PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Raivo Rape (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Byeongsuk Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kim has chosen Choi Hong Man-Beauty and the Beast as his entrance music. Byeongsuk Kim will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Rape
vs
Kim

170 cm
22
196 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

190 cm
23
195 lbs
14 - 6 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Heavy handed

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Raivo Rape!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 2, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Byeongsuk Kim!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kim bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rape's head.
Rape shoots for a double leg takedown but Kim sprawls well. He's pushed Rape's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rape changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Rape closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rape lands in his opponent's guard.
Rape trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rape accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rape trying to control but Kim is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rape thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rape trying to control but Kim is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rape moves forwards but Kim connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Kim clobbers Rape with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Rape fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kim slips a jab and a cross from Rape.
Kim looks to score with a jab to the body but Rape is just out of range.
Rape shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rape avoids the body shot from Kim.
Kim misses with a body punch

and Rape counters with a shoot takedown. Kim fights it but they end up in guard.
Rape stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kim swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kim wants to sweep here but Rape controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rape is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Kim is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Kim has escaped and now he's on top!
Kim passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rape tries to bench press Kim off him but Kim keeps the position.
Rape wants to control but Kim postures up.
Rape is being controlled here.

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.
Rape sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Rape is trying to maintain the position but Kim is very close to passing his half guard.
Kim is trying to control the action in half guard but Rape is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Rape looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rape tries to roll over but Kim keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rape tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Kim has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raivo Rape dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rape throws a hook to the side of Kim's head but Kim sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rape tries to bum rush Kim with a series of wild strikes but Kim uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Rape takes a body punch but keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kim tries to clinch there but Rape circles away.
Kim lands a glancing blow to the side of Rape's head.
Rape misses the body punch
and Kim counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rape fails with a takedown attempt.
A jab from Rape does it's job there.
Rape throws an overhand right that lands on Kim's shoulder, as Kim tries to avoid the shot.
Kim lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Rape lands a nice looking body shot.
Rape ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kim takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Kim is looking to clinch but Rape is avoiding it.
Kim scores with the left hand. Rape knows he should have avoided that one.
Raivo Rape is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kim fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rape.
Rape will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kim gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Rape.
Rape looks to score with a jab to the body but Kim is just out of range.
Rape shoots and misses
and Kim counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raivo Rape. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kim misses the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rape looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kim is controlling Rape's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Nice strikes from Rape there.
Rape thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kim's head.
Rape trying to control the pace.
Rape works his way into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim avoids a series of strikes thrown by Rape.
Kim is working to get back to half guard.
Rape lands a nice shot to the head.
Rape misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Rape looking to control but Kim is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rape 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.
Kim is trying desperately to improve position.
Kim is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Byeongsuk Kim will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Rape misses with a jab to the body
and Kim counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kim tries to move into range but Rape moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Kim has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Rape lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Rape smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Kim tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rape was well out of range. Poor timing from Kim.
Kim tries a head kick but it misses.
Rape swings and misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Rape misses the body punch
and Kim counters with a nice body kick.
Kim displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rape throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim throws a lazy right hand but Rape sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kim misses with a straight left.
Kim dips to his left and cracks Rape with an uppercut!
Rape fails with the takedown
and Kim counters with a thumping low kick.
Kim looks to throw the jab but Rape is out of range.
Kim looks to score with a jab to the body but Rape is just out of range.
Kim misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rape looks to throw the jab but Kim is out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rape.
Kim swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kim tries to close the distance and clinch but Rape swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rape moves away from the strike by Kim.
A shot to the body from Rape misses
and Kim counters with a nice leg kick.
Rape tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kim was well out of range. Poor timing from Rape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rape shoots in but Kim avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raivo Rape. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kim clinches.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A body shot lands from Kim.
Rape is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rape misses with a body punch.
Kim lands a right hand.
Kim tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kim slows down the pace here.
Kim misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rape drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kim gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rape struggles to land a body shot inside as Kim controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rape lands with a light punch inside.
Kim working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Good body shot from Rape.
Kim misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rape is leaning against Kim and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rape doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rape tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rape blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kim dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Kim misses with the head strike.
A left hand lands to the body for Rape.
Rape cracks Kim with a nice body shot.
Rape drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kim pulls his leg out and moves away.
Kim wants to clinch up but Rape keeps it at a distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Byeongsuk Kim comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kim has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!