PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kirthap Molovic (ranked 4451 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ken Hoyang (ranked 6147 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.

Molovic
vs
Hoyang

205 cm
24
204 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
19
203 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kirthap Molovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ken Hoyang!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Joseph Jones and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hoyang clinches up against the cage.
Molovic tries for a takedown. No joy.
Hoyang working hard to break the clinch.

Hoyang has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Molovic uses from the top position.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Hoyang looking to control.

Molovic decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hoyang stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hoyang wants it to stay on the feet.
Molovic shoots for a takedown but Hoyang saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kirthap Molovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Hoyang as Molovic shoots in.
Molovic really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Molovic is breathing heavily.

Hoyang shoots in and gets a takedown into Molovic's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hoyang wants to stand but Molovic is controlling his posture from full guard.
Molovic keeping moving, preventing Hoyang from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoyang landing some decent shots from guard.
Molovic will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hoyang looking to sit in guard and control but Molovic gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Hoyang is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hoyang striking off his back but it's not causing Molovic any problems.

Hoyang isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Molovic stacks Hoyang on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Molovic!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molovic content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
You can see the frustration on Hoyang's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hoyang manages to get back to half guard.
Hoyang looks like he's trying to stand up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoyang wants to get back to full guard but Molovic has passed into side control.
Hoyang manages to work his way to half guard, despite Molovic's best efforts.
Molovic is thwarting Hoyang's attempts to control the position.
Hoyang avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Molovic.

Molovic 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.
Molovic is controlling the pace.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hoyang darts in looking for a takedown but Molovic gets double underhooks and turns Hoyang into the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ken Hoyang will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Molovic lands with a kick to the temple. Hoyang shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Molovic moves into range and clinches up with Hoyang.
Hoyang tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hoyang drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Molovic gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Molovic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Molovic tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hoyang swivels and escapes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hoyang closes the distance and clinches.
Molovic with a knee to the head.

Molovic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Molovic avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoyang misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Molovic scores with a head kick.
Hoyang tries to clinch there but Molovic circles away.
Molovic shoots in for a double leg but Hoyang sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Hoyang drives through and clinches with Molovic against the cage.
Molovic fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kirthap Molovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Molovic keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hoyang's efforts to push away.

Molovic pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molovic has a takedown stuffed.
Hoyang avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hoyang lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Kirthap Molovic has been cut.

Molovic gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hoyang is fighting to break Molovic's control of his arms but Molovic is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoyang wants to get up but he can't break Molovic's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Hoyang trying to control but Molovic is working from the bottom.
Molovic is adopting a defensive guard.
Hoyang looking to sit in guard and control but Molovic gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Molovic gets to his feet. Hoyang looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Molovic shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hoyang but Hoyang pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hoyang tries to close the distance and clinch but Molovic swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Molovic drives through and clinches with Hoyang against the cage.

Molovic pulls Hoyang into guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Molovic is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Hoyang looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kirthap Molovic dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kirthap Molovic's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Molovic moves into range and clinches up with Hoyang.

Molovic breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hoyang fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Molovic shoots in for a double leg but Hoyang sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Hoyang looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Molovic has one foot on Hoyang's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hoyang stuffs the takedown attempt from Molovic. Molovic gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoyang fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Molovic connects with an inside leg kick.
Molovic with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hoyang connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kirthap Molovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hoyang lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Hoyang shoots in and bounces Molovic off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hoyang wants to control from the top but Molovic keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Molovic had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hoyang defends it easily.
Kirthap Molovic overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hoyang trying to control but Molovic is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Molovic working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hoyang doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hoyang manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Hoyang stopping the sweep attempt from Molovic.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Hoyang closes this distance looking for a takedown but Molovic circles away.
Molovic thinks about countering with a head kick.

Molovic moves into the clinch.

Molovic manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Molovic has Hoyang pulled in close to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Molovic keeping moving, preventing Hoyang from controlling successfully.

Molovic is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Molovic 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.
Molovic punching from the bottom - just letting Hoyang know he's still in a fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Molovic has his hands on Hoyang's head, controlling the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kirthap Molovic showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Molovic has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kirthap Molovic!
As Kirthap Molovic got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: Weak!'.