PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steve Butabi (ranked 2931 p4p, 1763 weight class) and Pinchi Puto (ranked 349 p4p, 223 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Butabi
vs
Puto

180 cm
29
158
20 - 10 - 0

171 cm
37
170
16 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steve Butabi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pinchi Puto!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Radbod Blank and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puto just misses with a punch to the body.
It looked like Butabi wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Butabi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Puto moves away.
Butabi cracks Puto with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Butabi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Butabi takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Puto throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Puto throws a nice inside leg kick.
Puto throws a low kick, looking for Butabi's leg but Butabi calmly moves out of range.
Butabi cracks a nice hook into Puto's ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butabi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Puto tries a quick counter leg kick but Butabi is wise to it.
Puto scores with a jab to the body.
Butabi lands a nice looking body shot.
Puto throws a body shot but no joy.
Butabi drops down looking for a counter takedown but Puto sprawls and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butabi throws an off balance right hand
enabling Puto to counter with a crisp jab.
Pinchi Puto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Butabi thows a left - swing and a miss!
Puto misses with a jab, cross combination.
Puto swings for the body but Butabi moves out of range.
Nice body punch from Butabi.
Puto throws a shot from downtown. Butabi moves away and avoids it.
Butabi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Puto.
Puto throws a head kick that misses

and Butabi counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Puto wants to stand and escape but Butabi is having none of it.
Butabi slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Butabi works to advance to full mount. Puto defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Butabi fails to advance to Puto's back.

Butabi with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puto is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Butabi wants to take Puto's back but he can't do it this time.
Puto manages to regain half guard. Good work.
The fighters are battling for position here. Puto manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Puto is looking to stand up but Butabi isn't so interested in that idea.
Puto is pulling down on Butabi's head to control his posture.
Puto keeping full guard, as Butabi tries to pass.
Puto wants to stand up but Butabi is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butabi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Puto swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Butabi passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Puto sneaks back into half guard.

Puto makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Puto connects with the punch.
Puto lands with a hook. Butabi tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Pinchi Puto is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Butabi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Puto.
Butabi misses the shot to the body.
Puto throws out a counter right but Butabi avoids it with no problem.
Puto misses with a body punch
and Puto takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nice uppercut lands for Puto. That snapped Butabi's head back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Butabi digs a good body shot into Puto's ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Puto misses.
Butabi misses with a body shot.
Butabi takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Butabi takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Puto throws a jab but it's blocked by Butabi.
Butabi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Puto was well out of range. Poor timing from Butabi.
Butabi wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Butabi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Puto.
Puto misses the shot to the body.
Butabi went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Butabi takes one to the side of the head.
Butabi is looking to wear down Puto with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Butabi blocks a jab.
Puto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Pinchi Puto will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Butabi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Puto manages to avoid it.
Puto takes a swing at Butabi's ribcage but misses.
Puto tries to move into range but Butabi moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Puto tries a head kick but it misses.
Butabi changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Puto throws a lazy right hand but Butabi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A big right from Puto misses.
Butabi was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Puto is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Butabi.
Puto throws out a loose jab but Butabi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Puto throws a head kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Puto throws a leg kick but Butabi checks it.
Pinchi Puto seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A looping hook to the body misses from Puto. Butabi does a little dance to reset his feet.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Butabi.
Puto lands with a nice body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puto swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A quick step to the side and Butabi tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Puto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Butabi ducks under a wild hook from Puto.
It looked like Butabi was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Puto.
Puto throws a looping overhand right but Butabi ducks down to avoid it.
Butabi throws a body shot but no joy.
Puto lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
A solid leg kick lands there for Puto.
A telegraphed right hand from Puto misses the target.
Butabi checks the leg kick.
Puto tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
An attempted straight right counter from Butabi misses the target.
Puto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Butabi manages to avoid it.
Puto feints and then cracks Butabi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Butabi down.
Puto on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puto wants to land a leg kick but Butabi is out of range.
A quick step to the side and Butabi tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Puto turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Good shot there by Puto.
Butabi lands a nice looking body shot.
Puto connects with a right hand. Butabi shakes it off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Puto tries a head kick but it misses.
Puto looks for the body kick but Butabi saw that one coming.
Puto throws out a powerful jab.
Butabi checks a low kick from Puto.
Puto takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Butabi scores with a nice right hand.
Butabi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Puto.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puto lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Butabi circles away quickly and effectively.
Butabi half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Butabi slips under a jab.
Butabi lands a lovely overhand right.
Puto fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Puto throws a low kick, looking for Butabi's leg but Butabi calmly moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Butabi misses the target.
Butabi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Puto needs to keep his hands up - Butabi had a free shot at his head there.

Butabi manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Puto on his heels. He'll look to pass Puto's guard now, I'm sure.
Butabi works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Puto is defending against the submission attempts here by Butabi.

Butabi looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puto keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Butabi tries to pass the half guard into mount. Puto knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Butabi is working for a kimura but Puto is defending it quite comfortably.
Puto is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pinchi Puto will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Puto throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Butabi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Puto avoids the body shot from Butabi.
An inside leg kick from Puto misses.
Puto swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Puto takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Puto throws a series of punches but Butabi avoids them all with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Puto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Puto takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Butabi checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Puto misses with a looping right.
Steve Butabi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butabi throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Puto's waist but Puto gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Butabi off to one side.
Puto displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Butabi throws out the jab.
Puto shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Butabi swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Butabi takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Puto throws a big shot that misses.
It looks like Butabi has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
A decent looking cross lands there for Puto.
Puto misses with a right hand
and Butabi counters with a stiff right hand.
Puto lands a nice leg kick that just misses Butabi's sensitive parts.
Butabi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Puto.
Puto pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Puto lands with a thumping leg kick.
Puto motions for Butabi to come forward. Puto throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butabi connects with the punch.
Butabi misses with a body shot.
Puto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Butabi.
Puto works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Butabi moves out of range as Puto strikes.
Sloppy strikes from Puto. Those never looked like landing.
Puto connects with a looping right hand.
Puto throws a hook but Butabi blocks it.
A nice leg kick from Puto, right into the meat of the thigh.
Puto with a nice calf kick.
Butabi with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Puto to score with a decent uppercut.
Pinchi Puto is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butabi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Puto with the inside leg kick.
Butabi darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Puto connects with a crisp jab.
Butabi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Puto manages to avoid it.
Puto let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
A slow jab from Puto misses its intended target.
Butabi is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Puto takes a swing at Butabi's ribcage but misses.
Puto is looking to slow Butabi down with leg kicks.
Puto throws a nice inside leg kick.
Puto throws a hook to the side of Butabi's head but Butabi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Puto scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butabi walks into a straight right hand from Puto.
Puto looks to land a left hand but Butabi moved out of range nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Puto misses the target.
Puto takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Puto has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Butabi takes a kick to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Butabi checks a leg kick.
Puto avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Puto throws a head kick but Butabi moves out of range.
Butabi is looking to counter punch.
Butabi misses the shot to the body.
Puto lands a nice shot to the body.
Puto missing with a left hand there. Butabi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Butabi ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pinchi Puto comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Puto winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Steve Butabi!
Steve Butabi seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.