PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Akara Kongsangchai (ranked 23250 p4p, 4033 weight class) and Yellow Belt Casey (ranked 488 p4p, 372 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Kongsangchai
vs
Casey

169 cm
24
155
2 - 9 - 0

168 cm
23
143
5 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 2 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Akara Kongsangchai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yellow Belt Casey!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Hugh Johnson and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Casey will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kongsangchai fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Casey drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kongsangchai defends it well.
Casey slips a jab from Kongsangchai.
Casey 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.
A jab lands there for Casey.
Kongsangchai throws a head kick that misses.
It seemed like Casey was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Casey slips a jab and a cross from Kongsangchai.
Casey connects with a body shot that sends Kongsangchai's belly button to the back.
Kongsangchai scores with a crisp jab that stopped Casey in his tracks.

It looks like Yellow Belt Casey has been cut.
Kongsangchai tries to close the distance and clinch up but Casey swats him away and circles back towards the center.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Casey.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Kongsangchai enables Casey to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Kongsangchai manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Kongsangchai pushes Casey off and scrambles back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A big right from Casey misses.
Casey cracks Kongsangchai with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A punch combination from Kongsangchai misses.
Casey lunges at Kongsangchai with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Kongsangchai's hand.
Casey takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Kongsangchai tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Casey manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circle momentarily. Casey darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Kongsangchai throws a combination. Casey tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kongsangchai lands a nice hook to Casey's body. Casey takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Nice uppercut lands for Casey. That snapped Kongsangchai's head back.
Casey scores with a jab. Kongsangchai acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Kongsangchai clinches with his opponent.
Kongsangchai misses with a punch on the inside.
Casey is working for takedown but Kongsangchai is calmly controlling the position for now.
Kongsangchai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kongsangchai working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Casey jumps guard but Kongsangchai stands there with Casey around his waist. Casey gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kongsangchai working aggressively here.
A nice left hand lands by Kongsangchai.
Casey on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kongsangchai swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Casey gets a trip takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kongsangchai is staying active underneath Casey, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Casey is looking for a kimura here.

Kongsangchai has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Casey is on him like a limpet, forcing Kongsangchai back against the cage.
Kongsangchai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A nice left hand lands by Kongsangchai.
Kongsangchai swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kongsangchai misses with a punch on the inside.
Kongsangchai throws an elbow but it misses.
Kongsangchai lands a right hand that snaps the head of Casey backwards.
Kongsangchai makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Casey.
Our sources have told us that Kongsangchai has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Kongsangchai goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Casey tries to pull guard but Kongsangchai forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Akara Kongsangchai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yellow Belt Casey.
Kongsangchai throws a punch but it's blocked by Casey.
Kongsangchai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kongsangchai misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kongsangchai creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Casey's defenses.
Casey drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kongsangchai gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kongsangchai scores with a nice hook to the head.
Kongsangchai with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kongsangchai tries to work over Casey's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kongsangchai swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Casey blocks an uppercut.
Casey tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kongsangchai just stands there and leans against the cage.
Kongsangchai throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Caseys head.
Kongsangchai pushes Casey back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Casey blocking some punches.
Kongsangchai swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Casey is looking to take this one to the mat.
Kongsangchai has a couple of punches blocked by Casey.
Kongsangchai is leaning against Casey and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Kongsangchai misses with the head strike.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kongsangchai throws a knee to the head but misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kongsangchai pushes off an throws an elbow but Casey leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Casey is trying to drag Kongsangchai to the mat but Kongsangchai just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Kongsangchai lands a hook that snaps the head of Casey backwards.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Akara Kongsangchai dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Yellow Belt Casey's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Casey throws a big shot that misses.
Kongsangchai fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Kongsangchai throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Casey will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kongsangchai is looking to counter the offense by Casey and move into the clinch.
Kongsangchai throws a sloppy head kick and Casey moves out of range easily.
Kongsangchai throws a nice looking combination but Casey bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kongsangchai wants to clinch up but Casey keeps it at a distance.
Kongsangchai looks to land a left hand but Casey moved out of range nicely.
Kongsangchai walks into a left hand.
Kongsangchai tries to clinch but Casey moves away
and Casey counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kongsangchai throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Casey moves out of range as Kongsangchai strikes.
Kongsangchai tries to clinch but Casey is having none of it.
Casey lands with a cross.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kongsangchai cracks Casey with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Casey throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Casey blocks a head kick by Kongsangchai.
Casey might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Casey gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Kongsangchai throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Casey on the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kongsangchai throws a jab but it's blocked by Casey.
Kongsangchai throws a lazy uppercut
and Casey counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kongsangchai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Casey swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Casey swats away the attempt to clinch by Kongsangchai.
Casey fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Casey uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kongsangchai.
Kongsangchai takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Kongsangchai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Casey throws a lazy right hand but Kongsangchai sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Akara Kongsangchai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Casey ducks under a wild hook from Kongsangchai.
Kongsangchai tries to clinch up.
Casey uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kongsangchai.
Kongsangchai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Casey is looking to chop away at Kongsangchai's legs.
Casey lands the left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Kongsangchai misses.
Kongsangchai scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kongsangchai takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Kongsangchai closes the distance and pushes Casey back into the cage.
Casey blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Casey pulls Kongsangchai into guard.
Kongsangchai has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Kongsangchai stands up from Casey's guard - Kongsangchai perhaps looking for a knockout.
Casey on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Casey is rocked!
Casey displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kongsangchai throws out the jab.
Casey uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Akara Kongsangchai is winning the standup battle so far.
Kongsangchai connects with a body shot.
Kongsangchai throws a jab when Casey was well out of range.
Kongsangchai throws a nice looking combination but Casey bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Casey now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Kongsangchai rushes Casey and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kongsangchai has a couple of punches blocked by Casey.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kongsangchai lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Kongsangchai is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Casey can do to turn this around?
Kongsangchai tries a body shot but Casey blocks it.
Akara Kongsangchai has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Kongsangchai misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kongsangchai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kongsangchai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kongsangchai throws a punch but it's blocked by Casey.
Kongsangchai lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Casey backwards.

Casey turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Casey manages to end up in side control.

Casey tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Casey has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Kongsangchai throws Casey to one side and escapes!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Casey takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Kongsangchai ducks right into an uppercut from Casey.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kongsangchai misses with an uppercut
and Casey counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kongsangchai lands with an overhand left.
Kongsangchai throws a jab but it's blocked by Casey.
Casey throws a shot to the body.
Nice defenses there by Kongsangchai.

Kongsangchai closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Kongsangchai working aggressively here.
Kongsangchai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kongsangchai misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kongsangchai misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Casey.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kongsangchai.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kongsangchai tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Casey turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Casey manages to end up in side control.
Kongsangchai gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Akara Kongsangchai dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Yellow Belt Casey's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Kongsangchai throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kongsangchai doesn't manage to clinch there - Casey circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kongsangchai looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Casey goes for a double leg but Kongsangchai avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Kongsangchai continues to drive forward.

Kongsangchai has closed the distance and engaged Casey in a clinch.
Casey has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Kongsangchai after a bit of a struggle.
Casey blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kongsangchai misses with some punches.
Kongsangchai misses with a hook from the clinch.
Casey goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kongsangchai prevents it.
Akara Kongsangchai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yellow Belt Casey.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Casey blocks an uppercut.
Kongsangchai misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kongsangchai throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Casey blocks it with crossed arms.
Casey blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kongsangchai has a couple of punches blocked by Casey.

Casey has clasped his hands together around Kongsangchai's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Kongsangchai is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Casey working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Akara Kongsangchai overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Casey wants to control but Kongsangchai is keeping him busy.
Kongsangchai is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Casey has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Casey looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Casey tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Kongsangchai is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Casey has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Casey looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Kongsangchai throws Casey to one side and escapes!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Casey gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Kongsangchai.
Casey uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kongsangchai.
Kongsangchai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Casey ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Kongsangchai moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Kongsangchai jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Yellow Belt Casey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kongsangchai throws a nice looking combination but Casey bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Casey closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Casey is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kongsangchai is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Casey tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Kongsangchai stops Casey from passing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Casey trying to control the action but Kongsangchai is working from the bottom.

Casey is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Kongsangchai looks calm but he's in trouble here. Casey gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Kongsangchai is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Casey lets go of the hold and Kongsangchai can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Yellow Belt Casey!
During a confident post fight interview, Yellow Belt Casey thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.