PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nyyrikki Takaraivo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jin Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Takaraivo
vs
Kim

179 cm
32
220 lbs
15 - 17 - 1

185 cm
42
220 lbs
31 - 45 - 2

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Nyyrikki Takaraivo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 45 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Jin Kim!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kim on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Takaraivo. Takaraivo obviously looking to wear him down.
Kim uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Takaraivo.

Kim scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Kim is looking to pass Takaraivo's guard but actually Takaraivo recovers to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kim content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kim postures up in Takaraivo's guard and throws a big left but Takaraivo blocks it.
Kim throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kim sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kim trying to control but Takaraivo is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kim shoots in for a double leg but Takaraivo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kim throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A head kick misses from Takaraivo.
Kim avoids the head kick by Takaraivo.
Takaraivo falls off balance throwing a combination

and Kim counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Kim throwing shots but Takaraivo is blocking nicely.
Kim stops Takaraivo from getting back to his feet.
Kim is looking to take a break and control but Takaraivo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Takaraivo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kim is pressing down on Takaraivo's thigh, looking to free his foot. Takaraivo is holding on for now.

Kim is looking for a kimura here.
Kim throws a strike but Takaraivo avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Kim with a nice head shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kim pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Takaraivo is keeping the position for now.
Kim throwing strikes but missing.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Kim goes for a double leg but Takaraivo avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Takaraivo continues to drive forward.
Takaraivo tries to clinch up.
Takaraivo throws a nice looking combination but Kim bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nice uppercut lands for Takaraivo. That snapped Kim's head back.
Takaraivo wants to clinch.
Takaraivo throws a leg kick which misses Kim's front leg but catches the back leg as Kim tries to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Takaraivo as he jumps to the side.
Takaraivo throws a counter high kick but Kim was just alert enough to avoid it.
Nyyrikki Takaraivo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jin Kim.
Kim takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

It looks like Jin Kim has been cut.
Kim fails with the takedown.
Kim fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Takaraivo avoids it really well and circles away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kim sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
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 Nyyrikki Takaraivo will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jin Kim's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Takaraivo throws a head kick that misses.
Kim drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Takaraivo defends it well.

Takaraivo closes the distance and clinches.
Kim is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Takaraivo is defending well.

Takaraivo breaks from the clinch.
Nyyrikki Takaraivo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Takaraivo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Takaraivo misses with a kick to the body.
Kim shoots in but Takaraivo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Takaraivo is looking to counter with head kicks.
Takaraivo throws a lazy head kick
and Kim counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takaraivo tries to close the distance and clinch but Kim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Kim throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Takaraivo was covering up waiting for the punch and Kim finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Kim passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kim is trying to work for a kimura but Takaraivo is defending well.
Takaraivo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kim on the ground.
Kim is looking to take a break and control but Takaraivo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kim seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Kim performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kim with the ground and pound but Takaraivo uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Takaraivo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Takaraivo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Takaraivo tries to get out of the position.
Kim distracts Takaraivo with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Kim trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Takaraivo manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Kim trying to strike off his back.
Takaraivo being controlled here momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kim wants to sweep but no luck.
Takaraivo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Kim escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Takaraivo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Takaraivo would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Kim tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Takaraivo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kim.
Takaraivo seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Nyyrikki Takaraivo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jin Kim.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kim.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jin Kim will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jin Kim's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Kim doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Takaraivo counters with a head kick.

Takaraivo gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kim to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Kim works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Takaraivo avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kim.

Kim is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kim not landing any meaningful shots this time.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Kim working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Kim trying to mount his opponent but Takaraivo defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kim is working for a submission of some sort.
Kim not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Takaraivo tries to kick Kim off but Kim keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Kim is looking for a kimura but Takaraivo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kim to get the leverage.

Kim is working for a kimura but Takaraivo is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kim missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Kim wants to work for an arm triangle but Takaraivo is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Kim throwing shots but Takaraivo is blocking nicely.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Kim uses his free foot to push down on Takaraivo's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Takaraivo.

Kim looking for a guillotine from mount but Takaraivo is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Takaraivo is bucking up trying to escape but Kim cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Kim throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Kim cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Kim pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Kim goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Takaraivo is on top in guard.
Kim wants to get back to his feet but Takaraivo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim pulls Takaraivo in close to his closed guard and prevents Takaraivo from doing any damage or advancing position.
Takaraivo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Kim's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Jin 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

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