PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Timo Vesala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ron Paul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vesala comes to the cage accompanied by Bomfunk MC's - Freestyler. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Vesala
vs
Paul

160 cm
27
140 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

172 cm
34
135 lbs
16 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Timo Vesala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ron Paul!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Russell Pearce and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice body kick there by Paul.
Paul closes the distance looking to clinch
and Vesala counters with a straight right hand.
Paul uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Vesala.

Paul shoots in and bounces Vesala off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Paul postures up.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Paul's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paul postures up.
Paul wants to control from the top but Vesala keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paul throws a big elbow that misses.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Paul working his ground and pound in the gym.
Paul looking to pass the guard.
Vesala utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Paul throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vesala wants to sweep here but Paul controlling him for the moment.
Vesala is working hard here to advance position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Paul missing with a left hand there. Vesala was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A little feinted left hand from Vesala on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Paul fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Vesala misses with an uppercut.
Paul fails with the takedown.
Vesala shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Paul as he avoids it easily.
Vesala throws a hook to the side of Paul's head but Paul sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Danga de danga de dang - Vesala scores with a four punch combination!

Paul moves into the clinch successfully.
Vesala digs a right hand underneath Paul's ribcage. Paul let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Paul is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Vesala is keeping busy.
A nice left hand lands by Vesala.
Paul using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vesala has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul prevents a body shot from Vesala.
Vesala lands an uppercut.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Vesala.
Paul utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Vesala is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Vesala misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Paul misses with a knee strike.
A body shot lands from Vesala.
Paul throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vesala blocks it with crossed arms.
A frustrated look appears on Vesala's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Knees to the body from Paul.
Vesala managing to block the knees to the body from Paul.
Vesala on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Paul.

It looks like Timo Vesala has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paul using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vesala has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Vesala has a couple of punches blocked by Paul.
Paul blocks a body shot from Vesala.
Vesala misses with a short punch on the inside.
Vesala dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Paul lands a knee to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Paul looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Paul tries for a takedown but Vesala manages to get underhooks.
Timo Vesala has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ron Paul.
Vesala trying to stall but Paul improves his position.
Vesala digs a right hand into Paul's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Paul's gas tank.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Vesala.
Paul throws an elbow that misses.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Paul misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vesala.
Vesala on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Paul tries a knee to the head but Vesala blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ron Paul will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Timo Vesala's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Paul throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Vesala throws a hook to the side of Paul's head but Paul sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Paul.
Vesala avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Paul throws a head kick that misses.
Ron Paul is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vesala throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Paul.
Paul throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Vesala is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Paul's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paul wants to clinch.
Paul tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Vesala manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Paul has taken the fight to the clinch.
Paul prevents the takedown attempt.
Paul prevents a body shot from Vesala.
Vesala misses with a punch to the body.
Paul goes for a takedown attempt but Vesala pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Paul ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Paul misses with a low kick.
Paul tries to clinch up.
Vesala avoids the head kick by Paul.
Vesala throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Vesala chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Paul can pounce on him.
Paul ducks under a wild hook from Vesala.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Paul drives through and clinches with Vesala against the cage.
Vesala managing to block the knees to the body from Paul.
Paul throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Paul landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Paul wants to stall.
Paul throws an elbow that misses.
Vesala managing to block the knees to the body from Paul.
Paul tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vesala avoids it.
Vesala lands a left hand that snaps the head of Paul backwards.
Paul tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Paul lands a damaging elbow.
Paul fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Paul missing with knees to the body.
Vesala tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Paul's elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vesala has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Paul is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Paul comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Vesala takes an elbow to the temple.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Vesala gets through Paul's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Vesala avoiding damage as Paul throws knees to the body.
Ron Paul seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Vesala avoids the elbow strike from Paul, against the cage.
Vesala misses with a punch to the body.
Vesala misses with the head strike.
Vesala blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Vesala managing to block the knees to the body from Paul.
Paul trying to land knees to the body.
Paul tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vesala avoids it.
Vesala tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Paul's elbow.
Vesala goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Paul blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Vesala is trying to pull guard but Paul turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Timo Vesala. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vesala can't find room to land a body shot as Paul controls the action.
Paul misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vesala.
Vesala lands a right hand.
Paul has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vesala avoids a wild elbow strike from Paul.
Paul putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Vesala in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Vesala takes an elbow to the temple.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Paul tries to land knees in the clinch but Vesala avoids the damage to the body.
Paul pushes off an throws an elbow but Vesala leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Paul lands a knee to the body.
Paul pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Vesala dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Paul tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vesala avoids it.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Vesala tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ron Paul showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Timo Vesala's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. 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.

No luck for Paul with that takedown attempt.
Vesala appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Vesala defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Paul.
Vesala misses with a looping left.
Paul takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
A big left from Vesala misses.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Vesala enables Paul to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Vesala manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Vesala is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vesala keeping moving, preventing Paul from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paul working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Vesala preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Paul throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vesala looking for a sweep. Not yet Vesala, not yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Vesala avoiding damage as Paul throws knees to the body.
Vesala trying to control the position but instead, Paul has worked for underhooks and has pushed Vesala into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Paul throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Vesala tries to throw a body punch but Paul avoids it by throwing Vesala back against the cage.
Paul throws an elbow that misses.
The referee is keeping an eye on Vesala - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Paul gets underhooks to prevent Vesala's takedown attempt.
Paul dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Paul throws an elbow but it misses.
Vesala dodges an elbow strike from Paul.
Vesala effectively controlling the action here.
Paul prevents a body shot from Vesala.
Paul tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vesala avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vesala leaning against his opponent.
A right handed body shot lands from Vesala.

Vesala gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Vesala is trying to control. Paul wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Vesala prevents Paul from improving his position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Paul manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Vesala trying to control the position from guard on top but Paul is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paul wants to sweep but no luck.
Vesala passes Paul's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Paul tries to get to full guard but Vesala has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Paul manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Vesala sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Paul's guard.
Timo Vesala has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vesala is trying to control the action in half guard but Paul is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Paul moves into full guard.

Paul is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Paul keeping moving, preventing Vesala from controlling successfully.

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 Timo Vesala.
I think Paul has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ron Paul!