PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Muru Aalto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dale Bellido (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Muru Aalto has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Aalto
vs
Bellido

175 cm
25
160 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

178 cm
28
168 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Prefers standup

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Muru Aalto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dale Bellido!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aalto throws a hook to the side of Bellido's head but Bellido sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
The fighters circling - Aalto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Aalto gets caught flat footed, as Bellido shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Aalto wants to stand up but Bellido is controlling him.
Aalto being controlled here, momentarily.
Aalto preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Bellido sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Aalto's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bellido controlling the action here.

Bellido is looking for a kimura but Aalto is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bellido to get the leverage.
Bellido is controlling the pace.

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.
Bellido is looking to advance position but Aalto won't allow it.
Aalto knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bellido on the ground.
Aalto avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bellido.
Bellido is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellido throwing strikes from guard but Aalto blocks nicely.
Bellido controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Dale Bellido wasn't active enough on the ground.
Bellido fails in his attempt to clinch.
Muru Aalto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bellido slips a jab and a cross from Aalto.
Bellido displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Aalto throws out the jab.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Bellido feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Bellido pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Aalto is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dale Bellido dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bellido on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Bellido closes the distance and pushes Aalto back into the cage.
The referee calls for Bellido to work.
Aalto wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Bellido lands a left hand that snaps the head of Aalto backwards.
Bellido cracks Aalto with a nice body shot.
Aalto takes a shot to the head.
Aalto wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bellido has him pressed against the cage.
Aalto is trying to push Bellido away but Bellido has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Bellido's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Aalto misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bellido slips a straight right by Aalto.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aalto cracks Bellido with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bellido staying out of range there.
Bellido moves out of range of the strikes.
Bellido misses with a body shot.
The fighters circling - Aalto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Bellido pushes Aalto up against the cage in a clinch.
Bellido has Aalto pushed against the cage.
Bellido keeps control of Aalto as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Bellido stalling against the cage.
Aalto looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bellido lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aalto tries to break free but Bellido pushes him back against the cage.
Aalto wants to break free but Bellido has control.
Aalto wants to get back to striking at distance but Bellido won't allow it.
Aalto wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bellido has him pressed against the cage.
Aalto wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bellido has him pressed against the cage.
Bellido leaning against his opponent.
Aalto wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bellido has him pressed against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Bellido.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Dale Bellido.
Bellido is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Aalto misses with an uppercut. Bellido saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aalto's corner calls for a 1-2. Aalto obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Aalto looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Aalto misses with a straight right.
Aalto misses with a hook.
Aalto is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Aalto misses with a two punch combination.
A punch combination from Aalto misses.
Aalto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Aalto sizes up Bellido with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Bellido shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Aalto manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Bellido won't allow Aalto to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bellido working some strikes from top position.
Aalto is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bellido is controlling him.
Bellido makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bellido throwing strikes from guard but Aalto blocks nicely.
Bellido controlling from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dale Bellido showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Bellido decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Bellido throwing shots but Aalto is blocking nicely.

Bellido seems to be looking for submissions.
Bellido throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Bellido not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Aalto avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bellido.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bellido controlling the action here.

Bellido is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Aalto sees it coming and defends easily.
Bellido throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Bellido not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Bellido not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Bellido lands with a punch from half guard.
Bellido thows a huge punch but Aalto dodges it nicely.
Bellido working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Bellido lands with a punch from half guard.
Bellido sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Aalto defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellido is nestled in close to Aalto, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Bellido drops an elbow to the side of Aalto's head.
Bellido passes to full mount!
Bellido with a couple of short strikes.

Bellido looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Bellido landing shots from mount.
Muru Aalto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bellido cracks Aalto with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Bellido lands a heavy elbow.
Dale Bellido is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bellido working the ground and pound effectively.

Aalto is rocked!
Bellido takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dale Bellido comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bellido 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Dale Bellido!
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Dale Bellido!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Dale Bellido!

Dale Bellido wins by unanimous decision!