PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Choi Yong Sool (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Slapper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yong Sool kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Yangyu Conspiracy. Slapper is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by beep beep i'm a jeep. 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.

Yong Sool
vs
Slapper

172 cm
21
177 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Good gas tank

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Choi Yong Sool!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Billy Slapper!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Slapper. No joy for Yong Sool on that attempt.
Slapper walks into a left hand.
Yong Sool blocks a low kick nicely.
Slapper stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Slapper wants it to stay on the feet.

Yong Sool shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Slapper is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yong Sool is aware though and is defending well.
Yong Sool stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Slapper swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Slapper escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Yong Sool gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Slapper seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Yong Sool wants to control from the top but Slapper keeps moving.
Yong Sool not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yong Sool advances to half guard.

Yong Sool is trying to work for a kimura but Slapper is defending well.
Yong Sool trying to advance position but Slapper counters by regaining guard.
Yong Sool pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Slapper is keeping the position for now.
Yong Sool trying to control but Slapper is working from the bottom.
Yong Sool stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Slapper swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Yong Sool trying to control but Slapper is working from the bottom.
Yong Sool passes Slapper's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Yong Sool tries to pass to full mount but Slapper defends it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Slapper looks to score with a jab to the body but Yong Sool is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yong Sool shoots in but Slapper avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Choi Yong Sool. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Slapper!
Yong Sool shoots in for a double leg but Slapper sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Slapper stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Slapper wants it to stay on the feet.
Slapper ducks under a wild hook from Yong Sool.
Yong Sool throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Slapper's waist but Slapper gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Yong Sool off to one side.
Yong Sool is breathing heavily.

Slapper shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Slapper was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Slapper controlling the position easily from mount.
Slapper avoids the attempt from Yong Sool to control.
Slapper cracks Yong Sool with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Slapper looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Yong Sool tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Yong Sool is squirming around, avoiding Slapper's attempts to control the action.
Yong Sool is trying to reverse the position but instead Slapper has taken his back - oops!
Yong Sool just trying to survive but Slapper is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Yong Sool turns into Slapper and is now in his guard.

Slapper had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yong Sool defends it easily.
Yong Sool trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Billy Slapper will probably get the nod.
That's time! Yong Sool's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Slapper throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Yong Sool stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Yong Sool gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Slapper makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Yong Sool shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Yong Sool passes to full mount!
Yong Sool can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Slapper is looking to escape.
Slapper is bucking up trying to escape but Yong Sool cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Yong Sool is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Slapper is surviving well by controlling Yong Sool's body position as best he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yong Sool wants to control the pace but Slapper is squirming around nicely.
Slapper can't escape the position.
Slapper tries to hold on but Yong Sool pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Slapper sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Slapper wants to control but Yong Sool is keeping busy.
Yong Sool is looking to take a break and control but Slapper is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Yong Sool looking for a submission but Slapper manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Yong Sool trying to control the position from guard on top but Slapper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Yong Sool misses with a takedown attempt
and Slapper counters with a straight right hand.

Yong Sool shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Slapper napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Slapper regains half guard there - taking advantage of Yong Sool's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Yong Sool is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Yong Sool seems to be looking for submissions.
Slapper wants to control but Yong Sool is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yong Sool trying to control from half guard but Slapper is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yong Sool is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Slapper is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Yong Sool is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Yong Sool fails with the takedown

and Slapper counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Yong Sool's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Choi Yong Sool. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yong Sool keeping moving, preventing Slapper from controlling successfully.
Yong Sool working a defensive guard here.
Slapper slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Billy Slapper will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Yong Sool scores with a sloppy right hand. Slapper should have avoided that one.
Yong Sool doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Slapper counters with a single leg into guard. Yong Sool didn't expect that.

Yong Sool working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Slapper doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Slapper manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Slapper looking to pass the guard.
Slapper is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Yong Sool tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Yong Sool is looking for a triangle but Slapper pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Yong Sool had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Slapper defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slapper passes Yong Sool's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Yong Sool is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Slapper pulls his head out easily.
Yong Sool is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Slapper scores with a couple of nice shots.
Well, if Slapper is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Slapper has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Slapper scoring with strikes but Yong Sool is staying in there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yong Sool is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Slapper tries to control but Yong Sool wriggling away.
Yong Sool has given up his back here. Will Slapper look for the submission or keep pounding away?
Slapper just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Yong Sool is keeping busy.
Yong Sool manages to reverse the position and now he's in Slapper's guard. Nice work there by Yong Sool.
Yong Sool tries to free his leg and advance position but Slapper is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yong Sool slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Yong Sool trying to control but Slapper is working from the bottom.

Yong Sool drops back, looking for a kneebar! Slapper looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Slapper looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Slapper!
Yong Sool is trying to improve his position.

Slapper tries for a kimura but Yong Sool is defending well.
Choi Yong Sool has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yong Sool sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Yong Sool wants to improve his position but Slapper is controlling well.
Slapper sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Yong Sool regains full guard. Nicely done.
Slapper tries to free his leg and advance position but Yong Sool is retaining full guard.
Yong Sool looking for a sweep. Not yet Yong Sool, not yet.

Yong Sool looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Slapper trying to control the position from guard on top but Yong Sool is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Billy Slapper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Slapper sitting in guard here, content to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Billy Slapper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Slapper has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Billy Slapper!