PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jari Lehtonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Byeongsuk Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Kim's choice of entrance music: Choi Hong Man-Beauty and the Beast. 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.

Lehtonen
vs
Kim

190 cm
24
187 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

190 cm
24
195 lbs
14 - 7 - 3

Good wrestling
Great elbows
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 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jari Lehtonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Byeongsuk Kim!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Leandro Rodrigues and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lehtonen throws a push kick but Kim slaps the foot to one side.
Lehtonen looks to land a body kick but Kim moved away.
Kim moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Kim with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Lehtonen to score with a decent uppercut.
Lehtonen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lehtonen misses with a kick to the body.
Lehtonen takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A good leg kick by Kim.
Kim keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Decent striking displayed by Lehtonen there.

It looks like Byeongsuk Kim has been cut.
Lehtonen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kim avoids the body shot from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen cracks the inside of Kim's front leg.
Byeongsuk Kim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kim throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Lehtonen on the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lehtonen misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kim goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Kim sizes up Lehtonen with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Lehtonen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Lehtonen lands a head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lehtonen manages to avoid it.
Lehtonen slips under a jab.
Lehtonen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kim misses with a body shot
and Lehtonen makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Kim really felt that one!
Lehtonen scores with a nice body kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Lehtonen.
A leg kick checked by Kim.
Lehtonen connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
A leg kick checked by Kim.
A jab from Lehtonen misses.
Kim avoids the head kick by Lehtonen.
Kim keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Lehtonen blocks a jab.
Kim fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Lehtonen misses with a head kick.
Kim takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lehtonen tries to move into range but Kim moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Kim throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jari Lehtonen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kim swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lehtonen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Kim scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kim attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Kim lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

It looks like Jari Lehtonen has been cut.
Kim darts in trying to clinch
and Lehtonen counters with an outside leg kick.
Lehtonen walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Kim checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Lehtonen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kim misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lehtonen.

Kim shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Kim showed some decent athleticism there.
Kim trying to mount his opponent but Lehtonen defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Lehtonen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kim is working away from the top position though.
Lehtonen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kim trying to control the pace.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kim throws a jab when Lehtonen was well out of range.
Lehtonen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Lehtonen misses with a leg kick
and Kim counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Kim on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Lehtonen. Lehtonen obviously looking to wear him down.
Lehtonen lands with a thumping leg kick.
Lehtonen scoring well with a low kick there.
Lehtonen misses with a body punch
letting Kim counter with a right hand.
Kim throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lehtonen's waist but Lehtonen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kim off to one side.
Kim keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lehtonen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lehtonen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lehtonen just misses with a punch to the body.
Kim is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Lehtonen had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A jab lands there for Kim.
Kim tries to clinch there but Lehtonen circles away.
Nice body punch from Kim.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jari Lehtonen will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A head kick by Lehtonen misses
enabling Kim to counter with a crisp jab.
Kim lands with a nice body punch.
Kim uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lehtonen misses with the body kick
and Kim counters with a stiff right hand.
Kim steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Kim lands a jab to the head.
Lehtonen throws a shot from downtown. Kim moves away and avoids it.
Kim tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Lehtonen counters with a leg kick.
Lehtonen throws a leg kick that is checked
letting Kim counter with a right hand.
Lehtonen has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Kim throws a body punch but Lehtonen moves out of range.
Lehtonen throws a leg kick that is checked
and Kim counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kim takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Kim thuds a left hand into Lehtonen's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Lehtonen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kim.
Lehtonen slaps away a takedown attempt from Kim, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lehtonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Kim.
Lehtonen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kim manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kim scores with a body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kim keeps the fight on the outside.
Lehtonen connects with a nice looking jab.
Lehtonen doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kim looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kim misses the shot to the body.
Lehtonen scores with a leg kick.
Kim throws a sloppy body shot
and Lehtonen counters with an outside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kim. Kim obviously looking to wear him down.
Lehtonen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lehtonen thows a leg kick but Kim checks it
and Kim counters with a right hand to the body.

Kim has taken the fight to the clinch.
Come on Kim - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Kim presses Lehtonen against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lehtonen throws an elbow but misses.
A shot in the inside from Kim.
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!
Lehtonen pushes off an throws an elbow but Kim leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Kim has Lehtonen pushed against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Kim.
Kim has Lehtonen pressed against the cage.
Kim lands a right hand.
Kim works on Lehtonen's body with a couple of short punches.
Kim throws a punch but it's blocked by Lehtonen.
Kim on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kim's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Kim lands a hook that snaps the head of Lehtonen backwards.
A left hand lands to the body for Kim.
Kim lands with a light punch inside.
Kim is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kim lands a right hand.
Lehtonen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kim lands with a right to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kim.
Kim working aggressively here.
Lehtonen throws an elbow that misses.
Kim presses Lehtonen against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Kim doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short uppercut from Kim.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lehtonen throws an elbow but misses.
Kim lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Lehtonen.
Kim avoiding damage.
A short right from Lehtonen.
Kim lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lehtonen backwards.
Lehtonen is looking to control Kim's arms but Kim gets an underhook and turns him. Now Lehtonen has his back to the cage.
Kim blocks a punch to the side of the head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lehtonen throws an elbow but misses.
Kim lands a left hand that snaps the head of Lehtonen backwards.
Lehtonen throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Kim swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A body shot lands from Kim.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim works on Lehtonen's body with a couple of short punches.
Lehtonen blocks an uppercut.
A right hook to the body lands for Kim.
Lehtonen blocking some punches.
Lehtonen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Kim working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Kim fails to land.
Kim lands a body punch.
Lehtonen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short right from Kim on the inside.
Kim lands a right hand.
Kim gets through Lehtonen's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short left from Kim.
Lehtonen can't find room to land a body shot as Kim controls the action.
Lehtonen missing with knees to the body.
Kim lands a left hand.

Lehtonen is rocked!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kim.
Oh Lehtonen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
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!
Kim lands with a light punch inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kim stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Kim lands a nice uppercut.
Kim pushes Lehtonen back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Lehtonen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Byeongsuk Kim seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Lehtonen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Kim lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Byeongsuk Kim showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Kim connects with a body shot.
Lehtonen throws a leg kick
and Kim counters with a low kick, right behind Lehtonen 's knee.
Kim lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Lehtonen closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kim counters with a thumping low kick.
Lehtonen seems to have got his legs back now.

Kim closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Lehtonen to the mat! Lehtonen manages to get full guard.
Kim throwing strikes but missing.
Kim throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kim with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lehtonen looking for a sweep. Not yet Lehtonen, not yet.
Kim trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kim controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Kim wants to control from the top but Lehtonen keeps moving.

Byeongsuk Kim has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Lehtonen uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kim.
Kim lands a lovely overhand right.
Kim ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lehtonen moves away.
Lehtonen misses with a hook. Kim ducked under it nicely.
Byeongsuk Kim seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kim throws a lazy right hand but Lehtonen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lehtonen looks to land a right hand but Kim moved out of range.

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.
Kim uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Kim scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Lehtonen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Kim checks it well.
Lehtonen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Jab from Kim.
Kim connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Lehtonen tries to land a front kick but Kim steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Kim moves into the clinch successfully.
Kim tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lehtonen landing knees to the head.
The referee is keeping an eye on Kim - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lehtonen.
Lehtonen swings wildly with an uppercut but Kim uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lehtonen lands a nice elbow.
Lehtonen lands a body shot in the clinch.
Lehtonen works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Kim managing to block the knees to the body from Lehtonen.
Nice elbow from Lehtonen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lehtonen is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Kim on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lehtonen.
Kim is trying to stall.
Lehtonen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kim on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kim digs a right hand underneath Lehtonen's ribcage. Lehtonen let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Lehtonen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Kim avoids a wild elbow strike from Lehtonen.
Lehtonen scores a nice knee to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Kim.
Kim prevents a body shot from Lehtonen.
Kim works on Lehtonen's body with a couple of short punches.
Kim looking to stall.
Lehtonen is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kim is trying to stall.
Kim stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kim creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Lehtonen is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Lehtonen tries a knee to the head but Kim blocks it.
Kim avoids the elbow strike from Lehtonen, against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Lehtonen throws a punch but it's blocked by Kim.
Lehtonen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kim misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kim avoiding damage as Lehtonen throws knees to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Kim.
Kim misses with the head strike.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kim.
Kim lands with a short shot to the head.
Lehtonen trying to land knees to the body.
Kim lands a left hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lehtonen throws an elbow that misses.
Kim misses with the head strike.

Lehtonen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kim takes a swing at Lehtonen's ribcage but misses.
Lehtonen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kim moves away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Byeongsuk Kim comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kim 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 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Byeongsuk Kim!