PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paula Abdul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Janne Puikko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Abdul
vs
Puikko

177 cm
29
183 lbs
14 - 12 - 1

198 cm
22
196 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Paula Abdul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Janne Puikko!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Abdul closes the distance and lands a one-two.

It looks like Janne Puikko has been cut.
Puikko is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Abdul.
Puikko falls off balance throwing a combination
and Abdul counters with a stiff right hand.
Puikko attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Puikko tries to clinch up but Abdul circles away and keeps his distance.
Puikko attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
A big right from Puikko misses.
Puikko thows a body shot but no joy.
Puikko catches Abdul with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Abdul throws a sloppy body shot

and Puikko counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Puikko throwing strikes from guard but Abdul blocks nicely.
Abdul looking to control.
Puikko pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Abdul is keeping the position for now.
Puikko must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abdul wants to sweep but no luck.
Abdul controls Puikko momentarily but Puikko frees himself.
Abdul is really struggling to control Puikko but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Paula Abdul.
Abdul takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Puikko.
Puikko looks to land a body kick but Abdul moved away.
Abdul dodges the punch combination from Puikko.
Puikko walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Abdul checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Puikko fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Abdul manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puikko misses with a combination
and Abdul counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Puikko takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Puikko throws a nice looking combination but Abdul bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Puikko throws a sloppy head kick and Abdul moves out of range easily.
Puikko keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Puikko connects with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Abdul avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Abdul fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nice jab there from Puikko.
Janne Puikko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Puikko finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Abdul takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Abdul looks to land a left hand but Puikko moved out of range nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abdul throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Abdul lands a body shot.
Puikko throws a sloppy head kick and Abdul moves out of range easily.
Puikko has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Abdul uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Puikko.
Puikko misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Abdul.
Puikko takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Abdul uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Puikko.
The fighters circling - Abdul throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Abdul throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Abdul lands a body shot.
Abdul misses the shot to the body.
Abdul misses the jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puikko dodges the punch combination from Abdul.
Abdul misses with a wild body shot.
Puikko looks to throw the jab but Abdul is out of range.
Abdul connects with a single shot there.
Abdul displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Puikko throws out the jab.
Abdul ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Puikko moves away.
A left and a right from Abdul both land. Nice combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Abdul misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Abdul uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Puikko.
Puikko looks to land a right hand but Abdul moved out of range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Puikko. That's going to slow Abdul down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paula Abdul will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Janne Puikko's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Abdul scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Abdul defending well as Puikko loads up on a big left hand.
Paula Abdul is winning the standup battle so far.
Abdul avoids the body shot from Puikko.
Abdul ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Abdul throws a body punch but Puikko moves out of range.
Puikko avoids the body shot from Abdul.
Puikko gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Abdul.
Abdul throws a right hand that Puikko ducks under and follows up with a left that Puikko also avoids with ease.
Abdul misses with a body shot.
Puikko is looking to chop away at Abdul's legs.
Nice uppercut there from Puikko.
Puikko misses with a body kick.
Paula Abdul is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Abdul throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puikko throws a hook to the side of Abdul's head but Abdul sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Puikko throws a jab when Abdul was well out of range.
Abdul misses with a straight right.
Abdul just misses with a punch to the body.
Puikko just misses with a punch to the body.
Puikko throws a leg kick but Abdul moved away.
Abdul scores with a three punch combo!
Puikko slips under a jab from Abdul.
Puikko misses with a low kick.
Abdul connects with the punch.
Puikko lands a lovely overhand right.
Abdul is looking to wear down Puikko with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Abdul misses with a wild body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puikko avoids the body shot from Abdul.
Puikko avoids the body shot from Abdul.
Puikko misses with a straight left.
Abdul throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Puikko lands with a shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Abdul swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Abdul missing with a left hand there. Puikko was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Puikko lands an overhand right.
Puikko throws a hook but Abdul avoids it easily.
Abdul swings for the body but Puikko moves out of range.
Abdul takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abdul misses the shot to the body.
Abdul throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Abdul throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Puikko slips a straight right by Abdul.
Puikko moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Abdul avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Abdul misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Puikko.
Puikko avoids the body shot from Abdul.
Abdul throws a good cross that connects.
Abdul walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Puikko fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Abdul manages to avoid it.
Puikko scores with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puikko misses with a straight left.
Abdul looks to score with a jab to the body but Puikko is just out of range.
Puikko throws a shot from downtown. Abdul moves away and avoids it.
Abdul misses with a double jab.
Puikko misses with a looping left.
Puikko uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Abdul.
Puikko works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Abdul throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Puikko misses with a hook
and Abdul counters with a nice body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Puikko takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Puikko lands a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Paula Abdul will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Janne Puikko's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Abdul thows a body shot but no joy.
Abdul keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A jab from Abdul does it's job there.
Abdul slips under a jab from Puikko.
Puikko lands a nice hook to Abdul's body. Abdul takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Abdul throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Abdul blocks a head kick by Puikko.
Puikko misses with a looping right.
Abdul lands a jab to Puikko's midsection.
Puikko takes a body punch but keeps moving.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
A nice inside leg kick there by Puikko. That's going to slow Abdul down.
Abdul just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puikko tries to bum rush Abdul with a series of wild strikes but Abdul uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Abdul sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Puikko looks to land a right hand but Abdul moved out of range.
Puikko throws a body kick that misses.
Puikko avoids the body shot from Abdul.
Abdul connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Puikko momentarily.
Puikko thumps Abdul with a low kick.
Puikko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Puikko on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Abdul misses with a double jab.
Abdul misses with a body shot
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Janne Puikko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Puikko tries to clinch up but Abdul circles away and keeps his distance.
Abdul misses with a jab, cross combination.
Abdul throws the left hand but Puikko avoids the punch easily.
Abdul moves into range and connects with a jab.
Abdul misses with a hook. Puikko ducked under it nicely.
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!
Puikko fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Abdul manages to avoid it.
Abdul misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Puikko.
Abdul throws a body punch but Puikko moves out of range.
Puikko throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Abdul to counter with a crisp jab.
Puikko ducks under a wild hook from Abdul.
Abdul throws a body punch but Puikko moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Abdul scores with a body shot.
Nice shot lands for Abdul.
Abdul misses with a straight left.
Abdul bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Puikko misses with an uppercut.
Paula Abdul is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Puikko lands a nice looking body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Puikko misses the shot to the body.
Puikko slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A bone on bone clash there as Abdul blocks the leg kick.
Abdul connects with a looping right hand.
Puikko thows a body shot but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puikko throws a right and a left that Abdul avoids nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Abdul moves away from the strike by Puikko.
Abdul avoids the body shot from Puikko.
An inside leg kick from Puikko misses.
A left lands for Abdul.
Puikko takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Puikko looks for the body kick but Abdul saw that one coming.
Abdul swings for the body but Puikko moves out of range.
Abdul throws a body punch but Puikko moves out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Puikko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Abdul.
Abdul lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Janne Puikko.
I think Abdul 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paula Abdul!
Paula Abdul thanked the fans post fight for their support.