PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Chris Millennium (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kalju Kulli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Millennium
vs
Kulli

175 cm
27
170 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

185 cm
28
185 lbs
3 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
KO power

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Chris Millennium!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kalju Kulli!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shirou Masuda and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kulli darts in and clinches Millennium up against the cage.
Millennium fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kulli lands a nice uppercut.
Kulli pushes off an throws an elbow but Millennium leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Millennium decides to pull guard.
Kulli working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Kulli preventing the sweep.
Kulli wants to get up but he can't break Millennium's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Millennium has his foot on Kulli's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kulli works his way back into a safe position though.

Millennium has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kulli can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kulli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Millennium swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kulli seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Millennium has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kulli can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Millennium looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kulli wants to control from the top but Millennium keeps moving.
Millennium looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Millennium is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kulli is aware though and is defending well.
Kulli with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Millennium can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kulli controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Millennium tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Millennium bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kulli's guard.

Our spies down at at Body Pain_14elite_700$+VM inform us that Kulli has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Kulli looking for a sweep. Not yet Kulli, not yet.
Kulli is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Millennium throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kulli wants to sweep but no luck.
Kulli not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Millennium stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kulli swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Millennium throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Millennium with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kulli has momentary wrist control but Millennium slips an elbow through the middle.
Millennium stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kulli swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Millennium throws a big right hand that misses.
Millennium wants to pass the guard but Kulli is keeping the position.
Millennium has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Millennium accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Millennium throwing strikes but missing.
Millennium tries to free his leg and advance position but Kulli is retaining full guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Millennium is pushing down on Kulli's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kulli is fighting to maintain full guard but Millennium has managed to sneak the leg through.

Millennium looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Kulli is trying to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Millennium is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kulli is looking to control Millennium's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kulli avoid being mounted?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Millennium dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kulli tries to clinch but Millennium is having none of it.
Kulli misses with a head kick.
Kulli looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kulli throws a head kick but Millennium moves out of range.
A jab lands there for Kulli.
Millennium fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Millennium fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kulli sprawls well initially but Millennium persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Millennium is trying to work for a kimura but Kulli is defending well.
Kulli is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Millennium's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Millennium's back!
Millennium is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Kulli controlling well, preventing Millennium from escaping the position.
Chris Millennium overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
A lull in the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Millennium just trying to survive but Kulli is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Kulli controlling well, preventing Millennium from escaping the position.

Kulli has got his arm under Millennium's chin working for the choke… has he got it? It looks pretty tight! Oh! Millennium has spun round into Kulli's guard beautifully! Well done that man!
Millennium trying to control the position from guard on top but Kulli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kulli throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Millennium trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kulli trying to control the position here.
Millennium throws a big elbow that misses.
Millennium is fighting to break Kulli's control of his arms but Kulli is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Kulli utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Millennium drops back, looking for a kneebar! Kulli looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Kulli looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Kulli!

Millennium is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kulli decides to stand back up.

Millennium has taken the fight to the clinch.
Kulli misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kulli blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Millennium's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kulli swings for the body but Millennium moves out of range.
Millennium half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Kulli steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Millennium.
Millennium takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Kulli fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Millennium has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kulli throws a lazy head kick
and Millennium counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Millennium bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kulli connects with the punch.
Kulli lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Millennium keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kulli throws a head kick that misses
and Millennium counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Millennium looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kulli connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Millennium lands a leg kick that knocks Kulli off balance momentarily.
Millennium throws a jab when Kulli was well out of range.
Kulli stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kulli wants it to stay on the feet.

Millennium instigates a clinch.
Millennium tries a body shot but Kulli blocks it.
Kulli prevents a body shot from Millennium.
Millennium blocks an elbow strike from Kulli.
Kulli struggles to land a body shot inside as Millennium controls his hands.
A body shot lands from Millennium.
Millennium lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Millennium as Kulli tries to tie him up.
Millennium stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Millennium has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Kulli is trying to keep an underhook but Millennium manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Millennium is working for a kimura but Kulli is defending it quite comfortably.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Chris Millennium will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Millennium tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kulli throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A slow jab from Kulli misses its intended target.
Nice takedown defense from Kulli. No joy for Millennium on that attempt.
Kulli is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Kulli blocks a head kick by Millennium.
Kulli throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Millennium tries to counter with a takedown but Kulli is quick to defend against it.
Millennium rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kulli moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kulli goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Kulli tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Millennium throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Kulli.
Kulli waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Millennium.
Kulli has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A slapping leg kick lands for Millennium.
Millennium lands with a thumping leg kick.
Millennium doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Kulli slips a jab and a cross from Millennium.
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!
Kulli fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kulli drops his hands momentarily and Millennium takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kulli lands a nice elbow.
Kulli misses with a punch on the inside.
Millennium can't find room to land a body shot as Kulli controls the action.
A right hand to the body from Kulli.
Millennium blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Kulli breaks from the clinch.
Kulli looks to land a right hand but Millennium moved out of range.

Millennium clinches.

Millennium ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Millennium no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Kulli drops back looking for a leg! Millennium is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Millennium manages to kick Kulli off! Kulli jumps back into Millennium's guard.
Kulli content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Millennium wants to control but Kulli passes easily into half guard.
Kulli passes the guard and advances to mount!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kulli controlling the pace for now.
Kulli prevents Millennium from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Millennium tries to hold on but Kulli pushes him away.
Kulli landing shots from mount.
Kulli looking to control and managing it successfully.
Let's hope that Kulli has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Millennium tries to lock up and control but Kulli gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Millennium is squirming around, avoiding Kulli's attempts to control the action.
Millennium regains half guard.

Kulli stands up from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Millennium ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Millennium scoring well with a low kick there.

Millennium has taken the fight to the clinch.
Kulli pushes off an throws an elbow but Millennium leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Millennium is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Millennium tries a body shot but Kulli blocks it.
Kulli tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Millennium fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nice body punch from Millennium - that landed with a thud.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kulli as Millennium tries to tie him up.
Millennium tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Millennium blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Millennium misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kalju Kulli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Millennium will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Kulli up against the cage.
Kulli throws an elbow but it misses.

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 Chris Millennium.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Millennium, 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Millennium!
Chris Millennium seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.