but Maldini avoids it well.
Marui misses the shot to the body.
Maldini appears to be looking for a big counter.
Maldini is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Marui throws a lazy right hand but Maldini sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Maldini was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marui throws a jab but it's blocked by Maldini.
Marui misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Marui misses with a series of wild punches.
A counter left hand to the body from Maldini misses its target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marui takes one on the button.
Marui misses with a series of wild punches.
Maldini keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maldini has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Maldini slips a jab and a cross from Marui.
Marui lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Maldini at a distance.
Maldini throws a hook but Marui avoids it easily.
Maldini keeps the fight on the outside.
A counter left hand to the body from Maldini misses its target.
Maldini swings for the body but Marui moves out of range.
Maldini takes a swing at Marui's ribcage but misses.
Marui steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Maldini.
Maldini slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Marui misses with a hook
and Maldini counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marui throws a shot from downtown. Maldini moves away and avoids it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Marui wants to clinch up but Maldini keeps it at a distance.
Maldini is looking to counter punch.
Marui tries to clinch there but Maldini circles away.
Marui lands a nice looking body shot.
No joy there for Marui, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Maldini was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Marui misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maldini.
Maldini takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Maldini keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Maldini misses the target.
Marui fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
It looked like Maldini was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Maldini scores with a jab.
Maldini thuds a left hand into Marui's body.
Marui ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Naoko Marui seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Marui dips to his left and cracks Maldini with an uppercut!
Maldini thuds his right hand into Marui's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldini throws a shot from downtown. Marui moves away and avoids it.
Marui throws out a counter right but Maldini avoids it with no problem.
Nice defenses there by Maldini.
A little feinted left hand from Maldini on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Marui misses with a double jab
and Maldini counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maldini throws a lazy right hand but Marui sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Maldini takes one to the chin there.
Maldini misses with a jab, cross combination.
Maldini showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Marui.
Maldini is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Marui throws a right and a left that both miss.
A little feinted left hand from Maldini on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Marui falls off balance throwing a combination
and Maldini counters with a straight right hand.
Naoko Marui is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maldini dodges the punch combination from Marui.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Marui misses.
Maldini looks to score with a jab to the body but Marui is just out of range.
Maldini avoids the body shot from Marui.
Maldini swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Marui fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Marui throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Marui misses the shot to the body.
Marui throws a looping overhand right but Maldini ducks down to avoid it.
An attempted straight right counter from Maldini misses the target.
Marui just misses with a punch to the body.
Maldini lands with a good body shot.
Marui throws the left hand but Maldini avoids the punch easily.
A left and a right from Maldini both land. Nice combination.
Marui throws a nice looking combination but Maldini bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Maldini appears to be looking for a big counter.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Naoko Marui showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Marui digs a good hook to Maldini's body.
Maldini misses with an uppercut
and Marui counters with a series of strikes. Maldini will be more careful next time no doubt.
Marui throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Marui swings for the body but Maldini moves out of range.
Maldini ducks under a wild hook from Marui.
Marui misses with a wild combination.
Maldini is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Marui takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marui on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Maldini looks to throw the jab but Marui is out of range.
A punch lands to the side of Maldini 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Marui throws a nice looking combination but Maldini bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Maldini is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Marui feints a jab promting Maldini to slip. Marui then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Maldini slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini looks to land a right hand but Marui moved out of range.
Marui swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Maldini.
Maldini looks to score with a jab to the body but Marui is just out of range.
Maldini fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Marui throws a right hand that Maldini ducks under and follows up with a left that Maldini also avoids with ease.
Marui rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Maldini moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Marui rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Maldini moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Marui rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Maldini moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Marui takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Marui throws a body shot but no joy.
Marui throws a nice looking combination but Maldini bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
It looked like Maldini wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Marui misses with an uppercut. Maldini saw that one coming.
A little feinted left hand from Maldini on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Maldini throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Marui has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Marui throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Maldini counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Marui.
Marui tries to bum rush Maldini with a series of wild strikes but Maldini uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Maldini jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Marui moves away from the strike by Maldini.
Maldini lands with a straight right. Marui didn't see that one coming.
Marui throws a body shot but no joy.
Marui misses with a wild body shot.
Marui fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Marui throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Maldini connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Marui's hands.
Marui misses with a left hand
and Maldini counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Marui misses with a hook. Maldini ducked under it nicely.
Marui swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Maldini counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldini throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Marui drops his hands momentarily and Maldini takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Maldini throws a body shot but no joy.
Marui with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Marui misses with a shot to the body
and Maldini counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Marui throws a right and a left that Maldini avoids nicely.
Marui has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Marui scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Maldini waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Marui.
Marui closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Marui throws a combination that misses
and Marui takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Marui showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Maldini.
Marui throws the left hand but Maldini avoids the punch easily.
Maldini was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldini slips under a jab from Marui.
Marui has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Marui misses with a double jab.
Marui throws a body punch but Maldini moves out of range.
Maldini swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nice defenses there by Marui.
Paulo Maldini has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maldini walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Left hook, right uppercut from Marui.
Marui throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Maldini connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A looping hook to the body misses from Marui. Maldini does a little dance to reset his feet.
Marui ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maldini moves away.
Naoko Marui is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Marui throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Naoko Marui comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Marui has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Naoko Marui!
In his post fight interview, Naoko Marui started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.