PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Efrain Knight (ranked 7678 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gail Kim (ranked 4734 p4p, 0 weight class). Gail Kim is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Knight
vs
Kim

188 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

163 cm
24
166 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Efrain Knight!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Gail Kim!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Sano and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kim looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Knight!
Knight wants to control but Kim postures up.

Kim decides to stand back up. Kim steps back and let's Knight get back to his feet.

Kim closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Knight's guard.
Knight is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Kim won't allow Knight to sweep him here.
Kim should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Kim trying to control the position from guard on top but Knight is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Knight bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kim's guard.

Kim working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Knight drops back looking for a leg! Kim is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Kim manages to kick Knight off! Knight jumps back into Kim's guard.
Kim seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Knight lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kim wants to hit a switch here but Knight passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Kim there!
Kim is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kim tries to lock up and control but Knight gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kim wants to get back to his feet.
Kim taking shots to the head.
Kim really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Knight is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim is wriggling around trying to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kim wants to control but Knight is having none of it.
Kim looks winded!
Kim really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Knight pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Kim tries to reverse the position but Knight maintains control.
Kim is squirming around, avoiding Knight's attempts to control the action.
Knight lands with some strikes.
Knight has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim is wriggling around trying to escape.
Knight controlling from the full mount.
Kim is desperately trying to improve his position but Knight has a good base and remains in mount.
Kim wants to hold on but Knight pushes him away.
Knight with the ground and pound from mount.
Kim tries to hold on but Knight postures up.
Knight tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kim takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Efrain Knight dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Knight shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Knight stops Kim from getting back to his feet.
Kim has hold of Knight's hands but Knight slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Knight lands with a punch from half guard.
We've been informed that Kim has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Kim wants to get back to full guard.
Kim is trying to stand up here but Knight is controlling him well.
Knight will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kim manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Knight keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

Kim's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gail Kim is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Kim closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Knight sneaks out the side door and pushes Kim away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Kim is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Knight closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Kim's guard.
Knight stops Kim from standing up.
Kim tries to strike from the bottom.
Knight is working Kim over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Knight's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Kim looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Knight chips away with some ground and pound.
Knight stands up over Kim, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Knight cracks Kim with a solid left hand.
Knight is in close to Kim's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kim is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Knight works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Kim trying to get back to full guard but Knight takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
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!
Knight with the ground and pound from mount.
Knight with shots to the head and body - Kim looks very uncomfortable down there.
Knight scoring with strikes but Kim is staying in there.
Knight punishing his opponent with strikes.
Knight is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kim can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knight scoring with strikes but Kim is staying in there.
Knight content just to control the position here.
Kim in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Kim tries to reverse the position but Knight maintains control.
Knight scoring with strikes but Kim is staying in there.
Kim keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knight tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Knight landing strikes, looking to finish!
Kim is trying to escape the mount.
Knight cracks Kim with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Efrain Knight dominated that second round.
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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Knight shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kim's guard.
Knight is in close to Kim's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Kim looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Knight puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Kim is trying to stand back up but Knight is controlling him
Knight slips a nice elbow through Kim's hands, connecting with Kim's forehead.
Knight drops an elbow to the side of Kim's head.
Knight takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knight lands with a punch from half guard.
Kim takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Knight lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Kim is trying to control but can't.
Efrain Knight overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Knight seems to be working for a kimura but Kim defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knight wants to take a breather but Kim is having none of it.
Knight blocks the strikes from Kim.
Knight keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Knight trying to control the action but Kim is working from the bottom.
Kim has hold of Knight's hands but Knight slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kim tries to get to full guard but Knight has control of the leg.

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.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Knight connects with a nice short shot to Kim's temple.
Kim is trying to maintain the position but Knight is very close to passing his half guard.

Kim looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kim shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Kim was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Knight tries to bench press Kim off him but Kim keeps the position.
Knight can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knight is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Knight gets back to half guard.
Kim stalling away here and it's allowed Knight to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Knight seems keen to control Kim's posture.
Kim trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

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.
Knight is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Kim being controlled here momentarily.
Knight manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kim manages to get himself to full guard.

Gail Kim has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Knight postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Knight lands a couple of digs.
Efrain Knight is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Kim is looking for a triangle but Knight pushes his legs off easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Efrain Knight showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Knight, 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Efrain Knight!