PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nyrkki Rauta (ranked 1746 p4p, 2810 weight class) and Paulo Maldini (ranked 237 p4p, 379 weight class). Paulo Maldini has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Rauta
vs
Maldini

185 cm
27
180
10 - 1 - 0

181 cm
36
154
16 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Furnace Performance Products
World Class MMA Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nyrkki Rauta!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paulo Maldini!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Josh West and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

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

Maldini escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rauta rushes Maldini and presses him up against the cage.

Maldini's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rauta has closed the distance and engaged Maldini in a clinch.

Maldini breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rauta has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Maldini finds it's way round the side to connect with Rauta's head.

Rauta has closed the distance and engaged Maldini in a clinch.
Rauta throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Maldinis head.
Rauta has a couple of punches blocked by Maldini.
Rauta misses with a punch on the inside.
Rauta misses with the head strike.
Rauta misses with a punch on the inside.
Rauta misses with a short punch on the inside.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rauta misses with a hook from the clinch.

Maldini manages to break the clinch.
Maldini misses with a looping right.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Maldini connects with a right hand. Rauta shakes it off.

It looks like Nyrkki Rauta has been cut.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rauta lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Maldini backwards.
Rauta swings wildly with an uppercut but Maldini uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rauta swings away with an uppercut that misses.
I was talking to Rauta's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rauta working aggressively here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Maldini.
Maldini blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short right from Rauta on the inside.

Maldini escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rauta has managed to clinch.
Rauta lands a nice uppercut.

Maldini breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maldini paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rauta moves out of range as Maldini strikes.
Maldini thows a left - swing and a miss!

Rauta moves into range and clinches up with Maldini.

Maldini's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rauta instigates a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rauta swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rauta softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rauta misses with a punch on the inside.
Rauta scores with a shot to the side of Maldini's head.
Rauta fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maldini manages to break the clinch.
Rauta doesn't manage to clinch there - Maldini circles away.
Rauta tries to clinch up.
Maldini is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
A lazy left from Maldini finds it's target.

Maldini closes the distance and pushes Rauta back into the cage.

Maldini breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rauta rushes Maldini and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Maldini manages to break the clinch.
Maldini cracks Rauta with an open hand slap.

Rauta moves into the clinch.
Rauta working aggressively here.
Maldini can't find room to land a body shot as Rauta controls the action.
Rauta misses with some punches.

Maldini manages to break the clinch.

Rauta drives through and clinches with Maldini against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rauta creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rauta has a couple of punches blocked by Maldini.
Rauta working aggressively here.

Maldini escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rauta tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maldini paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Rauta gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rauta misses with the head strike.
Rauta misses with some punches.
Rauta lands with a light punch inside.
A shot in the inside from Rauta.
Maldini blocking some punches.
Rauta throws a punch but it's blocked by Maldini.
Rauta fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rauta tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rauta swings wildly with an uppercut but Maldini uses good head movement to avoid it.

Maldini breaks the clinch.
Rauta displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Maldini throws out the jab.
It looked like Rauta was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Nice shot by Maldini.
Maldini looks to throw the jab but Rauta is out of range.
It looked like Rauta was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
A punch lands to the side of Rauta 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Maldini looks to land a left hand but Rauta moved out of range nicely.
Maldini bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rauta's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maldini misses with a hook.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rauta looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Maldini keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Maldini misses.
Rauta slips a straight right by Maldini.
Rauta takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Maldini lands a lovely overhand right.
Rauta fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rauta wants to clinch up but Maldini keeps it at a distance.
Maldini circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maldini swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maldini works the jab nicely.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maldini swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And Maldini tries to counter it with a takedown but Rauta pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Rauta closes the distance and pushes Maldini back into the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Rauta.
Rauta throws a head punch that misses.
Rauta has a couple of punches blocked by Maldini.
Rauta swings wildly with an uppercut but Maldini uses good head movement to avoid it.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Maldini misses with a punch on the inside.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rauta misses with a short punch on the inside.

Maldini escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rauta tries to clinch up.
Maldini misses with a looping right.
Rauta tries to clinch but Maldini moves out of range.
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 Nyrkki Rauta will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nyrkki Rauta's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rauta moves out of range as Maldini strikes.
Maldini circles away from the clinch attempt.
Maldini scores with a nice right hand.
Rauta takes one to the chin there.
Rauta 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.
Maldini throws a lazy right hand but Rauta sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A jab lands there for Maldini.

Nyrkki Rauta's cut is getting worse.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maldini paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Rauta forces Maldini back against the cage and clinches.
Rauta has a couple of punches blocked by Maldini.
Rauta blocking some punches.
Rauta fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Maldini scores with a nice hook to the head.

Maldini breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rauta moves out of range of the strikes.
Maldini keeps the fight on the outside.
Maldini tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rauta closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rauta lands a left hand that snaps the head of Maldini backwards.
Rauta lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rauta lands a right hand that snaps the head of Maldini backwards.

Maldini breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rauta wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rauta wants to clinch.
Maldini keeps the fight on the outside.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Maldini, as that shot connected.
Rauta slips a straight right by Maldini.
A slow jab from Maldini misses its intended target.
Maldini missing with a left hand there. Rauta was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rauta appears to be looking for a big counter.
Maldini misses with a hook. Rauta ducked under it nicely.
Rauta tries to clinch but Maldini is having none of it.
Rauta bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A swing and a miss from Maldini.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rauta looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Rauta takes the fight into the clinch.
A short uppercut from Rauta.
Rauta blocking some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Rauta fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rauta lands a hook to the side of the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rauta.
Rauta lands a left hand that snaps the head of Maldini backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rauta lands with a short shot to the head.

Maldini breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rauta moves in looking to clinch but Maldini pushes him off.
Rauta 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.
Rauta tries to clinch up but Maldini circles away and keeps his distance.
Rauta is looking to clinch.
Maldini lands a jab to the nose.

Rauta clinches up with Maldini and pushes him back against the cage.
Rauta misses with some punches.
Rauta misses with a punch on the inside.
Maldini misses with a hook from the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rauta.

Maldini breaks the clinch.

Rauta gets tackled into the cage by Maldini. Maldini maintains the clinch.
Rauta scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rauta lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Still in the clinch, Rauta scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rauta working aggressively here.
Rauta has a couple of punches blocked by Maldini.
Rauta misses with a hook from the clinch.
Maldini blocking some punches.
Still in the clinch, Rauta scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rauta swings wildly with an uppercut but Maldini uses good head movement to avoid it.
Maldini's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rauta misses with the head strike.
Rauta lands a shoulder strike.

Maldini breaks the clinch.
Maldini missing with a left hand there. Rauta was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rauta takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Maldini might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Rauta tries to clinch but Maldini moves out of range.
Rauta staying out of range there.
Rauta is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maldini jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rauta tries to clinch but Maldini is having none of it.
Maldini with the counter takedown but Rauta avoids it easily.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch but Maldini swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rauta looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rauta avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maldini throws a jab but it's blocked by Rauta.
Rauta gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

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

Maldini breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Maldini avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maldini looks to land a right hand but Rauta moved out of range.
Rauta throws a big counter combination but Maldini scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Rauta slips under a jab.
Rauta wants to clinch.
And Maldini tries to counter it with a takedown but Rauta pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Rauta uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Maldini.

Rauta takes the fight into the clinch.
Maldini takes a shot to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rauta working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rauta creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rauta misses with a punch on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nyrkki Rauta will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nyrkki Rauta's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rauta tries to clinch up but Maldini circles away and keeps his distance.
Maldini misses with a straight right.
Rauta appears to be looking for a big counter.

Rauta clinches with his opponent.
A head punch on the inside from Rauta fails to land.

Maldini's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rauta fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Maldini, pushing him back against the cage.

Maldini escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maldini swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maldini drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Rauta defends it well.
Rauta fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maldini scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Maldini looks to land a left hand but Rauta moved out of range nicely.
Maldini with a hook.
Maldini looks to land a left hand but Rauta moved out of range nicely.
Rauta tries to clinch there but Maldini circles away.
Rauta tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rauta doesn't manage to clinch there - Maldini circles away.
Rauta bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Maldini lands a nice shot that snaps Rauta's head back.
Nyrkki Rauta is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
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!
Maldini avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maldini keeps the fight on the outside.
Maldini throws a looping overhand right but Rauta ducks down to avoid it.
Maldini cracks Rauta with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rauta gets a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Rauta fails to land.

Maldini manages to break the clinch.
Nice straight punches there by Maldini. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Maldini.
Maldini throws a hook to the side of Rauta's head but Rauta sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Rauta darts in and clinches Maldini up against the cage.
Rauta working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rauta swings wildly with an uppercut but Maldini uses good head movement to avoid it.

Maldini's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A jab from Maldini misses.

Rauta has closed the distance and engaged Maldini in a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Maldini.
Rauta misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Rauta fails to land.
Rauta misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rauta looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Maldini's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Maldini with a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maldini connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Nyrkki Rauta's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Nice shot by Maldini.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldini circles away from the clinch attempt.
Maldini connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rauta's hands.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maldini swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maldini swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rauta wants to clinch.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Maldini. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Maldini throws a hook but Rauta blocks it.
Rauta is looking to clinch.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maldini swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maldini lands a jab to the head.
Rauta tries to clinch there but Maldini circles away.
Maldini lands the left hand.
Rauta fails in his attempt to clinch.
Maldini swats away the attempt to clinch by Rauta.
Maldini misses with a looping left.
Rauta slips a jab from Maldini.
Maldini misses with a hook. Rauta ducked under it nicely.
Rauta tries to clinch up.
Rauta is looking to clinch.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maldini paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldini missing with a left hand there. Rauta was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rauta tries to clinch but Maldini is having none of it.
Maldini keeps the fight on the outside.
Rauta fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maldini scores with the left hand. Rauta knows he should have avoided that one.
Rauta tries to clinch but Maldini is having none of it.
Rauta walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Maldini throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rauta takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Rauta tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Maldini paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rauta moves in looking to clinch but Maldini pushes him off.
Maldini swats away the attempt to clinch by Rauta.
Rauta is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rauta ducks right into an uppercut from Maldini.
Maldini moves into range and connects with a jab.

Jeez, Nyrkki Rauta's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Maldini keeps the fight on the outside.
Maldini tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Rauta moves in looking to clinch but Maldini pushes him off.
Rauta tries to clinch there but Maldini circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maldini cracks Rauta with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Rauta is rocked!
Maldini swats away the attempt to clinch by Rauta.
Oh Rauta is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Maldini misses with a straight right.
Maldini circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Rauta to the canvas! Rauta doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Maldini keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:15 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paulo Maldini!
Paulo Maldini is the new welterweight champion!
Paulo Maldini decided to call for a title shot in his post fight interview, which was very strange given the fact this fight was for a title and he's already the champion. I guess that's what getting punched in the head does for you.