PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Maldini (ranked 1247 p4p, 2515 weight class) and Delightful Panda (ranked 131 p4p, 250 weight class). Paulo Maldini has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Maldini
vs
Panda

181 cm
29
154
10 - 1 - 0

150 cm
20
155
4 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paulo Maldini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Delightful Panda!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Panda will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Panda shoots and misses
enabling Maldini to counter with a crisp jab.
Delightful Panda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Panda fails in his attempt to clinch.
Panda closes this distance looking for a takedown but Maldini circles away.
Paulo Maldini has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Delightful Panda.
Maldini works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Panda throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Maldini's waist but Maldini gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Panda off to one side.
Panda shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Maldini counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Maldini scores with a nice right hand.
Panda defending well as Maldini loads up on a big left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda wants to clinch.
Panda slips under a jab from Maldini.
Panda tries to clinch but Maldini moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maldini scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Paulo Maldini is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Maldini throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Panda moves into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Maldini's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Panda is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Maldini is defending well.
Maldini wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Maldini wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Panda has him pressed against the cage.
Panda tries to pull guard but Maldini forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Maldini breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Maldini misses with a straight right.

Panda has closed the distance and engaged Maldini in a clinch.
Panda tries to pull guard but Maldini forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Maldini is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Panda drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Maldini gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Panda fails to pull guard.
Maldini is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Maldini has had enough of the clinch but Panda keeps him there for the moment.
Maldini is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Maldini can't break the clinch.
Panda working hard to break the clinch.

Maldini's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Panda closes this distance looking for a takedown but Maldini circles away.
Maldini waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Panda.
Panda closes the distance but Maldini moves to the side
and Maldini counters with a straight right hand.
Panda doesn't manage to clinch there - Maldini circles away.
Panda with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maldini counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Panda keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Panda shoots in but Maldini avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Panda shoots in looking for a takedown. Maldini tries to sprawl out of it but Panda keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Maldini manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Panda takes one on the button.
Panda closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Maldini to counter with a crisp jab.
Panda closes the distance and clinches up with Maldini, looking for a takedown. Panda pushes Maldini against the cage but Maldini circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldini looks to score with a jab to the body but Panda is just out of range.
Panda has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Panda moves out of range of the strikes.
Maldini tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Panda was well out of range. Poor timing from Maldini.
And Panda tries to counter it with a takedown but Maldini pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Panda misses with a takedown attempt - Maldini sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Maldini is looking to counter punch.
Maldini dips to his left and cracks Panda with an uppercut!
Maldini connects with a jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Panda looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Maldini lands with a nice body punch.

Panda instigates a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Panda tries for a takedown but Maldini manages to get underhooks.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Maldini 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.

Maldini stuffs the takedown.

Panda gets a double leg takedown into Maldini's guard.
Panda trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Maldini will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Maldini keeping moving, preventing Panda from controlling successfully.
Maldini wants to stand up but Panda is controlling him.
Panda is stalling in the full guard.
Maldini is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Panda can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maldini keeping full guard, as Panda tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Panda is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Panda trying to control but Maldini is working from the bottom.
Panda engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Panda tries to clinch but Maldini is having none of it.
Panda shoots in looking for a takedown. Maldini tries to sprawl out of it but Panda keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Maldini manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A quick step to the side and Maldini tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.

Panda rushes Maldini and presses him up against the cage.

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.
Panda is trying to pull guard but Maldini turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Paulo Maldini has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Delightful Panda.
Panda is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Panda jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Maldini walks away with a smile on his face. Panda gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Panda tries for a takedown but Maldini sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Maldini appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Panda misses with a takedown
and Maldini counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Panda shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Maldini as he jumps to the side.
Maldini throwing a counter right hand but Panda manages to avoid it.
Panda on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Panda is looking to clinch but Maldini is avoiding it.
Panda tries to clinch
and Maldini counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Panda tries to close the distance and clinch but Maldini swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Panda looks for a takedown but Maldini sprawls well.
Maldini is looking for a counter combo.
Panda has his takedown stuffed
letting Maldini counter with a right hand.
Maldini keeps the fight on the outside.
Panda wants to clinch
and Maldini counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Panda shoots in looking for a takedown. Maldini tries to sprawl out of it but Panda keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Maldini manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Maldini swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Panda tries to close the distance and clinch but Maldini swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Panda tries for a takedown but Maldini circles away easily
and Maldini counters with a stiff right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Panda tries to clinch up.
Maldini moves into range and connects with a jab.
Maldini looks to land a combination but Panda avoids it well.
Panda tries for a takedown but Maldini circles away easily
and Maldini counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Panda tries to clinch but Maldini is having none of it.
Maldini seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Panda fails to land the takedown.
Panda gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Maldini counters with a left to the body.
Panda doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Maldini counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Delightful Panda is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
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!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Panda misses with a takedown attempt
and Maldini cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Panda darts in looking for a takedown but Maldini gets double underhooks and turns Panda into the cage.
Maldini is looking to counter punch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Maldini dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Panda looks to clinch
and Maldini counters with a stiff right hand.
Panda tries for a takedown but Maldini circles away easily
and Maldini connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Maldini scores with a jab.
Maldini misses with a looping left.
Maldini tests Panda's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nice takedown defense from Maldini. No joy for Panda on that attempt.
Maldini tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Panda was well out of range. Poor timing from Maldini.
Panda with the counter takedown but Maldini avoids it easily.
Maldini tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Panda was well out of range. Poor timing from Maldini.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Maldini.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Panda tries for a takedown but Maldini circles away easily
and Maldini counters with a series of strikes. Panda will be more careful next time no doubt.
Paulo Maldini has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Delightful Panda.
Panda tries for a takedown but Maldini circles away easily
and Maldini counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Panda.
Nice takedown defense from Maldini. No joy for Panda on that attempt.
Maldini throws out a powerful jab.
Maldini scores with a punch to the head.
Maldini circles away from the clinch attempt.
Panda looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Maldini connects with a jab.
Maldini lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Maldini.

Panda is rocked!
Panda takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Panda is still on wobbly legs! Can Maldini finish him?
Panda doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Panda looks up at the clock. Bad move! Maldini lands a right hand from hell, dropping Panda. Maldini pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paulo Maldini!
A determined Paulo Maldini didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!