PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Santino Cabal (ranked 1210 p4p, 1065 weight class) and Paavali Kontiainen (ranked 185 p4p, 163 weight class). Paavali Kontiainen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cabal
vs
Kontiainen

182 cm
26
213
9 - 8 - 0

192 cm
31
212
15 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Northern Zombie

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Santino Cabal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Paavali Kontiainen!
The judges for this bout are Topper Green, Ron Honeybunn and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kontiainen connects with a body shot that sends Cabal's belly button to the back.
Cabal takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Kontiainen misses with a hook. Cabal ducked under it nicely.
A little feinted left hand from Cabal on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Kontiainen scores with a punch to the head.
Cabal takes a swing at Kontiainen's ribcage but misses.
Kontiainen jabs Cabal right on the nose. Cabal blinks but takes it well.
Kontiainen tests Cabal's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Cabal throws a leg kick
and Kontiainen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Cabal scoring well with a low kick there.
A low kick lands for Cabal.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good standup being displayed there by Cabal as he connects with a hook.
Kontiainen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cabal.
Kontiainen only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Kontiainen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Kontiainen scores with the left hand. Cabal knows he should have avoided that one.

Cabal is rocked!
Kontiainen lands a nice looking body kick.
Cabal looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Cabal throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cabal is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Oh Cabal is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cabal uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kontiainen.
Cabal throws a hook to the side of Kontiainen's head but Kontiainen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cabal seems to have got his legs back now.
Kontiainen has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Cabal lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kontiainen slips under a jab.
Kontiainen steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
A head kick by Cabal misses
and Cabal takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Cabal thuds a left hand into Kontiainen's body.
Cabal throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kontiainen tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Cabal is able to avoid easily.

Kontiainen cracks Cabal with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Cabal looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Kontiainen finish him?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kontiainen misses with a looping left.
Cabal is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
A lazy left from Cabal finds it's target.
Cabal throws a looping overhand right but Kontiainen ducks down to avoid it.
Cabal scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kontiainen doesn't seem bothered though.
Kontiainen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Cabal pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kontiainen is out of range and Cabal settles back down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cabal throws a head kick that misses.
Kontiainen moves out of range of the strikes.
Kontiainen scores with a kick to the midsection.
Cabal lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kontiainen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cabal.
Cabal throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kontiainen moves out of range as Cabal strikes.
Kontiainen is trying to counter with his kicks.
Kontiainen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Kontiainen ducks under a wild hook from Cabal.
Kontiainen is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Cabal had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Cabal swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Kontiainen counters with a right hand to the body.
Cabal misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kontiainen connects with a body shot.
A leg kick checked by Kontiainen.
Cabal throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kontiainen moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Cabal is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Cabal.
Kontiainen throws the left hand but Cabal avoids the punch easily.
Kontiainen swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cabal waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kontiainen.
Kontiainen is trying to counter with his kicks.
Cabal misses with an attempted mid kick.
Cabal throws a jab but it's blocked by Kontiainen.
It seemed like Kontiainen was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Cabal misses with a low kick.
The fighters circle momentarily. Kontiainen darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Santino Cabal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kontiainen blocks the body kick.
A punch lands to the side of Cabal 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Kontiainen checks a leg kick.
Kontiainen scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Good leg kick by Cabal.
Kontiainen has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A low kick lands for Kontiainen.
Kontiainen walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Cabal checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cabal throws a head kick but Kontiainen moves out of range.
Cabal throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kontiainen thows a left - swing and a miss!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cabal misses with a hook.
Cabal is looking to chop away at Kontiainen's legs.
Kontiainen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cabal cracks Kontiainen with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Kontiainen misses with a body shot.
Kontiainen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A shot to the body from Cabal misses
and Kontiainen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kontiainen takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kontiainen misses with a wild body shot.
Kontiainen looks to land a body kick but Cabal moved away.
Cabal wants to land a leg kick but Kontiainen is out of range.
Cabal moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Paavali Kontiainen dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cabal jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cabal takes a swing at Kontiainen's ribcage but misses.
Cabal tests Kontiainen's chin there with a solid looking shot.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Cabal might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Kontiainen.
Cabal fails to land with a series of punches.
The crowd cheers as Kontiainen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Cabal doesn't seem phased though.
Kontiainen scores with a nice body kick.

Kontiainen drops Cabal with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Cabal looks back up at him and smiles so Kontiainen waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
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!
Cabal closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kontiainen counters with a crisp right that sends Cabal to the canvas! Kontiainen follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paavali Kontiainen!
Paavali Kontiainen made sure to mention his sponsor, Northern Zombie in his post fight interview.