PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Maldini (ranked 1113 p4p, 1828 weight class) and Spencer Williams (ranked 121 p4p, 192 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Maldini
vs
Williams

181 cm
31
154
12 - 2 - 0

172 cm
25
140
9 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Powerful

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 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Paulo Maldini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Spencer Williams!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Leandro Rodrigues and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maldini throws a right hand that misses
and Williams counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Maldini with a jab.
Williams misses the body punch
and Maldini connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Williams cracks a nice hook into Maldini's ribs.
Maldini throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Williams to counter with a crisp jab.
Maldini looks to score with a jab to the body but Williams is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maldini goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Williams keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maldini.
And Williams tries to counter it with a takedown but Maldini pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Williams steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Maldini.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maldini staying out of range there.
Williams throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Maldini throwing a counter right hand but Williams manages to avoid it.
Williams lands a glancing blow to the side of Maldini's head.
A jab from Maldini misses.
Williams throws out a counter right but Maldini avoids it with no problem.
Maldini looks to land a right hand but Williams moved out of range.
Williams drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Maldini defends it well.
Maldini comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Maldini digs a good body shot into Williams's ribs.
Maldini throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Williams throws a jab but it's blocked by Maldini.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Maldini.
Williams is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Maldini has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Average Joe�s Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Paulo Maldini seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Williams ducks under a wild hook from Maldini.
Williams tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Maldini tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Williams was well out of range. Poor timing from Maldini.
Williams changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Williams slips under a jab from Maldini.
Maldini throws a poor cross that misses
and Williams counters with a stiff right hand.
Maldini displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Williams keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maldini.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maldini throws a left and a right that both miss

and Williams counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Maldini!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maldini bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Maldini looks to land a right hand but Williams moved out of range.
Williams uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maldini.
Maldini throws a poor cross that misses
and Williams counters with a nice uppercut.
Maldini scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Maldini uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Williams.
Williams throws out a powerful jab.
Williams moves out of range of the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maldini misses with a few strikes there.
Maldini smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Williams moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maldini moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Maldini misses with a jab, cross combination.
Williams looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Maldini showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Williams.
Maldini is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Donk. Maldini catches Williams right on the button with a cross.
Maldini throws a poor cross that misses
and Williams counters with a left and a right that stings Maldini.
Maldini scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A big right from Maldini misses.
Despite the aggression on Williams's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Maldini misses with a right hand
and Williams counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Maldini throws a right hand that Williams ducks under and follows up with a left that Williams also avoids with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Maldini tries to keep at a distance but Williams has taken the fight into the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Maldini has had enough of the clinch but Williams keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Williams fails to land.

Williams's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Williams takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Maldini pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Maldini misses with a lunging right hand
and Williams counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Maldini thinking.
Paulo Maldini is winning the standup battle so far.
Maldini misses with a wild body shot.
Maldini lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Williams at a distance.
Williams slips under a jab from Maldini.
Williams throws out a counter right but Maldini avoids it with no problem.
Maldini throws a left and a right that both miss
and Williams counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams avoids a punch combination nicely.
A little jabbing left from Williams on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Williams moves out of range of the strikes.
Maldini looks to land a left hand but Williams moved out of range nicely.
Maldini throws a good cross that connects.
Maldini waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Williams.
Maldini is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Williams can do to turn this around?
Maldini lands with a shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Williams moves out of range of the strikes.
Williams changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maldini throws a shot from downtown. Williams moves away and avoids it.
Williams fails with an attempt to clinch.
Williams staying out of range there.
A swing and a miss from Maldini.

Williams gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Maldini wants to get back to striking at distance but Williams won't allow it.
Maldini is trying to force a seperation but Williams has the dominant position.
Williams goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A right hook to the body lands for Williams.
Williams working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams 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. Williams gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Williams misses with a double jab
enabling Maldini to counter with a crisp jab.
Williams has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Williams blocks a jab.
Maldini lands with an uppercut that bounces Williams off the cage and back into range.
Williams throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Maldini closes the distance but Williams moves to the side
and Williams counters with a right hand to the body.
Williams misses with a takedown attempt
and Maldini counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Maldini dominated that second round.
That's time! Maldini's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Williams misses with a jab to the body
and Maldini counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maldini swings for the body but Williams moves out of range.
Maldini slips under a jab.
Maldini moves out of range as Williams strikes.
Maldini seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Maldini is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Maldini misses with a hook. Williams ducked under it nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Maldini. Those never looked like landing.
Williams looks like he wants to counter punch here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maldini throws the left hand but Williams avoids the punch easily.
Williams tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Maldini is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Williams.
Maldini ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Williams moves away.
Williams changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Maldini.
Maldini throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Williams sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Paulo Maldini is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Maldini misses with an uppercut. Williams saw that one coming.
Williams throws a counter combo.
Williams on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Williams uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maldini.
Williams drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Maldini defends it well.
Williams throws a right and a left that Maldini avoids nicely.
Maldini missing with a left hand there. Williams was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Spencer Williams has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maldini misses with a body punch

and Williams counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Williams slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Williams cracks Maldini with a big right hand but Maldini just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Williams working the ground and pound from side control.
Williams trying to control the position but Maldini is working away.
Williams misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Williams misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Williams tries to advance to mount but can't.
Williams has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Williams creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Maldini sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams tries to move to mount but Maldini blocks the move with his legs.
Maldini knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Williams on the ground.
Williams looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Maldini is avoiding damage well.
Maldini prevents Williams from moving into mount.

Williams looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Williams tries to advance to mount but Maldini denies him.
Williams is still trying to improve position.
Maldini dodges the ground and pound from Williams.
Maldini on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Maldini tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams working the strikes but Maldini uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Williams not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Maldini is not content to let Williams control the position.
Williams throwing shots but Maldini is blocking nicely.
Williams thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Williams is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Maldini defends it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Williams lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

And that's the end of the fight!
Spencer Williams comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Maldini 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Paulo Maldini!
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight for Paulo Maldini!
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight for Paulo Maldini!

Paulo Maldini wins by unanimous decision!
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!