PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Henrique (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muru Aalto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Henrique
vs
Aalto

192 cm
20
162 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

175 cm
28
160 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paulo Henrique!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Muru Aalto!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aalto throws a hook to the side of Henrique's head but Henrique sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Henrique looks for a takedown but Aalto sprawls well.
Henrique moves out of range of the strikes.
Henrique tries a head kick but it misses.
The fighters circling - Aalto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Aalto leaves Henrique with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Henrique tries to clinch but Aalto is having none of it.
A head kick misses from Henrique.
Aalto misses with a two punch combination.
Henrique throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Paulo Henrique seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Henrique looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Henrique bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Aalto connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Henrique momentarily.
Aalto ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Aalto displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Henrique.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paulo Henrique. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henrique is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aalto takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Aalto leaves Henrique with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nice defenses there by Henrique.
Aalto is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.

Henrique gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Aalto has had enough of the clinch but Henrique keeps him there for the moment.
Henrique landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Aalto wants to break the clinch but can't.
Aalto tries to break free but Henrique pushes him back against the cage.

Henrique breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Aalto looks to score with a jab to the body but Henrique is just out of range.
A slapping leg kick lands for Henrique.
Aalto displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Henrique is looking to clinch but Aalto is avoiding it.
Henrique pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Aalto paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Henrique moves into the clinch.
A knee to the head by Henrique.
Henrique throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Aalto blocks it with crossed arms.
Henrique avoiding damage.
Aalto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Aalto is trying to break free.

Henrique pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Henrique throws a sloppy head kick and Aalto moves out of range easily.
Henrique tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Aalto manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Aalto scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Aalto tests Henrique's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Henrique is rocked!
Henrique fails with an attempt to clinch.
Aalto keeps the fight on the outside.
Henrique fails with the takedown.
Aalto missing with a left hand there. Henrique was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aalto takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Aalto is pawing at Henrique, trying to feel the distance before throwing out a cross that crashes into Henrique's nose. Henrique is badly hurt! Aalto pounces, throwing wild strikes as both fighters end up on the ground! Henrique tries desperately to hold on but Aalto is relentless in his assault! As Henrique receives an ever increasing number of unanswered strikes the referee pulls Aalto away and this one is in the books!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:15 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Muru Aalto!