PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Emanuel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikey Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Emanuel comes to the cage accompanied by The Wizard by Black Sabbath. 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.

Emanuel
vs
Kim

187 cm
33
185 lbs
17 - 15 - 0

183 cm
29
195 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
World class MT
Fast

Project Mayhem

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 17 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matthew Emanuel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mikey Kim!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Emanuel pulls out of a head kick attempt.
We've been informed that Kim has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Sloppy strikes from Emanuel. Those never looked like landing.
That kick from Kim tenderised Emanuel's leg. Emanuel is trying to keep his angry face on.
Emanuel looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Kim throws the kick towards the body but Emanuel avoids it.
Emanuel checks a low kick from Kim.
Emanuel chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Kim can pounce on him.
Emanuel doesn't manage to clinch there - Kim circles away.
Emanuel moves to clinch but Kim breaks away
and Kim counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Emanuel misses with a head kick.
Emanuel takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Kim tries to close the distance and clinch up but Emanuel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kim throws a sloppy head kick and Emanuel moves out of range easily.

Kim clinches up with Emanuel and pushes him back against the cage.
Emanuel blocks an elbow strike from Kim.
Kim misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Emanuel.
Kim misses with a knee to the head.
Emanuel misses with a hook from the clinch.
Emanuel is working Kim over against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Emanuel scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Emanuel doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim prevents Emanuel from breaking the clinch.
Kim using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Emanuel has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Emanuel lands a body punch.
Kim looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Emanuel avoiding damage as Kim throws knees to the body.
Emanuel misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Emanuel tries to score a body lock takedown but Kim shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Emanuel misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kim pushes off an throws an elbow but Emanuel leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Kim lands a nice elbow.
Kim trying to land knees to the body.
Kim tries to land a knee to the head but Emanuel blocks with his arms.

Emanuel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Emanuel connects with a leg kick. Kim looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Kim scores with a jab to the jaw.
Kim scores with a body shot.
Emanuel doesn't manage to clinch there - Kim circles away.
Kim punishes Emanuel's body with a nice straight punch.
Kim pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Emanuel throws a head kick but Kim moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kim connects with a solid leg kick.
Kim cracks the inside of Emanuel's front leg.
Emanuel lands with a nice body punch.
Emanuel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Emanuel tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kim manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kim blocks a head kick by Emanuel.
Matthew Emanuel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Emanuel's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kim connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Emanuel scrambles back to his feet.
Kim lands a slapping body shot.
Kim misses with a wild body shot.
A head kick misses from Emanuel.
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.
Kim throws the kick towards the body but Emanuel avoids it.
Emanuel uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kim.
Emanuel takes one to the side of the head.
Emanuel looks to land a right hand but Kim moved out of range.
Emanuel moves in looking to clinch but Kim pushes him off.
Kim lands with a good body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim misses with a head kick.
Kim fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kim goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kim.
Kim throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A good leg kick by Emanuel.
A big right from Emanuel misses.
Emanuel on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Kim scores with a nice right hand.
Kim punishes Emanuel's body with a nice straight punch.
Emanuel throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kim dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Good standup being displayed there by Kim as he connects with a hook.
Emanuel misses with a head kick.
Emanuel connects with a body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kim misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kim lands a leg kick that knocks Emanuel off balance momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Emanuel gets tackled into the cage by Kim. Kim maintains the clinch.
Emanuel blocks an elbow strike from Kim.
Kim creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Kim prevents a body shot from Emanuel.
Kim prevents a body shot from Emanuel.
Kim lands an elbow inside.

It looks like Matthew Emanuel has been cut.
Emanuel tries to circle away but Kim has him pinned against the cage.
Kim pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Emanuel takes an elbow to the forehead.
Emanuel takes an elbow to the forehead.
Emanuel goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kim prevents it.
Emanuel blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Emanuel stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Kim pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Kim tries to land knees in the clinch but Emanuel avoids the damage to the body.
Emanuel blocks the elbow strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikey Kim dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Matthew Emanuel's cut.
That's time! Emanuel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Emanuel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kim avoids the head kick by Emanuel.
Emanuel tries to clinch but Kim moves out of range.
Kim throws a shot from downtown. Emanuel moves away and avoids it.

Kim has closed the distance and engaged Emanuel in a clinch.
Emanuel tries to score a body lock takedown but Kim shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Kim throws an elbow but it misses.
Kim prevents a body shot from Emanuel.
Emanuel takes an elbow to the temple.
Emanuel struggles to land a body shot inside as Kim controls his hands.
Emanuel misses with the head strike.
Emanuel misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Emanuel lands a left hand.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kim obliges.
Emanuel goes for a takedown attempt but Kim pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Kim misses with a head kick.
Kim lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Emanuel 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emanuel lands a head shot.
Kim fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kim throws a head kick but Emanuel moves out of range.
Emanuel circles away from the clinch attempt.
Emanuel fails in his attempt to clinch.
A left lands for Kim.
A telegraphed right hand from Kim misses the target.
Emanuel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kim throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kim keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kim scores with a jab to the body.
Emanuel lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Emanuel throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kim counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Emanuel works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Emanuel loads up on a big right hand but Kim slips the punch.
Kim misses with a straight right.
Kim uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Emanuel.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kim defending well as Emanuel loads up on a big left hand.
Kim throws a head kick but Emanuel moves out of range.

Emanuel closes the distance and pushes Kim back into the cage.
Kim blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kim is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matthew Emanuel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Emanuel lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Emanuel misses with a body punch.
Emanuel blocks the elbow strike.
Kim misses with an elbow over the top.
Emanuel is looking for a takedown.
Emanuel is trying to force a seperation but Kim has the dominant position.
Emanuel throws a punch but it's blocked by Kim.
Emanuel wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kim throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Kim trying to land knees to the body.
Kim is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Emanuel tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Kim smiles and moves away.
Kim fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Emanuel has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emanuel misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kim throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kim misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Kim, as that shot connected.
Emanuel takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Emanuel throws a head kick that misses.
Kim tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Emanuel manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Emanuel takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Mikey Kim seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kim lands the left hand.
Kim throws the kick towards the body but Emanuel avoids it.
Emanuel looks to clinch
and Kim makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Emanuel checks the leg kick nicely there.
Emanuel throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kim sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kim throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Emanuel swats away the attempt to clinch by Kim.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Emanuel tries to keep at a distance but Kim has taken the fight into the clinch.
Mikey Kim seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Kim lands an elbow inside.
Kim throws an elbow but it's blocked.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Emanuel gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Kim is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Emanuel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Emanuel 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.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kim trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikey Kim showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Matthew Emanuel's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Emanuel is looking to clinch.
Kim tried to score with a low kick but Emanuel checks it.
Kim misses with a low kick.

Emanuel has managed to clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Kim just misses with a elbow thrown towards Emanuel's brow.
Kim utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Emanuel avoids a wild elbow strike from Kim.
Kim with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Emanuel lands a nice shot to the body.
Emanuel lands a left hand that snaps the head of Kim backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Emanuel tries for a takedown. No joy.
Emanuel on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kim throws an elbow that misses.
Kim pushes off an throws an elbow but Emanuel leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Kim takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Emanuel on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Emanuel blocks the elbow strike.
Kim lands a nice elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim misses with a knee to the head.
Kim misses with an elbow strike.
Kim pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Kim blocks a body shot from Emanuel.
A shot in the inside from Emanuel.

Emanuel has clasped his hands together around Kim's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Emanuel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kim keeps working.
Kim trying to control but Emanuel flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Kim wants to control his opponent's hands but Emanuel gets his hands free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Emanuel is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Kim knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Kim for a finish.
Kim is trying to break free.

Emanuel looking for the RNC.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kim has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Emanuel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emanuel is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Emanuel gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Emanuel gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Emanuel apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Emanuel misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Emanuel tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A cross from Kim lands.
Kim blocks a head kick by Emanuel.
Kim lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Emanuel tries to clinch but Kim moves out of range.
Kim takes one to the side of the head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kim. Emanuel does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim with a nice cross.
Emanuel misses with a left hand
and Kim counters with a low kick, right behind Emanuel 's knee.
Kim buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Kim motions for Emanuel to come forward. Kim throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Jab, jab by Kim - just one landing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kim is looking to clinch but Emanuel is avoiding it.
Kim throws a jab when Emanuel was well out of range.
Kim takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Emanuel throws a body punch but Kim moves out of range.
Kim throws a nice inside leg kick.
A head kick misses from Emanuel.
Emanuel looks to score with a jab to the body but Kim is just out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kim scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Kim connects with a high kick.
Emanuel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kim swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kim moves out of range of the leg kick from Emanuel.

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 Matthew Emanuel.
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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight for Mikey Kim!
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight for Mikey Kim!
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight for Mikey Kim!

Mikey Kim wins by unanimous decision!
Mikey Kim seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.