PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michał Kowalkiewicz (ranked 1169 p4p, 431 weight class) and Jin Yi (ranked 174 p4p, 63 weight class). Yi is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Wobble. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kowalkiewicz
vs
Yi

195 cm
30
188
16 - 4 - 0

189 cm
28
192
15 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)

HELLBENT
Conquer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Michał Kowalkiewicz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jin Yi!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Dillan Fox and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Kowalkiewicz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Yi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Yi.
Kowalkiewicz looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Yi swings widly with a right hand
and Kowalkiewicz counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Kowalkiewicz drives through and clinches with Yi against the cage.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Yi has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Still in the clinch, Kowalkiewicz scores with a nice short uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kowalkiewicz swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Still in the clinch, Kowalkiewicz scores with a nice short uppercut.
Kowalkiewicz lands a right hand that snaps the head of Yi backwards.
Yi tries to throw a body punch but Kowalkiewicz avoids it by throwing Yi back against the cage.

Yi manages to break the clinch.
Kowalkiewicz pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kowalkiewicz.
And Yi tries to counter it with a takedown but Kowalkiewicz pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Kowalkiewicz throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Yi counters with a left and a right that stings Kowalkiewicz.
Yi has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Yi there as he acknowledges the shot.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Yi.
You can see the frustration on Kowalkiewicz's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Yi tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Yi has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Yi wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kowalkiewicz, who protects the arm well.
Yi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kowalkiewicz keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kowalkiewicz is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Yi tries for a kimura but Kowalkiewicz is defending well.
Kowalkiewicz is looking for a sweep.
Kowalkiewicz is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Yi off and has taken his back!
Yi rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Kowalkiewicz is stalling here. Yi is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Kowalkiewicz seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Yi has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kowalkiewicz is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Yi looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yi fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Kowalkiewicz is trying to improve his position.

Yi is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kowalkiewicz has escaped the position, nice work there.
Kowalkiewicz wants to control but Yi postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yi sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Kowalkiewicz is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Yi is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kowalkiewicz knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kowalkiewicz is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Yi off and has taken his back!
Kowalkiewicz not allowing Yi to control his hands.
Kowalkiewicz has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Yi's body.
Yi tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Yi is looking to get to half guard.
Kowalkiewicz manages to capitalize on a mistake by Yi to take his back!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Michał Kowalkiewicz will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Yi throws a quick inside leg kick.
Yi avoids the body shot from Kowalkiewicz.
A head kick misses from Kowalkiewicz.
Kowalkiewicz on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A telegraphed right hand from Kowalkiewicz misses the target.
Yi throws a big shot that misses.
Yi is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yi misses with a hook to the body
and Kowalkiewicz counters with a nice body kick.
Yi is looking to score with low kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yi throws a leg kick which misses Kowalkiewicz's front leg but catches the back leg as Kowalkiewicz tries to avoid it.

Kowalkiewicz moves into the clinch successfully.
Yi working aggressively here.
Yi wants to take the fight to the mat but Kowalkiewicz manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Yi goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kowalkiewicz prevents it.
Kowalkiewicz gets underhooks to prevent Yi's takedown attempt.
Michał Kowalkiewicz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jin Yi.
Yi tries to pull guard but Kowalkiewicz holds him up against the cage and eventually Yi drops back down to his feet.
Yi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kowalkiewicz walks away with a smile on his face. Yi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kowalkiewicz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Kowalkiewicz.
Kowalkiewicz thows a leg kick but Yi checks it
and Yi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

Kowalkiewicz feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Yi sprawling to the canvas! Yi rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Kowalkiewicz finish him?!

It looks like Jin Yi has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Kowalkiewicz connects with a single shot there.

Yi is rocked!
Kowalkiewicz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Yi.
Kowalkiewicz tries to clinch up.
Kowalkiewicz lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Yi is still on wobbly legs! Can Kowalkiewicz finish him?
Michał Kowalkiewicz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kowalkiewicz throws a monster overhand right that drops Yi! Kowalkiewicz follows up with more strikes from mount and the fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Michał Kowalkiewicz!
Jin Yi spoke after the fight, saying 'Next time, there will be no next time.'.