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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Maldini (ranked 1372 p4p, 4131 weight class) and Sam Salter (ranked 144 p4p, 381 weight class). Salter is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Dead Or Alive. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 181 cm
29
154
9 - 1 - 0 |
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150 cm
27
153
11 - 9 - 0 |
Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin |
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Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined |
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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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paulo Maldini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sam Salter!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Percy O'Donnell.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salter shoots in looking for a takedown but Maldini manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Salter's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Salter misses with a takedown
and Maldini counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Salter shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Maldini as he jumps to the side.
Paulo Maldini has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Salter.
Salter walks into a stiff left hand from Maldini.
Maldini is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Salter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salter shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Maldini counters with a straight right hand.
Salter fails with the takedown
enabling Maldini to counter with a crisp jab.
That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Maldini finds it's way through Salter's defenses.
Paulo Maldini is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice cross by Maldini.
Jab, jab by Maldini - just one landing.
Salter has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Salter there as he acknowledges the shot.
Salter doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Maldini counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Salter closes this distance looking for a takedown but Maldini circles away.
A little feinted left hand from Maldini on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Salter with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maldini counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maldini throws out a powerful jab.
Salter uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Maldini.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldini feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Salters jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maldini stalks Salter and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Salter's face. Salter staggers backwards, shaken.
Maldini stalks Salter and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Salter's face. Salter staggers backwards, shaken.
Salter shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Maldini counters with a nice uppercut.
Nice sprawl there from Maldini as Salter shoots in.
A quick step to the side and Maldini tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Salter takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Maldini fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Maldini is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Maldini misses with a few strikes there.
Maldini scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Good exchange - Maldini coming out on top.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldini scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Maldini is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Maldini waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Salter.
Maldini throws a looping overhand right but Salter ducks down to avoid it.
Nice uppercut lands for Maldini. That snapped Salter's head back.
A slow jab from Maldini misses its intended target.
Salter gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Maldini connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Salter closes this distance looking for a takedown but Maldini circles away.
Salter defending well as Maldini loads up on a big left hand.
Salter fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Maldini avoids it really well and circles away.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldini throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Maldini moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Maldini scores with the left hand. Salter knows he should have avoided that one.
Maldini moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salter avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Salter changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Maldini tests Salter's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Maldini misses with the combination.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Paulo Maldini dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.
Salter tries for a takedown but Maldini circles away easily
and Maldini cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Salter closes the distance and clinches up with Maldini, looking for a takedown. Salter pushes Maldini against the cage but Maldini circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Maldini scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Salter shoots and misses
and Maldini counters with a nice body shot.
Paulo Maldini has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Salter.
Salter is trying hard to land a takedown here. Maldini sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Maldini lands the left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maldini scores with a shot to the body.
Maldini connects with a nice looking jab.
Maldini throws an overhand right that lands on Salter's shoulder, as Salter tries to avoid the shot.
Salter misses with a takedown attempt
and Maldini counters with a left to the body.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Salter might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Maldini has got the better of the exchanges.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Salter has his takedown stuffed
and Maldini counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Salter walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Maldini is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Maldini has taken the fight to the clinch.
Maldini lands an uppercut.
Maldini is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Salter can do to turn this around?
Maldini manages to break the clinch.
Nice uppercut lands for Maldini. That snapped Salter's head back.
Salter walks into a straight right hand from Maldini.
Salter walks into a straight right hand from Maldini.
Salter misses with a takedown
and Maldini counters with a nice uppercut.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Maldini misses.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Salter fails with the takedown
and Salter takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A decent looking cross lands there for Maldini.
Maldini connects with a good right hand that stumbles Salter. Salter circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Maldini thuds a left hand into Salter's body.
Salter misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Salter goes for a double leg but Maldini avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Maldini continues to drive forward.
Salter has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Maldini clobbers Salter with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salter shoots and misses
and Maldini counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Salter has his takedown stuffed
and Maldini counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Salter is trying desperately to land a takedown but Maldini is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Salter.
Salter is breathing heavily.
Maldini displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Salter.
Maldini lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Maldini lands an overhand right.
Maldini catches Salter with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Maldini scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldini uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Salter has time to react.
Maldini scores with a nice strike.
Salter gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Maldini.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A big left from Maldini misses.
Salter drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Maldini defends it well.
Nice shot lands for Maldini.
Paulo Maldini is winning the standup battle so far.
Salter fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A little feinted left hand from Maldini on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Maldini scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Maldini lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Paulo Maldini dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!
Salter closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Maldini goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Maldini lands a jab to the nose.
A punch combination from Maldini misses.
Maldini scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Maldini lands a jab to the head.
Maldini punishes Salter's body with a nice straight punch.
Salter bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Salter is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Maldini jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Salter moves out of range of the strikes.
Salter tries to score a power double leg takedown but Maldini sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Salter somewhat.
Maldini appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini punishes Salter's body with a nice straight punch.
Salter on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Maldini lands a nice shot that snaps Salter's head back.
Salter fails with a takedown attempt.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salter takes one to the side of the head.
Salter fails to land the takedown.
Paulo Maldini has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Salter.
Maldini lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Salter with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maldini counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Salter shoots and misses
and Maldini counters with a nice uppercut.
Salter shoots and misses
and Maldini counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salter tries for a takedown but Maldini circles away easily
enabling Maldini to counter with a crisp jab.
Salter takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Salter with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maldini counters with a nice uppercut.
Maldini cracks a nice hook into Salter's ribs.
Maldini connects with a looping right hand.
Maldini misses with the combination.
Salter feints the counter takedown.
Salter closes the distance and clinches up with Maldini, looking for a takedown. Salter pushes Maldini against the cage but Maldini circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice jab there from Maldini.
Maldini scores with a hook.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldini swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Salter.
Maldini stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maldini throws a shot to the body.
Maldini throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Maldini stuffs the takedown attempt from Salter. Salter gets slowly back to his feet.
Salter tries for a takedown but Maldini circles away easily
and Maldini counters with a straight right hand.
Salter takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sam Salter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maldini lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Maldini showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maldini has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:24
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:24
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:24
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Maldini!
A determined Paulo Maldini didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!
The defeated Sam Salter had this to say: 'Losing my last 7 of 10 I think it may be time to hang up the gloves. Its been fun at times but Im over this time to go kill myself and family chris benoit style.'.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
58% |
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