PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ray Malenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Darren Paddon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Malenko
vs
Paddon

182 cm
25
169 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

180 cm
26
175 lbs
8 - 6 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ray Malenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Darren Paddon!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Frank Dennis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Malenko throws an overhand right that lands on Paddon's shoulder, as Paddon tries to avoid the shot.
Paddon throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Malenko sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Malenko tries to score a power double leg takedown but Paddon sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Malenko somewhat.
Paddon misses with a right hand
and Malenko counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Malenko throws a right hand that Paddon ducks under and follows up with a left that Paddon also avoids with ease.
Paddon fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Malenko checks it well.
Malenko scores with a crisp jab that stopped Paddon in his tracks.
Paddon misses the body punch
and Malenko counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Paddon misses with a body shot.
Malenko paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Malenko scores with a jab.
Malenko shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Paddon as he jumps to the side.
Paddon now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Paddon swings for the body but Malenko moves out of range.
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!
Paddon clobbers Malenko with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paddon throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Malenko slips under a jab.
Malenko has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Shark Tank in the buildup to the fight.
Paddon is looking to land body kicks.
Paddon misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Malenko.
Darren Paddon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Paddon misses with a shot to the body
and Malenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Paddon tries to bum rush Malenko with a series of wild strikes but Malenko uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Paddon gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Paddon misses with a hook
and Malenko connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A nice leg kick lands there from Paddon.
No joy there for Paddon, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A big right from Paddon misses.
Paddon swings for the body but Malenko moves out of range.
Paddon showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Malenko.
Paddon is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Malenko rather than just go for the knockout.
Paddon throws an off balance right hand
and Malenko counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Paddon thinking.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Paddon misses with a hook

and Malenko counters with a shoot takedown. Paddon fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malenko passes Paddon's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Malenko is working for a submission of some sort.
Malenko trying to control the action but Paddon is working from the bottom.
Paddon wants to control but Malenko is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Paddon wants to improve his position but Malenko is controlling well.
Paddon is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Malenko scores with a couple of nice shots.
Malenko prevents Paddon from improving his position.
Paddon felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Malenko is keen to just control but Paddon is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malenko sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Paddon is trying to maintain the position but Malenko is very close to passing his half guard.
Malenko is keen to just control but Paddon is a slippery customer.
Malenko prevents Paddon from improving his position.
Paddon is still trying to improve position.

Malenko is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Malenko is pressing down on Paddon's thigh, looking to free his foot. Paddon is holding on for now.
Paddon wants to improve his position but Malenko is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Malenko seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Malenko is looking to advance position but Paddon won't allow it.
Malenko prevents Paddon from improving his position.
Paddon wants to control but Malenko is keeping busy.
Malenko is looking to advance position but Paddon won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Malenko dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Paddon jabs Malenko to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Malenko misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Paddon.
Paddon connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Paddon throws an overhand right that lands on Malenko's shoulder, as Malenko tries to avoid the shot.
Paddon ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Paddon takes a swing at Malenko's ribcage but misses.
Malenko lands with an overhand left.
Paddon throws a body shot but no joy.
Paddon throws a jab but it's blocked by Malenko.
Malenko misses with a looping right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed right hand from Paddon misses the target.
Malenko tests Paddon's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Paddon misses with an uppercut. Malenko saw that one coming.
A big right from Paddon misses.
Malenko lands a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Paddon, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Paddon throws a right hand that misses
and Malenko counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Paddon throws a combination that misses
and Malenko counters with a one-two to the body.
Paddon jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Paddon looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Malenko takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Paddon drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Ray Malenko is winning the standup battle so far.
Malenko bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Nice jab there from Malenko.
Malenko dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Malenko slips under a jab from Paddon.
Paddon tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Malenko swivels and escapes.
Malenko fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Paddon is breathing heavily.
Malenko dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Malenko is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Paddon can do to turn this around?
Paddon takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malenko slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Malenko lands with a shot to the body.
Malenko lands a nice looking body shot.
Paddon misses with a lunging right hand
letting Malenko counter with a right hand.
Malenko lands with a hook. Paddon tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Malenko connects with a nice looking jab.

Paddon is rocked!
Paddon looks to land a left hand but Malenko moved out of range nicely.
Malenko keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Malenko lands a really nice looking cross but Paddon seems unphased.
Paddon is still on wobbly legs! Can Malenko finish him?
Paddon darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Paddon misses with a wild combination.
Paddon seems to have recovered his senses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Paddon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paddon misses with a hook to the body
and Malenko counters with a nice uppercut.
Malenko throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Paddon has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Paddon throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Malenko sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Malenko works Paddon's body with a nice hook.

Malenko closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Paddon quickly recovers to half guard.
Malenko seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Paddon does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paddon is looking to improve his position.
Malenko is looking to advance position but Paddon won't allow it.
Malenko looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Malenko passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paddon working to try and regain half guard.
Malenko wants to control the pace but Paddon is squirming around nicely.
Malenko with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Malenko lands a heavy elbow.
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!
Malenko tries to control but Paddon wriggling away.

Malenko is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Paddon to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Paddon shrugs it off.
Malenko moves to the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Malenko dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Paddon throws a shot from downtown. Malenko moves away and avoids it.
An attempted straight right counter from Malenko misses the target.
Paddon blocks a jab.
Paddon shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Paddon misses with a hook
letting Malenko counter with a right hand.
Paddon ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Malenko on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Malenko connects with a jab.
Malenko connects with a crisp jab.
Malenko checks a low kick from Paddon.
Malenko takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Paddon connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Malenko's hands.
A slow jab from Paddon misses its intended target.
Paddon misses with a body kick.
Paddon misses with an uppercut
and Malenko counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A swing and a miss from Paddon.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paddon darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Malenko moves out of range of the strikes.
Some wild striking there from Malenko.
Malenko tries for a takedown but Paddon sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Paddon misses with a looping right.
Paddon lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Paddon throws a shot from downtown. Malenko moves away and avoids it.
Malenko moves out of range of the strikes.
Paddon fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Malenko checks it well.
Paddon waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Malenko.
Malenko appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Paddon takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Malenko keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Paddon takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Paddon swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Malenko counter with a right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Paddon shoots in for a takedown but Malenko shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Darren Paddon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Malenko fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Malenko lands with a hook. Paddon tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Malenko bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Paddon is being controlled here.

Malenko is trying to get an arm triangle but Paddon is defending well.
Paddon tries to improve position but can't.
Paddon is not content to let Malenko control the position.
Paddon regains half guard.
Ray Malenko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paddon is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Malenko takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Malenko wants to pass to mount but Paddon is defending the position.
Paddon makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Paddon.
Paddon 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.
Malenko sitting in guard here, content to control.
Malenko slips nicely into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Paddon wants to get back to full guard.
Malenko not doing much here.
Paddon is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Paddon is refusing to be controlled, as Malenko sits in half guard.
Malenko is pressing down on Paddon's thigh, looking to free his foot. Paddon is holding on for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ray Malenko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Malenko has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ray Malenko!
Our winner, Ray Malenko, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.