PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Azinho Solomon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Maul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Maul has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Solomon
vs
Maul

177 cm
26
199 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

180 cm
23
182 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Azinho Solomon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Paul Maul!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Winston Alpacca and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maul scores with a body shot.
Maul looks to land a left hand but Solomon moved out of range nicely.
Maul scores with a nice strike.
Maul misses with an uppercut. Solomon saw that one coming.
Maul shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Solomon eats them both and turns towards Maul to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

It looks like Azinho Solomon has been cut.
Solomon takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Maul misses with a series of wild punches.
Solomon misses with a hook.
Maul stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Maul rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Solomon counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Maul!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maul parries the strikes from Solomon easily there. Solomon is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Maul to escape.
Solomon working the head with strikes.
Solomon working the body and head with strikes.
Maul is trying to get back to half guard.
Maul is trying to control Solomon's posture but Solomon avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solomon with the ground and pound but Maul regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Solomon controlling the action here.
Maul really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Solomon. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Solomon drops an elbow to the side of Maul's head.
Solomon throwing shots but Maul is blocking nicely.
Solomon lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Solomon lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solomon thows a huge punch but Maul dodges it nicely.
Maul regains full guard. Nicely done.
Maul is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Solomon trying to control the position from guard on top but Maul is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Solomon slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Maul is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Solomon stays in close to Maul's body and controls the position.
Maul pulls Solomon in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maul wants to stand and escape but Solomon is having none of it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Solomon chips away with some ground and pound.
Maul avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Maul is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Maul preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Solomon slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Solomon throws a looping overhand right but Maul ducks down to avoid it.
Maul unleashes a big counter combination but Solomon bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Solomon throws a looping overhand right but Maul ducks down to avoid it.
Maul looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Solomon fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Maul fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Solomon manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solomon takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Maul pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maul throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Solomon misses with a hook.
Maul lands the left hand.
Solomon ducks under a wild hook from Maul.
Solomon half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Maul fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Solomon looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Maul misses with a few strikes there.
Solomon tries to counter with a takedown but Maul is quick to defend against it.
Maul throws a series of punches but Solomon avoids them all with ease.
Solomon feinted with a counter takedown.
A big left from Solomon misses.
Maul connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice defenses there by Solomon.
Solomon on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Maul misses with a few strikes there.
Solomon drops down looking for a counter takedown but Maul sprawls and moves away.
Maul misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Solomon.
Maul misses with a hook. Solomon ducked under it nicely.
Maul throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Maul dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Azinho Solomon's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Maul misses with a hook

and Solomon counters with a single leg into guard. Maul didn't expect that.
Solomon controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Solomon chips away with some ground and pound.
Solomon cracks Maul with a solid left hand.
Solomon working some strikes from top position.
Solomon looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Solomon stays in close to Maul's body and controls the position.
Maul looking to control.
Maul has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Solomon is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Maul is trying to control the position but Solomon postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solomon landing some decent shots from guard.
Solomon in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Solomon works over Maul with some ground and pound from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Solomon is stalling in the full guard.
Maul bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Solomon's guard.

Maul showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solomon seems keen to control Maul's posture.
Maul tries to free his leg and advance position but Solomon is retaining full guard.
Maul content to stall in guard here.

Maul gets to his feet - Solomon follows without any prompting.
Paul Maul seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solomon keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Solomon missing with a left hand there. Maul was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Solomon slips a straight right by Maul.
Maul throws a right and a left that both miss.
Solomon throws a lazy uppercut
and Maul counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Solomon looks to land a left hand but Maul moved out of range nicely.
Paul Maul seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sloppy strikes from Maul. Those never looked like landing.
Paul Maul is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maul connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Solomon's hands.
Maul tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Solomon drops down looking for a counter takedown but Maul sprawls and moves away.
Maul punishes Solomon's body with a nice straight punch.
Maul missing with a left hand there. Solomon was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Solomon changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Maul scores with a punch to the head.
A big right from Maul misses.
Maul misses with a hook.
Solomon misses with an uppercut. Maul saw that one coming.

Solomon drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maul managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Solomon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solomon lands a decent elbow from side control.
Solomon lands an elbow.
Solomon wants to lay and pray for a moment but Maul keeps working.
Solomon lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Solomon looks up at the clock and then as Maul takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Solomon smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Solomon creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Solomon lands a nice forearm strike.
Solomon working the head and body with strikes.
Solomon in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
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 Azinho Solomon will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Azinho Solomon's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Solomon is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Maul.
Solomon looks to throw the jab but Maul is out of range.
Maul looks to land a right hand but Solomon moved out of range.
Solomon doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Maul's corner calls for a 1-2. Maul obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
The crowd cheers as Maul lands an impressive looking overhand right. Solomon doesn't seem phased though.
Maul connects with a body shot that sends Solomon's belly button to the back.
Maul lands a jab to the head.
Solomon misses with a low kick.
Solomon gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Maul.

Solomon closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Solomon looks to land a strike but Maul avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Solomon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Solomon engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Maul wants to sweep here but Solomon controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maul working a defensive guard but Solomon manages to pass into side control anyway.
Solomon scoring with punches from side control.
Solomon cracks Maul with a big right hand but Maul just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Solomon sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Maul is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Solomon lands some shots froms side control.
Solomon is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Maul managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Solomon.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maul takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Maul is working to avoid the ground and pound but Solomon connects with a decent elbow.
Maul is working to avoid the ground and pound but Solomon connects with a decent elbow.
Maul is being controlled here.
Solomon throwing strikes but Maul manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Solomon struggling a bit here.
Solomon manages to get back to half guard.
Solomon controlling the position well.
Maul sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Solomon defending well though.
Azinho Solomon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solomon is not content to let Maul control the position.
Maul might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Solomon haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Maul is just content to waste time from the top position. Solomon takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Solomon has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Maul showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Maul misses with a lunging right hand

and Solomon counters with a single leg into guard. Maul didn't expect that.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Solomon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maul looking to hit a scissor sweep but Solomon is one step ahead there.
Maul is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Solomon content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Maul can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Solomon controls the pace.
Solomon throwing strikes but missing.
Solomon with a nice head shot there.

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 Azinho Solomon.
I think Solomon 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 29:28
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Azinho Solomon!