PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Paul Hunt (ranked 565 p4p, 85 weight class) and Manu Ahonen (ranked 320 p4p, 48 weight class). Ahonen is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: For Heavy Metal we will die!. Manu Ahonen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hunt
vs
Ahonen

188 cm
28
177 lbs
18 - 11 - 1

182 cm
27
170 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Red Light Coffeeshop
Aspire Clothing

Bullet Proof System

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 18 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Paul Hunt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Manu Ahonen!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ahonen blocks a jab.
Ahonen will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Hunt scoring well with a low kick there.
Ahonen tries to land a leg kick but Hunt saw it coming and moves away.
Ahonen looks to throw the jab but Hunt is out of range.
Ahonen misses with a body punch
and Hunt counters with a straight right hand.
Ahonen looks to throw the jab but Hunt is out of range.
Hunt appears to be looking for a big counter.
Hunt tries a head kick but it misses.
Ahonen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hunt is looking to counter with head kicks.
Hunt throws a right and a left that Ahonen avoids nicely.
Hunt uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ahonen.
An attempted straight right counter from Hunt misses the target.
Ahonen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hunt throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ahonen misses with an uppercut
and Hunt counters with a low kick, right behind Ahonen 's knee.
Hunt lands a right hook to the body.
Ahonen darts in trying to clinch

and Hunt counters with a single leg into guard. Ahonen didn't expect that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ahonen is looking for a triangle but Hunt pushes his legs off easily.
Ahonen trying to keep a closed guard but Hunt is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hunt pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ahonen is keeping the position for now.
Hunt working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hunt slips nicely into half guard.
Hunt not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Hunt is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ahonen sees it coming and defends easily.
Hunt missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ahonen is trying to get back to full guard.
Ahonen is trying to maintain the position but Hunt is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ahonen manages to get to full guard.

Hunt thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hunt slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Hunt is trying to get an arm triangle but Ahonen is defending well.
Ahonen is trying to improve his position.
Hunt throws a strike aimed at the side of Ahonen's head but Ahonen avoids it well.
Hunt scoring with punches from side control.
Ahonen is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Hunt's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunt seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Hunt is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Ahonen has managed to free his arm - good work.
Ahonen regains full guard. Nicely done.

Ahonen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ahonen looking for a sweep. Not yet Ahonen, not yet.
Hunt wants to control from the top but Ahonen keeps moving.
Ahonen wants to sweep here but Hunt controlling him for the moment.
Hunt cracks Ahonen with a solid left hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hunt makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ahonen 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunt is looking to work some ground and pound but Ahonen has wrist control.
Hunt wants to pass the guard but Ahonen is keeping the position.
Hunt content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hunt trying to control but Ahonen is working from the bottom.
Hunt stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ahonen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hunt passes Ahonen's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Hunt passes to side control.
Ahonen defending against the ground and pound.
Hunt throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Ahonen is trying to improve his position.

Hunt wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ahonen, who protects the arm well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Hunt dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ahonen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hunt.
Ahonen throws a lazy uppercut
and Hunt counters with a slapping leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Ahonen.
Ahonen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hunt.
Hunt swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

Hunt moves into the clinch.
Ahonen tries to break the clinch but Hunt is controlling the position.
Ahonen throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ahonen.
Hunt tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ahonen's elbow.
Ahonen is trying to break the clinch but Hunt has him pressed against the cage.
Ahonen lands a right hand.
Ahonen has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hunt tries a body shot but Ahonen blocks it.
Hunt blocking some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ahonen lands a shoulder strike.
Hunt tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Ahonen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ahonen on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Hunt looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Hunt is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ahonen can do to turn this around?
Ahonen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ahonen connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Ahonen moves out of range as Hunt strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahonen feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Hunt's calf.
Ahonen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hunt sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A counter left hand to the body from Hunt misses its target.

Hunt instigates a clinch.
Hunt misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ahonen tries to throw a body punch but Hunt avoids it by throwing Ahonen back against the cage.
Ahonen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hunt throws a punch but it's blocked by Ahonen.
Hunt blocking some punches.
Ahonen misses with a punch on the inside.
Ahonen misses with a body punch.
Hunt can't find room to land a body shot as Ahonen controls the action.

Ahonen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice uppercut there from Ahonen.
Hunt throws a good cross that connects.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hunt looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hunt misses with a body shot.
Ahonen throws a lazy uppercut
and Hunt counters with an outside leg kick.
Manu Ahonen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hunt throws a body punch but Ahonen moves out of range.
Hunt avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ahonen lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A jab from Ahonen misses.
Hunt scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Hunt jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hunt doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Hunt bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hunt closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ahonen circles away.
Ahonen throws the left hand but Hunt avoids the punch easily.
Hunt checks the leg kick.

Ahonen rushes Hunt and presses him up against the cage.
Hunt goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hunt.
Ahonen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hunt misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ahonen tries to throw a body punch but Hunt avoids it by throwing Ahonen back against the cage.
Ahonen lands a nice uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ahonen.
Hunt throws a head punch that misses.

Ahonen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahonen does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hunt throws a body shot but no joy.
Ahonen throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Ahonen motions for Hunt to come forward. Ahonen throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Nice defenses there by Hunt.
Hunt feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Hunt throws a good cross that connects.
Ahonen moves into range and connects with a jab.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Ahonen lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Hunt has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Hunt and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Ahonen throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
As Ahonen backs away, Hunt returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Ahonen throws a right and a left that Hunt avoids nicely.
Ahonen lands a leg kick that knocks Hunt off balance momentarily.
Ahonen is looking to slow Hunt down with leg kicks.
Ahonen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Hunt checks a leg kick nicely.
Manu Ahonen seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Ahonen tries to sprawl but Hunt drives through with a takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hunt sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ahonen defending well though.
Ahonen taking some punishment here, with Hunt in his half guard.
Ahonen is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunt wants to control but Ahonen is keeping him busy.
Ahonen is looking to improve his position.
Hunt trying to control the action but Ahonen is working from the bottom.
Hunt missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hunt missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hunt is pressing down on Ahonen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ahonen is holding on for now.
Hunt is working hard here to advance position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Hunt lands a nice short elbow.
Ahonen tries to get to full guard but Hunt has control of the leg.
Ahonen is doing well to control the position and prevent Hunt from advancing to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Manu Ahonen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Ahonen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hunt throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Ahonen throws a jab but it's blocked by Hunt.
Ahonen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Hunt darts in and clinches Ahonen up against the cage.
Ahonen tries a body shot but Hunt blocks it.
Ahonen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ahonen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hunt working aggressively here.
Still in the clinch, Ahonen scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hunt working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Hunt lands with a short shot to the head.
Hunt blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hunt scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Hunt takes a shot to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ahonen blocks an uppercut.
Manu Ahonen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Ahonen gets through Hunt's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hunt takes a shot to the head.
Hunt lands a left hand.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hunt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hunt.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hunt.
Hunt throws a punch but it's blocked by Ahonen.
Still in the clinch, Ahonen scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hunt scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ahonen can't find room to land a body shot as Hunt controls the action.
A head punch on the inside from Ahonen fails to land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hunt.
Ahonen gets through Hunt's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short uppercut from Ahonen.
Still in the clinch, Hunt scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hunt lands with a light punch inside.

Hunt has clasped his hands together around Ahonen's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hunt scores with punches from side control.
Hunt trying to control the action but Ahonen is working from the bottom.
Hunt working the ground and pound.
Hunt has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunt trying to control the action but Ahonen is working from the bottom.

Hunt looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ahonen avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hunt.
Hunt working the body and head with strikes.
Ahonen is trying to control Hunt's posture but Hunt avoids it.
Ahonen is looking to reverse the position.
Ahonen sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Ahonen wants to control but Hunt is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hunt working over Ahonen with some ground and pound. Ahonen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ahonen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ahonen.
Ahonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ahonen has momentary wrist control but Hunt slips an elbow through the middle.

Ahonen is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hunt stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ahonen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Ahonen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Hunt chips away with some ground and pound.

Ahonen has his foot on Hunt's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hunt works his way back into a safe position though.
Ahonen trying to keep a closed guard but Hunt is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunt scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hunt with a nice head shot there.
Hunt slips nicely into half guard.
Ahonen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Paul Hunt overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hunt working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Hunt lands with a punch from half guard.
Hunt passes to side control.
Ahonen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Hunt working the head and body with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Hunt showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hunt 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Hunt!
Paul Hunt managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Aspire Clothing, into his post fight interview.