PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zoran Paunovic (ranked 2008 p4p, 254 weight class) and Sebastian Halstenberg (ranked 3349 p4p, 369 weight class). Halstenberg has chosen Bring Me The Horizon - Can You Feel My Heart as his entrance music. Sebastian Halstenberg has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Paunovic
vs
Halstenberg

186 cm
34
193 lbs
14 - 14 - 0

172 cm
33
185 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 14 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zoran Paunovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sebastian Halstenberg!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Lou da Vinci and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Halstenberg throws a nice looking combination but Paunovic bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Paunovic tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Halstenberg manages to circle out of the way.
Halstenberg has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Halstenberg there as he acknowledges the shot.

It looks like Sebastian Halstenberg has been cut.
Nice jab there from Paunovic.
Paunovic uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Halstenberg has time to react.
The crowd cheers as Paunovic lands an impressive looking overhand right. Halstenberg doesn't seem phased though.
Halstenberg misses with a double jab
and Paunovic counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Halstenberg throws a right hand that Paunovic ducks under and follows up with a left that Paunovic also avoids with ease.
Paunovic lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Paunovic lands a big uppercut and Halstenberg crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Halstenberg looks OK. Paunovic waves Halstenberg back to his feet!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Paunovic tries a head kick but it misses.
Paunovic scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Paunovic takes a swing at Halstenberg's ribcage but misses.
Halstenberg throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Paunovic counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Paunovic rushes Halstenberg and presses him up against the cage.
Halstenberg is trying to break the clinch but Paunovic has him pressed against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Halstenberg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paunovic lands with a left to the head.
A short right from Paunovic on the inside.
Halstenberg looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Halstenberg wants to break the clinch but can't.
Paunovic tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Paunovic presses Halstenberg against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Paunovic lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Halstenberg breaks the clinch.
Paunovic fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Paunovic with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nice shot lands for Halstenberg.

It looks like Zoran Paunovic has been cut.
Halstenberg looks to land a combination. Paunovic sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Paunovic throws a quick inside leg kick.
Halstenberg drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Paunovic scores with a jab to the jaw.
Paunovic slips a straight right by Halstenberg.
Paunovic tries to close the distance and clinch but Halstenberg swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Paunovic.
That kick from Paunovic tenderised Halstenberg's leg. Halstenberg is trying to keep his angry face on.
Paunovic scores with a push kick.
Paunovic scores with a hook.
Halstenberg keeps the fight on the outside.
Halstenberg lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Halstenberg throws a body punch but Paunovic moves out of range.
Paunovic is looking to counter the offense by Halstenberg and move into the clinch.

Paunovic closes the distance and clinches.
Halstenberg wants to break the clinch but can't.
Paunovic lands a body punch in the clinch.
Halstenberg wants to break free but Paunovic has control.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Paunovic.
Halstenberg blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Paunovic is trying to maintain a safe position but Halstenberg gets an underhook and turns Paunovic into the cage.
Paunovic lands a body punch in the clinch.
Halstenberg wants to break the clinch but can't.
Halstenberg looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Halstenberg tries to break free but Paunovic pushes him back against the cage.
Halstenberg tries to circle away but Paunovic has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paunovic tries to throw a body punch but Halstenberg avoids it by throwing Paunovic back against the cage.
Paunovic tries to work over Halstenberg's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Halstenberg wants to get back to striking at distance but Paunovic won't allow it.
Paunovic slows down the pace here.
Halstenberg blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Halstenberg is trying to break the clinch but Paunovic is controlling him.
Paunovic lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Halstenberg wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Paunovic has him pressed against the cage.
Paunovic softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Paunovic keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Halstenberg's efforts to push away.
Paunovic tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Halstenberg's elbow.
Halstenberg tries to circle away but Paunovic has him pinned against the cage.
Paunovic tries a knee to the head but Halstenberg blocks it.
Paunovic throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Halstenbergs head.
Paunovic tries to work over Halstenberg's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Halstenberg wants to break the clinch but can't.
Halstenberg is trying to break the clinch but Paunovic is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halstenberg is trying to push Paunovic away but Paunovic has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Paunovic creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Halstenberg is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Halstenberg wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Halstenberg's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Halstenberg can't break the clinch.
Paunovic lands with a left to the head.
Paunovic scores with a shot to the side of Halstenberg's head.
Halstenberg working hard to break the clinch.
Paunovic lands a left hand.
Paunovic is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Paunovic lands a body shot.

Paunovic manages to break the clinch.
Paunovic uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Halstenberg.
Paunovic throws a quick inside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Paunovic lands a nice looking body shot.
We've been told by Paunovic's head coaches at Relentless Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Paunovic connects with an inside leg kick.
Halstenberg throws an off balance right hand
and Halstenberg takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A jab from Paunovic finds it's way through Halstenberg's defenses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zoran Paunovic dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Paunovic forces Halstenberg back against the cage and clinches.

Paunovic breaks from the clinch.
A jab lands there for Paunovic.
Paunovic turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
No joy there for Halstenberg, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Paunovic is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Halstenberg can do to turn this around?

Paunovic drops Halstenberg with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Halstenberg looks back up at him and smiles so Paunovic waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

Halstenberg is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Paunovic has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Halstenberg is still on wobbly legs! Can Paunovic finish him?
Paunovic thumps Halstenberg with a low kick.
Paunovic is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Paunovic steps in with a hook that catches Halstenberg right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Paunovic follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Halstenberg looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Zoran Paunovic!