PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mikey Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Barros (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kim
vs
Barros

183 cm
24
195 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

190 cm
26
198 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

L.A. Elite Clothing Co

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mikey Kim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Leo Barros!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Fujiwara and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barros throws a leg kick which misses Kim's front leg but catches the back leg as Kim tries to avoid it.
Barros throws a low kick but Kim moves out of range easily.
Kim lands a jab to the nose.
Barros misses with a straight right.
Kim throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Barros stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Kim misses with an uppercut.
Barros dives in and grabs Kim's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kim pushes down on Barros's head and hops out.
Kim throws out a powerful jab.
Barros lands a jab to the head.
Kim slaps away a takedown attempt from Barros, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Barros throws a sloppy head kick and Kim moves out of range easily.

Kim has closed the distance and engaged Barros in a clinch.
Kim using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Kim creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kim throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Kim misses with an elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Leo Barros has been cut.
Kim throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Barros pulls Kim into guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Barros 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.
Kim pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barros is keeping the position for now.
Kim trying to control the position from guard on top but Barros is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Barros is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Kim avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Barros has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Kim is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Barros.
Barros manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Barros sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kim defending well though.
Kim slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Barros tries to free his leg and advance position but Kim is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Barros wants to control from the top but Kim keeps moving.
Barros working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Barros trying to control but Kim is working from the bottom.
Kim pulls Barros in close to prevent any damage.
Barros wants to control from the top but Kim keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Leo Barros.
Kim tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Barros was well out of range. Poor timing from Kim.
Barros thuds his right hand into Kim's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Barros misses with an attempted mid kick.
Barros darts in trying to clinch
and Kim counters with a nice leg kick.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kim misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Barros.
Kim lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Barros darts in and clinches Kim up against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Barros has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kim is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Mikey Kim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leo Barros.
Kim lands a nice knee to the body.
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 a damaging elbow.
Kim blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
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 Mikey Kim will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Leo Barros's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Barros throws a chopping leg kick but Kim manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Barros throws a low kick but Kim avoids it.
Sloppy strikes from Kim. Those never looked like landing.
Barros misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kim avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kim blocks a head kick by Barros.

Kim closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Barros tries to pull guard but Kim won't allow it.
Kim lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Barros or not.

Barros drags the fight down to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kim content to stall in guard here.
Kim trying to control the position from guard on top but Barros is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Barros working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kim doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kim manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kim preventing the sweep.
Kim missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Barros is looking for a triangle but Kim pushes his legs off easily.
Barros manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kim manages to get himself to full guard.
Barros trying to control but Kim is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barros lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Barros engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Barros postures up in Kim's guard and throws a big left but Kim blocks it.

Barros drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Kim manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Barros has Kim in his guard.

Barros working for a triangle but Kim defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim pushes down on Barros's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Kim in particular looking to stall.
Barros keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Leo Barros has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barros trying to control but Kim postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim wants to take a breather but Barros is having none of it.
Barros has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kim is working away from the top position though.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Barros throws a jab when Kim was well out of range.
Barros fails with a takedown attempt.
Barros tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kim cracks Barros with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Barros showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Leo Barros's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kim paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Barros tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kim was well out of range. Poor timing from Barros.
Barros throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kim's waist but Kim gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Barros off to one side.
A chopping leg kick lands by Barros.
Kim is looking to clinch but Barros is avoiding it.
Barros with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Barros keeps the fight on the outside.
Kim lands a nice leg kick that just misses Barros's sensitive parts.
Barros throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Kim to counter with a crisp jab.
Kim fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kim misses with a wild body shot.
Leo Barros seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kim dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barros. That did some damage!
Barros attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Kim looks to land a right hand but Barros moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice shot by Kim.
Barros tries a head kick but it misses.
Kim throws a low kick but Barros moves out of range easily.
Barros tries to clinch
and Kim counters with a low kick, right behind Barros 's knee.
Kim fails in his attempt to clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Kim misses the target.
Barros throws a body kick that misses
and Kim counters with a nice kick to the body.
Kim jabs Barros to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Barros closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kim did well to prevent Barros getting side control.
Kim trying to control but Barros postures up.
Barros wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kim keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kim is looking to improve his position.
Barros throws a strike but Kim avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Barros throws a strike but Kim rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Barros has an active guard here but Kim has managed to pass into half guard.
Kim looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barros keeps working.
Barros is trying to get back to full guard.
Barros trying to control here.
Kim wants to lay and pray for a moment but Barros keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Barros looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Kim is trying to control. Barros wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Barros is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Barros is trying to control but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mikey Kim.
Barros throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mikey Kim.
I think Kim 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mikey Kim!
Mikey Kim thanked the fans post fight for their support.