PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jose Marto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pauli Painija (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marto comes to the cage accompanied by meant to life. Jose Marto has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Marto
vs
Painija

178 cm
22
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
18
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jose Marto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Pauli Painija!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Painija shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Marto is trying to maintain the position but Painija is very close to passing his half guard.
Marto is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Painija throwing shots but Marto is blocking nicely.

Painija is working for a submission of some sort.
Marto is looking for a sweep. Painija is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Painija slows the pace down in half guard.
Painija lands with a punch from half guard.
Painija is thwarting Marto's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marto is staying active underneath Painija, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Painija trying to pass the guard but Marto defending well.
Painija thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Marto keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Painija prevents Marto from improving his position.
Painija landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Painija keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Painija thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Painija is stalling here. Marto is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Painija seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Marto has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Marto laying and praying for a moment but Painija takes advantage and regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marto prevents Painija from standing back up.
Marto wants to pass the guard but Painija is defending well.
Painija is refusing to be controlled, as Marto sits in half guard.

Painija kicks Marto off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Painija works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Painija is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Painija content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Painija passes into half guard.
Painija has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Marto trying to hold on to Painija's head to control him but Painija postures up.
Painija trying to control from Marto's half guard. Marto has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Painija landing some decent shots from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marto is trying to control the position but Painija postures up.
Painija controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Marto looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Marto not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Marto is breathing heavily.
Marto utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Painija chips away with some ground and pound.
Painija pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Marto is keeping the position for now.
Painija trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pauli Painija dominated that round.
That's time! Marto's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Marto closes the distance and clinches.
Painija wants a takedown but no success here.
Painija effectively controlling the action here.
Painija tries for a takedown. No joy.
Marto is pressed up against the cage. Painija has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Marto down to the mat. Marto avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Jose Marto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pauli Painija.
Marto throws a wild body kick that Painija sees coming a mile off.
Nice sprawl there from Marto as Painija shoots in.
Marto misses with a takedown

and Painija counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Marto's guard now.

Marto working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Painija doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Painija manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Painija thows a big elbow that misses.
Painija content to stall in guard here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Painija passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Painija lands a nice forearm strike.
Painija slows the pace down.
Painija working the ground and pound.
Painija scoring with punches and elbows.
Painija creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Painija cracks Marto with a big elbow.
Painija working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Painija trying to control the position but Marto is working away.
Painija scores with a couple of short elbows.
Painija remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Let's hope that Painija 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.

Painija decides to stand back up. Painija steps back and let's Marto get back to his feet.

Marto is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Painija's half guard.

Painija manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Painija shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Marto is trying to defend but Painija finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Well, if Painija 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.
Painija seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Marto on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Painija looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Painija slips a nice elbow through Marto's hands, connecting with Marto's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marto pushes Painija off looking to stand but Painija dives back in and keeps control.
Marto is trying to control but can't.
Painija is keen to just control but Marto is a slippery customer.
Marto has hold of Painija's hands but Painija slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Painija trying to control the pace.
Painija wants to control but Marto is keeping him busy.
Painija passes the guard and advances to mount!
Painija with good strikes from the mount here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Painija working the ground and pound effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pauli Painija showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Painija. Marto does a little dance to reset his feet.
Painija throws a body kick, spinning off balance

so Marto counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Marto wants to pass the guard but Painija is keeping the position.
Marto wants to control from the top but Painija keeps moving.

Painija uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Painija checks the leg kick.
Painija misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Painija.
Painija lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Marto down.
Painija working the ground and pound.
Marto is not content to let Painija control the position.
Marto takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Marto tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Painija easily slips into full mount!
Marto takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Painija unloading with bombs!
Marto is bucking up trying to escape but Painija cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Painija.

Marto is rocked!
Pauli Painija has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Painija fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Oh Marto is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Marto takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Painija's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Pauli Painija!