PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Finn Balor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Incheol Wonha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balor's entrance music is Monster. A fine choice. Incheol Wonha has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Balor
vs
Wonha

172 cm
38
152 lbs
29 - 13 - 1

161 cm
32
145 lbs
19 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 13 - 1, fighting out of New York, Finn Balor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Incheol Wonha!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Richard Clark and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balor takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A slapping body kick lands there for Balor.
Balor throws a leg kick which misses Wonha's front leg but catches the back leg as Wonha tries to avoid it.
Balor with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
That kick from Wonha tenderised Balor's leg. Balor is trying to keep his angry face on.
Wonha has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Wonha scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Balor looks to score with a jab to the body but Wonha is just out of range.
Balor defending well as Wonha loads up on a big left hand.
Balor thuds a left hand into Wonha's body.
Balor has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
A head kick misses from Balor.
Balor throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Wonha swings away with a body shot that misses
and Balor makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wonha fails in his attempt to clinch.
Balor scores with a leg kick.
Balor misses with an attempted mid kick.
Wonha feints and then cracks Balor's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Balor down.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Wonha.
Balor misses with a head kick.
Wonha feints a counter leg kick.
Nice body kick from Balor.
Balor tries to land a front kick but Wonha steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Wonha wants to counter the offense by Balor and move into the clinch position.
Both fighters circling a little - Balor finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Incheol Wonha is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Balor finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Wonha has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Balor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wonha forces Balor back against the cage and clinches.
Balor managing to block the knees to the body from Wonha.
Wonha stalling.
Wonha leaning against his opponent.
Balor tries a body shot but Wonha blocks it.
Wonha lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Wonha misses with a knee strike.
Wonha throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Wonha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Balor is defending well for now.
Still in the clinch, Balor scores with a nice short uppercut.
Wonha taking a breather.
Balor throws a punch but it's blocked by Wonha.
Wonha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Balor avoids it.
With the fighters up against the cage, Wonha throws an elbow but misses.
Wonha missing with knees to the body.
Balor lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Wonha or not.
Wonha trying to land knees to the body.
Come on Wonha - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balor digs a right hand underneath Wonha's ribcage. Wonha let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Balor blocks a body shot from Wonha.
Balor takes a knee to the side of the body.
Balor blocks an elbow strike from Wonha.
Wonha blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Wonha looking to slow down the pace here.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Wonha.
Balor doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Balor.
Wonha misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Balor.
Balor pushes Wonha back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Wonha gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Finn Balor has been cut.
Balor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Balor blocks the elbow strike.
Wonha trying to control the position but instead, Balor has worked for underhooks and has pushed Wonha into the cage.
Balor lands with a short shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balor is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Balor struggles to land a body shot inside as Wonha controls his hands.
Balor misses with a punch on the inside.
Balor managing to block the knees to the body from Wonha.
Balor tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Balor tries to throw a body punch but Wonha avoids it by throwing Balor back against the cage.
Wonha prevents a takedown attempt there.
Wonha tries to land knees in the clinch but Balor avoids the damage to the body.
Balor blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A hook to the body from Balor.
Balor tries to work over Wonha's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Wonha landing knees to the head.
Wonha landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Balor digs a right hand into Wonha's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Wonha's gas tank.
Balor tries a body shot but Wonha blocks it.
Wonha goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
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 Finn Balor will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Finn Balor's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Balor takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Wonha works the jab nicely.

Wonha darts in and clinches Balor up against the cage.
Knees to the body from Wonha.
Balor blocks an elbow strike from Wonha.
Balor misses with some punches.
Knees in the clinch landing for Wonha.
Wonha landing knees to the body.
Wonha tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Wonha effectively controlling the action here.
Wonha lands a shot to the body.
Wonha content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Wonha prevents a body shot from Balor.
Balor gets through Wonha's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Balor tries to work over Wonha's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wonha prevents a body shot from Balor.
Wonha lands a knee to the body.
Balor tries a body shot but Wonha blocks it.
A head punch on the inside from Balor fails to land.
Wonha misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Balor.
Wonha comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Wonha misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Wonha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Balor is defending well for now.
Wonha comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Balor goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Balor has Wonha pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Balor pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Wonha tumbling to the mat - Balor dives into Wonha's guard.
Wonha wants to sweep but no luck.
Balor controls from within his opponent's guard.
Wonha has his hands on Balor's head, controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balor throws a big elbow that misses.
Wonha is trying to keep Balor in close.
Balor working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Wonha has control of Balor's left arm, preventing Balor from doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Wonha moves out of range as Balor throws a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balor avoids the body shot from Wonha.
Wonha swings for the body but Balor moves out of range.
Wonha throws a nice inside leg kick.

Wonha gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Balor tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Knees to the body from Wonha.
Balor tries for a takedown. No joy.
Balor misses with some punches.
Balor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Wonha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Balor avoids it.
Balor misses with some punches.
Wonha unloads a knee to the mid-section. Balor lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Wonha is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Balor working aggressively here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Balor tries a body shot but Wonha blocks it.
Balor tries to throw a body punch but Wonha avoids it by throwing Balor back against the cage.
Balor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Balor swings wildly with an uppercut but Wonha uses good head movement to avoid it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Balor wants a takedown but no success here.
Wonha using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Balor has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Balor misses with some punches.
A nice left hand lands by Balor.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Balor tries to throw a body punch but Wonha avoids it by throwing Balor back against the cage.
Balor misses with some punches.
Balor tries a body shot but Wonha blocks it.
Balor working aggressively here.
Wonha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Balor avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Incheol Wonha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Finn Balor's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Wonha avoids the body shot from Balor.
Balor throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Balor misses with a two punch combination.
Wonha scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Balor swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Wonha throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Wonha pulls out of a head kick attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balor misses with a low kick.
Balor scores with a kick to the midsection.
Wonha throws a leg kick but Balor checks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wonha dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Balor throws a push kick but Wonha slaps the foot to one side.
Wonha appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Wonha goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Good shot there by Balor.
Balor is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Wonha staying out of range there.
Wonha bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Balor's head backwards.
That kick from Balor tenderised Wonha's leg. Wonha is trying to keep his angry face on.
Wonha is looking to clinch.
Balor takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wonha just misses with a punch to the body.
Balor quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Balor on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Balor moves into range and connects with a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Wonha misses with a double jab.
Balor shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Wonha only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Balor takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Wonha fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Wonha throws a jab when Balor was well out of range.
Wonha blocks a jab.
Nice cross by Balor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wonha looks to score with a jab to the body but Balor is just out of range.
Wonha changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Wonha misses with a wild body shot.
Crunch! Balor slams his shin into Wonha's torso.
An inside leg kick lands from Balor.
Balor looks for the body kick but Wonha saw that one coming.
Wonha throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
It looked like Balor was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Wonha.
Balor is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Balor looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Balor wants to land a leg kick but Wonha is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wonha misses the shot to the body.
Wonha tries to close the distance and clinch but Balor swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Balor half committed to a counter leg kick.
Wonha tries to land a body kick
and Balor counters with a left to the body.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Wonha, right into the meat.
Balor wants to slow Wonha down by chopping away at his legs.
Balor with a nice cross.
Balor has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Wonha.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Wonha. Balor does a little dance to reset his feet.
Balor half committed to a counter leg kick.
Balor scores with a sloppy right hand. Wonha should have avoided that one.

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 Finn Balor.
I think Balor 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 James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Finn Balor!
Finn Balor got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'