PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Luke Paulister (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Markus Norlin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luke Paulister had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Paulister
vs
Norlin

175 cm
21
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Luke Paulister!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Markus Norlin!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Norlin throws a nice looking combination but Paulister bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nice takedown defense from Norlin. No joy for Paulister on that attempt.
Norlin throws a series of punches but Paulister avoids them all with ease.
Norlin swinging wilding here.
Norlin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Norlin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Paulister slips a jab and a cross from Norlin.
Paulister looks for a takedown but Norlin sprawls well.
Norlin fails to land with a series of punches.
Nice cross by Norlin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Norlin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Paulister slips a jab and a cross from Norlin.
Norlin lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Paulister backs up against the cage.
Paulister shoots in for a double leg but Norlin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luke Paulister. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Norlin throws a series of punches but Paulister avoids them all with ease.
Norlin keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulister has a takedown stuffed.
Norlin throws a right hand that Paulister ducks under and follows up with a left that Paulister also avoids with ease.
Norlin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A right-left combo lands from Norlin.
Paulister shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Norlin but Norlin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Paulister is breathing heavily.

Paulister closes the distance and clinches.
Paulister manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Paulister changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Norlin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Paulister shoots in looking for a takedown. Norlin tries to sprawl out of it but Paulister keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Norlin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Markus Norlin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norlin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Norlin misses with a two punch combination.
Norlin throws a series of punches but Paulister avoids them all with ease.
Norlin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Paulister.
Norlin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Paulister circles away quickly and effectively.
Norlin scores with a one two! Paulister had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Norlin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Paulister moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Norlin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Norlin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Paulister moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Norlin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Paulister.
Norlin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Paulister tries for a takedown but Norlin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norlin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Norlin scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Paulister fails with a takedown attempt.
Norlin misses with a few strikes there.
Some wild striking there from Norlin.
Paulister tries to clinch up but Norlin circles away and keeps his distance.
Norlin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Paulister is looking to clinch but Norlin is avoiding it.
Norlin misses with a few strikes there.
A big right from Norlin misses.
Markus Norlin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Paulister closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Norlin to the mat! Norlin manages to get full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paulister controls from within his opponent's guard.
Paulister wants to pass the guard but Norlin is keeping the position.
Paulister sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Norlin's guard.
Norlin tries to kick Paulister off but Paulister keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Norlin is defending against the submission attempts here by Paulister.
Paulister tries to pass the half guard into mount. Norlin knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markus Norlin dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Paulister shoots in looking for a takedown. Norlin tries to sprawl out of it but Paulister keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Norlin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Luke Paulister is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Paulister slips a jab and a cross from Norlin.
Norlin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Paulister shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Norlin as he avoids it easily.
Nice uppercut there from Norlin.
Paulister shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Norlin sprawls well. Norlin wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Paulister gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luke Paulister. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Norlin throws a series of punches but Paulister avoids them all with ease.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Norlin getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Norlin moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Danga de danga de dang - Norlin scores with a four punch combination!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norlin throws a series of strikes that have Paulister backpedaling.
Paulister shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Norlin but Norlin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A nice combination there by Norlin.
Norlin stuns Paulister with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Norlin misses with a double jab.
Paulister fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Norlin lands with a straight right. Paulister didn't see that one coming.
Norlin defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Paulister.
Norlin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Norlin swinging wilding here.

Paulister drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paulister is looking to take a break and control but Norlin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Norlin wants to get back to his feet but Paulister drags him back down.

Paulister is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Norlin knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Norlin pushes Paulister away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Paulister gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paulister trying to control the action but Norlin is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Norlin throws a nice looking combination but Paulister bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Paulister drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Norlin wriggles free and stands up.
Norlin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Paulister.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norlin throws a series of punches but Paulister moves out of range.
Norlin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Norlin wants it to stay on the feet.
Norlin throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Paulister fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Paulister shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Norlin wants to get back to his feet.

Norlin pushes Paulister off and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Luke Paulister will probably get the nod.
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!

Norlin misses with a jab, cross combination.
Norlin misses with a two punch combination.

Paulister moves into range and clinches up with Norlin.
Paulister can't get the takedown.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Paulister just misses with a elbow thrown towards Norlin's brow.

Norlin breaks the clinch.
Paulister fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Norlin looks to land a combination but Paulister avoids it well.
Paulister slips a jab and a cross from Norlin.
Norlin misses with a series of wild punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paulister shoots in for a double leg but Norlin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luke Paulister. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Norlin with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Norlin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norlin misses with the combination.
Paulister fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Paulister slips a jab and a cross from Norlin.
Paulister tries for a takedown but Norlin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Norlin's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Norlin duly obliges.
Paulister showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Norlin.
Norlin clobbers Paulister with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Norlin defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Paulister.
Norlin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nice sprawl there from Norlin as Paulister shoots in.
A combination from Norlin does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Paulister throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Norlin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Paulister.
Norlin misses with a jab, cross combination.
Norlin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Norlin swinging wilding here.
Paulister misses with a leg kick.
Paulister closes the distance and clinches up with Norlin, looking for a takedown. Paulister pushes Norlin against the cage but Norlin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Norlin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Paulister moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Norlin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Good exchange - Norlin coming out on top.
Norlin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Norlin connects with a looping right hand.
Paulister wants to clinch up but Norlin keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norlin scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Paulister looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Norlin wants to stand and escape but Paulister is having none of it.
Paulister wants to control from the top but Norlin keeps moving.
Norlin wants to get back to his feet but Paulister is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Paulister trying to control but Norlin is working from the bottom.
Paulister tries to free his leg and advance position but Norlin is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norlin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Norlin throws a combination. Paulister tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Paulister darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Norlin pushes Paulister off looking to stand but Paulister dives back in and keeps control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Norlin makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Paulister shoots in for a takedown but Norlin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Luke Paulister.
I think Paulister has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Luke Paulister!