PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between James Kang (ranked 5504 p4p, 454 weight class) and Jairo Valea (ranked 7478 p4p, 532 weight class). Valea has chosen DJ Shadow - Organ Donor as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kang
vs
Valea

185 cm
23
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
165 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, James Kang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jairo Valea!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Chris Saunders and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Kang looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Valea misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kang seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Kang looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Valea is fending him off so far but Kang persists. Nope, Valea circles away and we're back to standing.
Kang shoots for a takedown but Valea saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Kang shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Valea keeping hold of Kang's head, controlling as best he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kang thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kang lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Valea is looking for a sweep. Kang is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kang knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Valea on the ground.
Kang wants to take a breather but Valea is having none of it.
Valea trying to get back to full guard but Kang takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Kang with the ground and pound from mount.
Valea wants to control but Kang is having none of it.
Valea bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Valea not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kang working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Valea.
Valea content to stall in guard here.
Valea slips nicely into half guard.
Valea scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Valea working over Kang with some ground and pound. Kang looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valea looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Kang with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Valea has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Valea lands a nice shot to the head.
Valea content just to control the position here.
Valea looking to finish Kang with some ground and pound. This is bad for Kang!
Kang is breathing heavily.
Kang really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Valea sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valea dominating with strikes here.
Valea working the ground and pound effectively.
Valea scoring with strikes but Kang is staying in there.
Valea cracks Kang with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A nice elbow there by Valea.
Valea controlling from the full mount.
It looks like Valea might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Valea looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jairo Valea dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Valea lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

It looks like James Kang has been cut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Valea. Kang does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kang fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kang is defended easily by Valea.
Kang misses with a double jab.
Valea connects with a body shot that sends Kang's belly button to the back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valea scores with a nice strike.
A nice leg kick lands there from Valea.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kang with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Valea to score with a decent uppercut.
Kang takes one to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick from Valea lands but Kang takes it in his stride.

Kang is rocked!
Valea chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Oh Kang is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Good leg kick by Valea there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Kang seems to have got his legs back now.
Valea fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Valea throws a sloppy head kick and Kang moves out of range easily.
Valea fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Valea misses with a two punch combination.
Valea throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Kang drops his hands momentarily and Valea takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Kang takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Valea throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Valea has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Valea throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Jairo Valea seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valea throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Valea feints a jab promting Kang to slip. Valea then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Kang slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
A head kick misses from Valea.
Valea lands a leg kick that knocks Kang off balance momentarily.
Valea connects with a solid leg kick.
Valea throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kang.
Valea fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kang takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Valea throws a series of punches but Kang moves out of range.
Valea digs a good hook to Kang's body.
Valea throws a head kick that Kang semi-blocks.
A jab from Valea does it's job there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kang walks into a jab.
Jairo Valea seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kang takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Valea lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kang's sensitive parts.
Valea throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Valea throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kang tries to counter by clinching up but Valea breaks away and moves out of range.
Valea punishes Kang's body with a nice straight punch.
Nice body kick from Valea.
Valea fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Valea misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Valea throws a wild body kick that Kang sees coming a mile off.
James Kang is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valea scoring well with a low kick there.
Valea lands a two punch combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Valea throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Valea misses with a head kick.
Kang looks for a takedown but Valea sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Kang. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Valea lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kang circles away quickly and effectively.
Kang takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Valea fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kang is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jairo Valea showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on James Kang's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Kang sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Kang takes a jab right on the kisser.

Valea closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Kang to the mat! Kang manages to get full guard.
Valea stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kang swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Valea sitting in guard here, content to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valea throws a big elbow that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kang being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valea distracts Kang with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Valea works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Valea takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Valea in particular looking to stall.
Valea scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Well, if Valea is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Valea is continuing to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Valea throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kang shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Valea as he jumps to the side.
Valea throws a nice outside leg kick.
Jairo Valea is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Valea connects with a body shot.
Nice body punch from Valea.
Kang takes a kick to the side of the head.
Kang avoids the head kick by Valea.
A decent looking cross lands there for Valea.
Kang showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Valea.
Kang tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Valea manages to circle out of the way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valea pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Valea moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Valea with a body punch. A glancing blow.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Valea connects with a high kick.
Valea scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Valea lands a jab-cross combination.
Valea lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kang circles away quickly and effectively.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Valea.
Valea is looking to slow Kang down with leg kicks.
James Kang has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Valea lands with a kick to the temple. Kang shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

And that's the end of the fight!
Jairo Valea comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Valea has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 25:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 25:30
Judge Josh West scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jairo Valea!
Jairo Valea decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.