PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Yasol Kim (ranked 22639 p4p, 400 weight class) and Buakaw Banchamek (ranked 2694 p4p, 259 weight class). Banchamek is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Kim
vs
Banchamek

175 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

174 cm
30
150 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yasol Kim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Buakaw Banchamek!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Wesley Smith and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Banchamek is looking to clinch.
A little feinted left hand from Kim on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Kim avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Banchamek gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Kim breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Banchamek has Kim up against the ropes in a clinch.
Kim has had enough of the clinch but Banchamek keeps him there for the moment.
Kim lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Banchamek.
Banchamek tries to land knees in the clinch but Kim avoids the damage to the body.
I was talking to Kim's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A head punch on the inside from Banchamek fails to land.
A head punch on the inside from Kim fails to land.
Kim blocking some punches.
Banchamek lands a nice elbow.
Banchamek with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Banchamek lands an elbow just above Kim 's eye.

It looks like Yasol Kim has been cut.
Banchamek lands a good knee to the midsection. Kim won't want to take too many of those.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Banchamek.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kim struggles to land a body shot inside as Banchamek controls his hands.
Kim tries to break the clinch but Banchamek is controlling the position.
Kim blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Kim manages to break the clinch.
Kim looks to score with a jab to the body but Banchamek is just out of range.
Banchamek is looking to clinch but Kim is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Banchamek moves into range and clinches up with Kim.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Banchamek throws an elbow but misses.
Kim blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kim trying to control the position but instead, Banchamek has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kim into the ropes.
Kim swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kim is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Banchamek connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kim's face.
Banchamek throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Kim lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Banchamek goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kim doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A nice left hand lands by Kim.
Banchamek creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Kim lands a left hand that snaps the head of Banchamek backwards.

Kim breaks from the clinch.

Banchamek fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kim, pushing him back against the ropes.
Kim on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Banchamek pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.

Kim breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Kim moves out of range.
Banchamek tries to clinch up.

Banchamek moves into the clinch successfully.
Kim is trying to break free.
Kim lands with a light punch inside.

Kim breaks from the clinch.
Banchamek moves in looking to clinch but Kim pushes him off.
Banchamek tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Banchamek tries to clinch up.
Kim scores with the left hand. Banchamek knows he should have avoided that one.
Banchamek steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kim.

Banchamek gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kim takes an elbow to the forehead.

Kim breaks the clinch.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Kim moves out of range.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch but Kim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kim was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Banchamek avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kim throws a head kick that misses.
Kim circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kim counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banchamek moves to clinch but Kim breaks away
and Kim cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kim connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Banchamek tries to clinch up but Kim circles away and keeps his distance.
A telegraphed right hand from Kim misses the target.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Kim paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch but Kim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A telegraphed right hand from Kim misses the target.
Banchamek displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kim throws out the jab.
Kim ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Banchamek moves away.
Banchamek uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kim.
Banchamek looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kim. Banchamek does a little dance to reset his feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Kim breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kim scores with a decent looking hook.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Kim paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kim was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Banchamek closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Banchamek is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kim is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Banchamek misses with an elbow strike.
Banchamek pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Banchamek looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Kim's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Banchamek wants to clinch but Kim slips to the side
and Kim cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kim connects with a right hand. Banchamek shakes it off.
Kim misses with a hook. Banchamek ducked under it nicely.
A head kick misses from Kim.

Banchamek has managed to clinch.
Banchamek throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kim blocks it with crossed arms.
Kim lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Kim gets through Banchamek's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kim working aggressively here.
Kim tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Banchamek's elbow.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Banchamek.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kim misses with the head strike.

Kim breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
An inside leg kick from Kim misses.
Banchamek throws a big counter head kick but Kim avoids it with no problem.

Banchamek clinches.
Banchamek misses with a knee strike.
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 Yasol Kim will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Yasol Kim's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Banchamek tries to clinch there but Kim circles away.
Kim seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Banchamek tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kim counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kim swats away the attempt to clinch by Banchamek.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Kim moves out of range.
Kim tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Banchamek is able to avoid easily.
Banchamek tries to clinch there but Kim circles away.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Kim is having none of it.

Banchamek rushes Kim and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Banchamek tries to land knees in the clinch but Kim avoids the damage to the body.
Kim pushes Banchamek back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Banchamek looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Kim 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.
Banchamek makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nice body punch from Kim.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Banchamek.
Kim takes an elbow to the temple.
Kim tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Banchamek struggles to land a body shot inside as Kim controls his hands.
Kim working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banchamek misses with a short punch on the inside.
Banchamek tries to land a knee to the head but Kim blocks with his arms.
Kim lands a hook to the side of the head.
A knee to the head by Banchamek.
Banchamek's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kim pushes Banchamek back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kim prevents a body shot from Banchamek.
Banchamek lands an elbow inside that Kim shrugs off.

Kim breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Banchamek is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Banchamek is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Kim moves out of range.
Banchamek is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Banchamek tries to clinch
and Kim counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Banchamek staying out of range there.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch but Kim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Banchamek is looking to clinch but Kim is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Banchamek on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kim. Kim obviously looking to wear him down.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kim.
Kim blocks an elbow strike from Banchamek.
Banchamek misses with a body punch.
Banchamek is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kim is defending well for now.

Kim escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kim throws a hook to the side of Banchamek's head but Banchamek sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Banchamek fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kim, pushing him back against the ropes.
Kim wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Banchamek misses with an elbow strike.
Banchamek missing with knees to the body.
Banchamek tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kim avoids it.
Kim dodges an elbow strike from Banchamek.
Still in the clinch, Kim scores with a nice short uppercut.

Kim breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kim looks to land a right hand but Banchamek moved out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Kim misses the target.
Buakaw Banchamek is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kim throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kim connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kim waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Banchamek.
Kim throws the kick towards the body but Banchamek avoids it.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Kim paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kim swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Banchamek closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kim counters with a stiff right hand.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kim swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Yasol Kim is winning the standup battle so far.

Banchamek has managed to clinch.

Kim breaks from the clinch.
Banchamek moves out of range of the strikes.

Banchamek moves into the clinch successfully.
Banchamek looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A body shot lands from Kim.
Kim lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Banchamek creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Banchamek pushes off an throws an elbow but Kim leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim tries to throw a body punch but Banchamek avoids it by throwing Kim back against the ropes.
Buakaw Banchamek seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Banchamek pushes off an throws an elbow but Kim leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Banchamek blocks an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Banchamek throws an elbow that misses.
Kim pushes Banchamek back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kim tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Banchamek's elbow.

Kim breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kim avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Banchamek blocks the body kick.
Kim stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Banchamek moves to clinch but Kim breaks away
letting Kim counter with a right hand.
Kim takes a swing at Banchamek's ribcage but misses.
Kim throws a low kick, looking for Banchamek's leg but Banchamek calmly moves out of range.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Kim is having none of it.

Banchamek rushes Kim and presses him up against the ropes.
Kim tries to work over Banchamek's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Banchamek pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Kim digs a right hand underneath Banchamek's ribcage. Banchamek let out a lung full of air as it connected.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yasol Kim dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Yasol Kim's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Kim paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kim missing with a left hand there. Banchamek was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Banchamek wants to clinch
and Kim counters with a stiff right hand.
Kim lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Kim throws a hook but Banchamek avoids it easily.
Banchamek tries to clinch up but Kim circles away and keeps his distance.
Kim avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kim swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Banchamek tries to clinch up but Kim circles away and keeps his distance.
An attempted straight right counter from Kim misses the target.
Kim misses with a kick to the body.

Banchamek moves into the clinch.
Banchamek is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kim lands with a right to the head.
Banchamek misses with a hook to the ribs.
Banchamek goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Banchamek misses with a short punch on the inside.
Banchamek throws a knee to the head but misses.
Banchamek with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Banchamek pushes off an throws an elbow but Kim leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Banchamek gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Kim lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Kim creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Banchamek prevents a body shot from Kim.

Kim breaks from the clinch.
Banchamek tries to clinch but Kim moves out of range.
Kim lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Banchamek fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kim thinks about countering with a body kick.
Banchamek takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Banchamek tries to clinch up but Kim circles away and keeps his distance.
Kim swings for the body but Banchamek moves out of range.
Kim does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Banchamek gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Banchamek creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kim's defenses.
A short body shot lands from Banchamek as the two fighters clinch.
Kim blocks a punch to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Banchamek pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Banchamek keeps control of Kim as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kim misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kim wants to stall.
A left hand lands to the body for Kim.
Kim throws a head punch that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Banchamek.
Kim avoids the elbow strike from Banchamek, against the ropes.
Banchamek has a couple of punches blocked by Kim.
Kim avoiding damage as Banchamek throws knees to the body.
Kim lands a nice uppercut.
Kim is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Banchamek can do to turn this around?
Kim lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kim is looking to control Banchamek's arms but Banchamek gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kim has his back to the ropes.
Kim blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Banchamek comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Kim lands a left hand.
Banchamek misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kim.

Kim breaks the clinch.
The fighters circling - Kim throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Banchamek tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kim swats away the attempt to clinch by Banchamek.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Banchamek is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Kim.
Banchamek wants to clinch up but Kim keeps it at a distance.
Kim misses with a jab, cross combination.
Banchamek tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Kim manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kim appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch but Kim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Buakaw Banchamek has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kim circles away from the clinch attempt.
Banchamek moves in looking to clinch but Kim pushes him off.
Banchamek doesn't manage to clinch there - Kim circles away.
Kim throws a series of punches but Banchamek avoids them all with ease.
The fight stays on the outside here - Banchamek looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Banchamek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kim swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kim avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Banchamek throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Banchamek clinches.
Kim tries to throw a body punch but Banchamek avoids it by throwing Kim back against the ropes.
Banchamek misses with a hook from the clinch.

Kim breaks from the clinch.
Banchamek checks the leg kick nicely there.
Banchamek tries to clinch there but Kim circles away.
Kim dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Banchamek wants to clinch.
Kim blocks a head kick by Banchamek.
Banchamek doesn't manage to clinch there - Kim circles away.
Kim checks the leg kick.
Banchamek is looking to clinch.
Banchamek wants to clinch but Kim slips to the side
and Kim makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Nice uppercut there from Kim.
Banchamek throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kim throws a big counter combination but Banchamek scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Banchamek dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yasol Kim showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kim, 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight for Yasol Kim!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Yasol Kim!
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight for Yasol Kim!

Yasol Kim wins by unanimous decision!
Yasol Kim decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.