PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Holden Ballinger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bong Ki Duk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ki Duk has chosen north korea's national anthem as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ballinger
vs
Ki Duk

199 cm
30
225 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

198 cm
39
260 lbs
33 - 27 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Holden Ballinger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 27 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bong Ki Duk!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Hirohito Nitta and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ki Duk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ki Duk slips under a jab from Ballinger.
Ballinger slips a jab and a cross from Ki Duk.
Ballinger throws out a loose jab but Ki Duk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ballinger throws a sloppy head kick and Ki Duk moves out of range easily.
Ballinger moves forwards but Ki Duk connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Ki Duk feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ballinger's calf.
Ki Duk throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Ballinger connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

It looks like Bong Ki Duk has been cut.
Ki Duk takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Ballinger takes a kick to the side of the head.
Ki Duk misses with a series of wild punches.
Ki Duk moves in looking to clinch but Ballinger pushes him off.
Ballinger lands a jab to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ki Duk keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ballinger.
Ki Duk ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Ki Duk connects with a high kick.
Ki Duk scores with a one two! Ballinger had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Ballinger scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Ballinger waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ki Duk.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Ballinger.
Ki Duk moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Ki Duk moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Ballinger stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Ki Duk.
Ki Duk tries a head kick but it misses.
Ki Duk scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A head kick misses from Ballinger.
A head kick misses from Ballinger.

Ki Duk rushes Ballinger and presses him up against the cage.
Ballinger stalling in the clinch.
Ballinger blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ki Duk misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ki Duk lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ballinger takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ballinger tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Ki Duk lands a body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A short right from Ki Duk on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ki Duk lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Ki Duk misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short left from Ki Duk.
A body shot lands from Ki Duk.
Ballinger is trying to stall.
A left hand lands to the body for Ki Duk.
Ballinger is breathing heavily.
Ki Duk misses with a knee to the head.
Ki Duk tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ki Duk stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Ki Duk makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ki Duk lands with a light punch inside.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ki Duk - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ki Duk is leaning against Ballinger and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ki Duk lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ki Duk lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ballinger backwards.
Ki Duk lands an uppercut.
A short left from Ki Duk.
Ki Duk lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ballinger backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Ki Duk working aggressively here.
Ballinger is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Ki Duk misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ballinger lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ki Duk backwards.
Ballinger wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Ki Duk keeps control of Ballinger as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ki Duk lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ballinger backwards.
A right handed body shot lands from Ki Duk.
Ki Duk taking a breather.
Ki Duk doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ki Duk misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ballinger wants to stall.
We've been informed that Ki Duk has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Ki Duk avoiding damage.
Ki Duk's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ki Duk tries a body shot but Ballinger blocks it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ki Duk.
Ki Duk gets through Ballinger's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ballinger is leaning against Ki Duk and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ki Duk pushes Ballinger back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Ki Duk lands with a light punch inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ballinger trying to control the position but instead, Ki Duk has worked for underhooks and has pushed Ballinger into the cage.
Ki Duk misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ki Duk lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ballinger backwards.
Ki Duk lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Ki Duk is leaning against Ballinger and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Ki Duk swings wildly with an uppercut but Ballinger uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ki Duk is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ballinger is keeping busy.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ki Duk misses with a punch to the body.
Ki Duk scores with a hook to the body.
Ki Duk struggles to land a body shot inside as Ballinger controls his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bong Ki Duk dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bong Ki Duk's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ki Duk lands with a slapping head kick.
Ballinger looks to land a right hand but Ki Duk moved out of range.
Bong Ki Duk seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A head kick misses from Ki Duk.
Ki Duk throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ballinger thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bong Ki Duk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ki Duk connects with a crisp jab.
Ki Duk walks into a left hand.
Ki Duk lands with a nice body punch.
Ballinger swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ki Duk tries a head kick but it misses.
Ballinger 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.
Ballinger throws a jab when Ki Duk was well out of range.
Ki Duk is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Ki Duk fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A jab from Ballinger does it's job there.

That has opened up Bong Ki Duk's cut even more.
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!
The fighters circling - Ki Duk throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ki Duk takes a swing at Ballinger's ribcage but misses.
Ki Duk blocks a jab.

Ki Duk pushes Ballinger up against the cage in a clinch.

Ballinger escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ki Duk misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballinger misses with a jab to the body
and Ki Duk counters with a three punch combo that has Ballinger backing up. Ballinger nods at Ki Duk to acknowledge the strikes.
Ballinger is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Ki Duk lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Ballinger misses the shot to the body.
Ki Duk wants to counter the offense by Ballinger and move into the clinch position.
Ki Duk tries to clinch but Ballinger moves out of range.

Ki Duk closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ballinger blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ki Duk lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Ki Duk swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ballinger blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ki Duk blocking some punches.
Ballinger is trying to maintain a safe position but Ki Duk gets an underhook and turns Ballinger into the cage.
Ballinger will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ki Duk up against the cage.
Ki Duk scores with a shoulder strike.
Ki Duk stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ballinger being controlled against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ki Duk.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ki Duk lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Ballinger blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ki Duk working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Ki Duk has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ki Duk missing with knees to the body.
Ballinger is trying to push Ki Duk away but Ki Duk has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Ballinger content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ki Duk as Ballinger tries to tie him up.
Bong Ki Duk seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Ballinger throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ki Duks head.
A frustrated look appears on Ballinger's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ki Duk is working Ballinger over against the cage.
Ki Duk gets through Ballinger's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ballinger tries to circle away but Ki Duk has him pinned against the cage.
Ki Duk lands an elbow that stopped Ballinger in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Holden Ballinger has been cut.
Ki Duk lands with a left to the head.
Ki Duk works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Ballinger wants to break free but Ki Duk has control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballinger on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ki Duk as Ballinger tries to tie him up.
Ki Duk blocks a body shot from Ballinger.
Ki Duk lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ballinger backwards.
Ki Duk has Ballinger pushed against the cage.
Ki Duk lands with a right to the head.
Ballinger has had enough of the clinch but Ki Duk keeps him there for the moment.
Ki Duk scores with a hook to the body.
Ki Duk tries to work over Ballinger's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ballinger is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Ki Duk works on Ballinger's body with a couple of short punches.
Ki Duk scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ki Duk lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ballinger backwards.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Nice body punch from Ki Duk - that landed with a thud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ki Duk lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Ballinger takes a shot to the head.
Ballinger is trying to maintain a safe position but Ki Duk gets an underhook and turns Ballinger into the cage.
Ki Duk scores a nice knee to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ki Duk lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A short right from Ki Duk on the inside.
Stalling in the clinch from Ki Duk.
Ballinger tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ki Duk's elbow.
A nice left hand lands by Ki Duk.
Ki Duk scores with a nice hook to the head.

Ballinger is rocked!
Ki Duk can't find room to land a body shot as Ballinger controls the action.
Oh Ballinger is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A short right from Ki Duk on the inside.
Ki Duk dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ki Duk gets through Ballinger's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ki Duk working aggressively here.
Ballinger content to slow the pace in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bong Ki Duk showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ki Duk misses with a head kick.
Ballinger seems to have got his legs back now.
Ballinger blocks a head kick by Ki Duk.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ki Duk.

Ki Duk rushes Ballinger and presses him up against the cage.
Ki Duk lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ki Duk tries a body shot but Ballinger blocks it.
Ki Duk tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ballinger blocks an uppercut.
Ki Duk misses with a punch on the inside.
Good body shot from Ki Duk.
Ki Duk lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ballinger trying to control the position but instead, Ki Duk has worked for underhooks and has pushed Ballinger into the cage.
A short right from Ki Duk.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Ballinger is pushing Ki Duk up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Ki Duk lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ballinger's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ki Duk misses with a head kick.

Ki Duk has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ki Duk lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Ki Duk lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ballinger backwards.
Ki Duk lands a right hand that snaps the head of Ballinger backwards.
Ki Duk pushes Ballinger back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ki Duk working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Ballinger is rocked!
Ballinger's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Oh Ballinger is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Ki Duk lands a body punch.
Ballinger seems to have got his legs back now.
Ki Duk softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Ballinger throws a punch but it's blocked by Ki Duk.
Ki Duk digs a right hand underneath Ballinger's ribcage. Ballinger let out a lung full of air as it connected.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ki Duk lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Ki Duk lands a body shot.
Ki Duk pushes Ballinger back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ki Duk lands a nice shot to the body.
Ki Duk lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short body shot lands from Ki Duk as the two fighters clinch.
Ki Duk gets through Ballinger's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ki Duk lands with a right to the head.
Good body shot from Ki Duk.
Ki Duk lands a body punch.
Ki Duk softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A short right from Ki Duk on the inside.
Ki Duk unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Ballinger! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Ki Duk is unloading with more strikes now! Ballinger drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Bong Ki Duk!
Bong Ki Duk made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'all hail president kim il-sung, our father, kim jong-il, and supreme leader kim jong-un. '.
Holden Ballinger was interviewed post fight and said 'You must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance!'.