PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rico Paco (ranked 5823 p4p, 5890 weight class) and Nori Voluspa (ranked 624 p4p, 628 weight class). The key to victory for Rico Paco has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Paco
vs
Voluspa

181 cm
19
171
0 - 0 - 0

150 cm
19
170
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Rico Paco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nori Voluspa!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Gregory Folan and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Paco scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Paco misses with a low kick.
Voluspa has his takedown stuffed
and Paco counters with a straight right hand.
Voluspa tries for a takedown but Paco sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Voluspa looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Paco is fending him off so far but Voluspa persists. Nope, Paco circles away and we're back to standing.
Rico Paco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nori Voluspa.
Paco scores with the left hand. Voluspa knows he should have avoided that one.
Paco scores with a sloppy right hand. Voluspa should have avoided that one.

Voluspa darts in and clinches Paco up against the cage.
Voluspa wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Voluspa jumps guard but Paco turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Paco lands a left hand.

Voluspa decides to pull guard.
Paco will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Voluspa working for a triangle but Paco defends it easily.
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!

Voluspa is looking for a triangle but Paco pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Voluspa being controlled here, momentarily.
Paco wants to control from the top but Voluspa keeps moving.

Voluspa has his foot on Paco's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Paco works his way back into a safe position though.
Voluspa trying to control the position.
Paco has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Voluspa keeping moving, preventing Paco from controlling successfully.
Paco is pushing down on Voluspa's leg trying to pass to half guard. Voluspa is fighting to maintain full guard but Paco has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Voluspa moves into full guard.
Voluspa lands an upkick as Paco stands over him.
Voluspa wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Paco trying to control the position from guard on top but Voluspa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paco looking to sit in guard and control but Voluspa gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Paco not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paco avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Voluspa trying to control but Paco is working from the bottom.
Paco controls Voluspa momentarily but Voluspa frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Voluspa looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Paco 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Paco is pulling down on Voluspa's head to control his posture.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Paco digs a good hook to Voluspa's body.
Paco is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Paco lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Voluspa closes the distance but Paco moves to the side
letting Paco counter with a right hand.
Voluspa on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Voluspa fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Paco sprawls well initially but Voluspa persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Voluspa is looking to take a break and control but Paco is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Paco has his hands clasped together around Voluspa's back. He's all about the action.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rico Paco dominated that round.
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.

Voluspa takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Voluspa shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Paco is trying to defend but Voluspa finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Voluspa is keen to just control but Paco is a slippery customer.
Paco is looking for a sweep. Voluspa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Paco is defending against the submission attempts here by Voluspa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Voluspa lands strikes from half guard.
Nori Voluspa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Voluspa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Paco keeps working.
Voluspa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Paco on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Paco tries to get out of the position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Voluspa connects with a nice short shot to Paco's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Paco wants to sweep but Voluspa has passed to side control!
Voluspa fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Voluspa thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Voluspa in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
You can see the frustration on Paco's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Voluspa wants to control but Paco is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paco is trying to control Voluspa's posture but Voluspa avoids it.
Paco tries to bench press Voluspa off him but Voluspa keeps the position.

Voluspa wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Paco, who protects the arm well.
Voluspa scores with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Voluspa postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

Voluspa thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Paco is looking to regain half guard here but Voluspa keeps moving and retains side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nori Voluspa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Voluspa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Paco as he avoids it easily.
Voluspa shoots in but no luck this time.
Voluspa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Paco avoids it really well and circles away.
Rico Paco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nori Voluspa.
Voluspa moves in looking to clinch but Paco pushes him off.
Nice sprawl there from Paco as Voluspa shoots in.
It looked like Paco wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Paco lands a jab.
Paco scores with a nice strike.
A combination from Paco does no damage.
Voluspa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Paco paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Voluspa fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paco keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Voluspa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Paco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Voluspa takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Paco connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Voluspa's hands.
Paco lands a nice shot that snaps Voluspa's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Voluspa has a takedown stuffed.

Voluspa closes the distance and clinches.
Paco lands with a light punch inside.
Voluspa blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Paco is pressed up against the cage. Voluspa has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Paco down to the mat. Paco avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Paco fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Voluspa, pushing him back against the cage.
Paco gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Voluspa.
Paco makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Paco struggles to land a body shot inside as Voluspa controls his hands.
Paco throws a punch but it's blocked by Voluspa.
Voluspa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Paco digs a right hand into Voluspa's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Voluspa's gas tank.

Voluspa jumps guard and drags Paco to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Paco not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Paco trying to control the position from guard on top but Voluspa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paco looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Voluspa throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Paco pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Voluspa is keeping the position for now.
Paco looking to sit in guard and control but Voluspa gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Voluspa scoring with punches to the head and body.
Voluspa wants to pass the guard but Paco is keeping the position.
Voluspa wants to control from the top but Paco keeps moving.
Paco pulls Voluspa in to control the position.
Paco wants to stand up but Voluspa is controlling him.
Voluspa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Voluspa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Paco utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Nori Voluspa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Paco misses with a few strikes there.
Voluspa changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Paco misses with a low kick.

Voluspa scores with a takedown into Paco's guard.
Voluspa with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Paco keeping moving, preventing Voluspa from controlling successfully.
Voluspa makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rico Paco showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Paco 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rico Paco!
After the fight, Rico Paco was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.