PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Pauli Painija (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Shanks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shanks has chosen Dethklok - The Cyborg Slayers as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Painija
vs
Shanks

160 cm
26
176 lbs
20 - 7 - 0

190 cm
25
180 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

Black Hand Fight Gear & Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Pauli Painija!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Michael Shanks!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Eliza Hachem and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Painija has his takedown stuffed
and Painija takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Painija misses with a straight left.
Painija thows a body shot but no joy.
Pauli Painija seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shanks punishes Painija's body with a nice straight punch.
Shanks punishes Painija's body with a nice straight punch.
Shanks uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Painija.
Painija fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Shanks manages to avoid it.
Shanks stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Shanks wants it to stay on the feet.
Shanks lands a lovely overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Painija moves out of range as Shanks strikes.
Shanks takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Painija thows a body shot but no joy.
Shanks digs a good body shot into Painija's ribs.
Shanks keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

Painija decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Shanks has a hand on Painija's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Painija takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Painija misses with some ground and pound and Shanks recovers position to half guard.
Shanks is not content to let Painija control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Painija is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Painija missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Shanks has hold of Painija's hands but Painija slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shanks trying to control here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Shanks can do anything to dispel that myth.
Painija is keen to just control but Shanks is a slippery customer.
Painija is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Painija is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Shanks doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Painija.
Painija missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shanks trying to control from the bottom.
Shanks pushes Painija off looking to stand but Painija dives back in and keeps control.
Painija wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shanks keeps working.
Shanks keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Painija not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Painija is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Painija wants to take a breather but Shanks is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Painija trying to mount his opponent but Shanks defends it.
Painija trying to control from Shanks's half guard. Shanks has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Painija stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shanks swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Painija might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Painija is working hard here to advance position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shanks wants to stand up but Painija is controlling him.
Painija stopping the sweep attempt from Shanks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pauli Painija dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Shanks moves out of range of the strikes.
Painija lands with an uppercut that bounces Shanks off the cage and back into range.
Shanks circles away from the clinch attempt.
Painija tries to clinch up.
Painija misses with a few strikes there.

Painija shoots in and gets a takedown into Shanks's guard.
Shanks wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Painija postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Painija throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shanks works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Shanks working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Painija.
Painija passes into half guard.
Shanks tries to get to full guard but Painija has control of the leg.
Shanks trying to control from the bottom.
Painija moves nicely into side control.
Painija tries to move to mount but Shanks blocks the move with his legs.
Painija wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shanks keeps working.
Painija in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Painija controlling the position from side mount.
Painija wants to lay and pray for a moment but Shanks keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shanks wants to get back to his feet but Painija drags him back down.
Shanks manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Shanks wants to control but Painija is keeping busy.
Painija not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Shanks really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Painija. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Painija missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Painija misses with a head shot. Shanks uses the momentum to regain guard.
Shanks controls Painija momentarily but Painija frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shanks keeping moving, preventing Painija from controlling successfully.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Painija's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Painija trying to control but Shanks is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Painija accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Shanks preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Shanks wants to stand and escape but Painija is having none of it.
Shanks utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Shanks is trying to keep Painija in close.
Shanks wants to stand up but Painija is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Painija wants to control from the top but Shanks keeps moving.
Painija postures up in Shanks's guard and throws a big left but Shanks blocks it.
Painija lands a couple of digs.
Painija is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Shanks wants to stand up but Painija is controlling him.
Painija wants to control from the top but Shanks keeps moving.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Painija controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pauli Painija 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Painija swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Painija misses with a wild body shot.
Painija moves in looking to clinch but Shanks pushes him off.
Painija misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Shanks gets tackled into the cage by Painija. Painija maintains the clinch.
Shanks tries to circle away but Painija has him pinned against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Painija.
Shanks avoiding damage as Painija throws knees to the body.
Painija tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Painija misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A body shot lands from Shanks.
A nice right hand lands inside from Shanks.
Painija leaning his opponent against the cage.
Painija swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Shanks breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Painija is looking to wear down Shanks with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Painija tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Painija lands with a good body shot.
Painija thows a body shot but no joy.
Pauli Painija is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Painija lands a nice hook to Shanks's body. Shanks takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
A looping hook to the body misses from Painija. Shanks does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Painija misses with a body shot.
Painija takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Shanks avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Painija tries to land a front kick but Shanks steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Painija shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Nice sprawl there from Shanks as Painija shoots in.
Shanks thows a left - swing and a miss!
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!
Painija swings widly with a right hand
and Shanks counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Painija connects with a good right hand that stumbles Shanks. Shanks circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Painija shoots in and drives through. Shanks sprawls well.
Painija throws a push kick but Shanks slaps the foot to one side.

Painija decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Shanks preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Painija trying to control from half guard but Shanks is working away.

Painija is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Pauli Painija is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Painija stops Shanks from getting back to his feet.
Painija controlling the pace.
Ground and pound from Painija.
Painija passes the guard and advances to mount!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Painija looking to control but Shanks is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Painija working Shanks over with strikes here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pauli Painija showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Painija 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pauli Painija!
Pauli Painija tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.