PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Tony Espinoza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dae Kyung Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Espinoza
vs
Kyung Kim

177 cm
18
162 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

174 cm
23
168 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tony Espinoza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dae Kyung Kim!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Marco Blurström and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Espinoza swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kim dodges the punch combination from Espinoza.
We've been hearing reports that Espinoza has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Espinoza displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kim throws out the jab.
Espinoza was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Espinoza throws an off balance right hand
and Kim counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Espinoza misses with a looping right.
Espinoza thuds a left hand into Kim's body.
Espinoza lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espinoza throws a shot from downtown. Kim moves away and avoids it.
Kim bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kim tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Good exchange - Espinoza coming out on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espinoza connects with a crisp jab.
Espinoza misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Kim counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Espinoza swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kim changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Espinoza lands an overhand right.
Espinoza misses with an uppercut
and Kim counters with a stiff right hand.
Espinoza swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kim with the counter takedown but Espinoza avoids it easily.
Espinoza misses with a right hand
and Kim counters with a stiff right hand.
Kim uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Espinoza.
Kim throws out a counter right but Espinoza avoids it with no problem.
Espinoza misses with an uppercut. Kim saw that one coming.
Tony Espinoza is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Espinoza misses with a shot to the body
and Kim cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kim uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Espinoza.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kim! But no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza throws a shot from downtown. Kim moves away and avoids it.
Kim let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Espinoza throws a lazy uppercut
and Espinoza takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A shot to the liver by Espinoza. Beautiful body shot.
Kim tries to move into range but Espinoza moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

It looks like Dae Kyung Kim has been cut.
Kim moves forwards but Espinoza connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Kim changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Espinoza looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Kim working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Kim looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kim is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Espinoza knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Kim is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Espinoza knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
You can see the frustration on Espinoza's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Espinoza on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Espinoza tries to get out of the position.
Kim trying to control the action but Espinoza is working from the bottom.

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.
Kim working away.
Espinoza is looking to reverse the position.
Espinoza manages to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kim wants to take a breather but Espinoza is having none of it.
Espinoza trying to control here.

Kim is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Espinoza is staying active underneath Kim, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
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 Tony Espinoza will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Dae Kyung Kim's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Espinoza lands the left hand.
Kim throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Espinoza misses with a wild body shot.
Kim swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Espinoza throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Kim feints the counter takedown.
Espinoza throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Espinoza throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kim looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Kim ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
And Kim tries to counter it with a takedown but Espinoza pushes his down on his head and steps out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espinoza throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kim sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kim slips a jab from Espinoza.
Kim is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Kim might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Espinoza fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kim looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Kim uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Espinoza.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espinoza scores with a shot to the body.
Espinoza throws out a loose jab but Kim uses good head movement to avoid it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kim! But no joy.
Espinoza fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kim manages to avoid it.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kim or perhaps it was just good defense by Espinoza, which made it look bad.
Kim closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Espinoza pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
It seemed like Kim was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Espinoza looks to score with a jab to the body but Kim is just out of range.
Espinoza misses with a looping right.
Kim tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kim moves away.
Kim feints the counter takedown.
Kim lands a jab to the nose.
Kim defending well as Espinoza loads up on a big left hand.
Kim is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Espinoza works Kim's body with a nice hook.
Espinoza misses with a left hand
and Kim counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kim has a takedown stuffed.
Kim gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kim uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Espinoza.
Kim let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza throws a hook but Kim blocks it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kim! But no joy.
The fighters circling - Espinoza throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Espinoza misses the shot to the body.
Kim tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Tony Espinoza is winning the standup battle so far.
Espinoza misses with a double jab
letting Kim counter with a right hand.
Kim avoids the body shot from Espinoza.
Espinoza scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Espinoza swings widly with a right hand
letting Kim counter with a right hand.
Espinoza swinging wildly here.
Kim changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza misses with a hook

and Kim counters with a nice double leg into side control. Espinoza won't be happy with that.
Espinoza wants to control but Kim postures up.
Espinoza is looking for a sweep.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Kim working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Kim tries for a kimura but Espinoza is defending well.
Espinoza tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kim wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Espinoza dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dae Kyung Kim's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Espinoza lands the left hand.
Espinoza lands a nice shot to the body.
Espinoza misses with a right hand
and Kim counters with a stiff right hand.
Espinoza swings for the body but Kim moves out of range.
Kim tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Espinoza misses with a hook.
Kim is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
A telegraphed right hand from Espinoza misses the target.
And Kim tries to counter it with a takedown but Espinoza pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Jab by Espinoza.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Espinoza works the jab nicely.
Espinoza throws a looping overhand right but Kim ducks down to avoid it.
And Kim tries to counter it with a takedown but Espinoza pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Espinoza uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kim.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice shot by Espinoza.
Kim uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Espinoza.
Kim tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Espinoza looks to throw the jab but Kim is out of range.
Kim uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Espinoza.
Kim defending well as Espinoza loads up on a big left hand.
A little jabbing left from Kim on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Espinoza throws a series of punches but Kim moves out of range.
Espinoza throws a shot from downtown. Kim moves away and avoids it.
Espinoza tests Kim's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Espinoza misses with a left hand

and Kim counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Kim is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza tries to get to full guard but Kim has control of the leg.

Kim is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Espinoza doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kim.
Kim trying to control the action but Espinoza is working from the bottom.
Espinoza is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim is keen to just control but Espinoza is a slippery customer.

Kim is looking for a kimura but Espinoza is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kim to get the leverage.
Kim works his way into side control.

Kim is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Espinoza has escaped the position, nice work there.
Espinoza trying his best to control but Kim has mounted him.
Espinoza blocking the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espinoza is squirming around, avoiding Kim's attempts to control the action.
Espinoza tries to hold on but Kim pushes him away.
Kim can't control as he wanted to and Espinoza manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Espinoza is trying to get back to full guard.
Kim wants to take a breather but Espinoza is having none of it.
Tony Espinoza is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kim drops an elbow to the side of Espinoza's head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kim passes to full mount!
Dae Kyung Kim has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Kim goes for an armbar but Espinoza turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Espinoza.

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 Tony Espinoza.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Espinoza, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Espinoza!