PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tico Tico (ranked 4732 p4p, 4394 weight class) and Pedro Paulo (ranked 209 p4p, 197 weight class). Tico Tico has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Tico
vs
Paulo

163 cm
18
139
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
21
135
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Enjoys gardening

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tico Tico!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pedro Paulo!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Josh West and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Paulo closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Tico to the mat! Tico manages to get full guard.
Paulo is working Tico over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Tico on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Tico tries to get out of the position.
Paulo 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.
Tico looking to control.
Paulo looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Paulo's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Tico controls Paulo momentarily but Paulo frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tico can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Paulo controls the pace.
Paulo postures up and lands a big shot to Tico's brow.
Tico has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Paulo won't allow Tico to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tico can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Paulo controls the pace.
Paulo postures up.
Paulo not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Tico looking for a sweep. Not yet Tico, not yet.
Paulo postures up in Tico's guard and throws a big left but Tico blocks it.
Tico looking to control.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Paulo keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Tico's head.
Paulo postures up in Tico's guard and throws a big left but Tico blocks it.
Paulo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Paulo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Tico is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Paulo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tico 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.
Paulo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Paulo cracks Tico with a solid left hand.
Tico wants to sweep but no luck.
Paulo is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Paulo lands a couple of digs.
Paulo is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Tico will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Tico is trying to control the position but Paulo postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paulo scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Paulo is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paulo postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Paulo controlling from the top position.
Tico trying to keep a closed guard but Paulo is proving a slippery customer.
Paulo sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Tico looking for a sweep. Not yet Tico, not yet.
Tico is trying to control the position but Paulo postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Tico working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Paulo.
Paulo controlling from the top position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Tico stuffs the takedown.
Tico swats away the attempt to clinch by Paulo.
Tico throwing a counter right hand but Paulo manages to avoid it.
Paulo tries to clinch but Tico is having none of it.
Tico misses the jab.
Tico Tico is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Paulo misses with a two punch combination.

Tico moves into the clinch.
Tico has had enough of the clinch but Paulo keeps him there for the moment.
Paulo is working for takedown but Tico is calmly controlling the position for now.
Paulo is trying to drag Tico to the mat but Tico just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Tico Tico has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pedro Paulo.
Paulo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tico swings wildly with an uppercut but Paulo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Paulo misses with a hook from the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Paulo dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Paulo moves in looking to clinch but Tico pushes him off.
Paulo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Paulo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Tico swats away the attempt to clinch by Paulo.
Tico misses with a looping right.
Paulo wants to clinch.
A counter left hand to the body from Tico misses its target.
Paulo fails to land with a series of punches.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Tico enables Paulo to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Tico manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Tico has momentary wrist control but Paulo slips an elbow through the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tico bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Paulo's guard.

Paulo keeping moving, preventing Tico from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tico trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paulo wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Paulo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tico is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Tico trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tico is really struggling to control Paulo but he's trying to hold on to the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Paulo is pulling down on Tico's head. It's preventing any offense from Tico, at least for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sloppy strikes from Tico. Those never looked like landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tico avoids a punch combination nicely.
It looked like Tico wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

Paulo clinches with his opponent.
Tico scores with a shoulder strike.
Paulo goes for a takedown attempt but Tico pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Paulo.
Tico pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tico swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Paulo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Paulo has eaten all the pies!
You can see the frustration on Tico's face as Paulo controls the position.
Paulo in side control, throwing shots but Tico defends.
We've been informed that Paulo has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Tico is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Tico wants to control but Paulo postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paulo is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
You can see the frustration on Tico's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Paulo lands an elbow.
Tico is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Paulo off and has taken his back!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tico gets his hands free as Paulo looks to control.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Tico's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tico keeps control of the position easily here as Paulo tries to buck him off.
A lull in the action here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tico Tico will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Paulo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Paulo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Paulo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Paulo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tico misses with a hook.
Paulo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Tico throws out the jab.
A slow jab from Tico misses its intended target.
Paulo is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Paulo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tico is looking to counter punch.
Paulo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Tico just misses with a punch to the body.
Pedro Paulo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Paulo swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paulo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Paulo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Tico throws a hook to the side of Paulo's head but Paulo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Paulo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Paulo is looking to clinch.

Tico has managed to clinch.
Paulo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Tico pulls his leg out and moves away.

Tico rushes Paulo and presses him up against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Paulo.
Paulo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Paulo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tico content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Paulo looking for a takedown.
Tico Tico has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pedro Paulo.
Paulo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Paulo has a couple of punches blocked by Tico.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Tico.

Paulo gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Tico gets back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tico bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Paulo's guard.

Tico trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tico would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Paulo keeping moving, preventing Tico from controlling successfully.
Pedro Paulo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Paulo is controlling Tico's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tico trying to control but Paulo is working from the bottom.
Paulo wants to sweep here but Tico controlling him for the moment.
Tico trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Tico being controlled here momentarily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Pedro Paulo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tico throws a right and a left that both miss.
Paulo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tico's waist but Tico gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Paulo off to one side.
Paulo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
It looked like Tico wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Paulo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Paulo avoids the body shot from Tico.
Tico throws a right hand that Paulo ducks under and follows up with a left that Paulo also avoids with ease.

Tico has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tico effectively controlling the action here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tico Tico showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Tico 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tico Tico!