PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Youngbin Choi (ranked 2852 p4p, 3545 weight class) and Jay Reicher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Choi
vs
Reicher

189 cm
20
220
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
25
208
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Youngbin Choi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jay Reicher!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Choi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Choi is looking to clinch but Reicher is avoiding it.
Reicher changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Choi tries to avoid it but Reicher manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Choi to the ground. Choi escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Choi checks a leg kick.
A head kick misses from Reicher.
Reicher lands a jab to the nose.
Danga de danga de dang - Reicher scores with a four punch combination!

Choi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Reicher to the mat! Reicher manages to get full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Choi controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Choi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Reicher is keeping the position for now.
Choi throwing strikes from guard but Reicher blocks nicely.
Choi trying to control but Reicher is working from the bottom.
Choi 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 one minute gone in the round.
Choi is looking to stand up but Reicher won't let him.
Choi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Reicher is keeping the position for now.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Choi is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Reicher closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Choi content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Reicher looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Choi pulls guard.
Reicher throws a big elbow that misses.
Reicher trying to control but Choi is working from the bottom.
Choi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Choi has Reicher pulled in close to control his posture.
Choi working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Reicher.
Choi wants to improve his position but instead Reicher has moved into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Choi wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Choi is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Reicher's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Reicher's back!
Reicher is trying to get back to his feet but Choi has full control of the position and if anything, Reicher has just worked his way into a worse spot.
A lull in the action here.

Choi is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Choi keeps control of the position as Reicher tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Choi trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Choi's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Choi loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Reicher hold on?
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 Youngbin Choi will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Reicher slaps away a takedown attempt from Choi, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Choi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Choi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Reicher counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Reicher tries to clinch but Choi moves out of range.
Reicher looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Reicher moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Choi is trying to force a seperation but Reicher has the dominant position.
Choi tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Reicher smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Youngbin Choi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reicher goes for a double leg but Choi avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Choi continues to drive forward.
Choi misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Choi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Choi misses with a takedown
and Reicher counters with a two punch combo.
Choi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A low kick lands for Reicher.
Choi on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Reicher stuns Choi with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Choi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Reicher is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Jay Reicher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Reicher lands a jab to Choi's midsection.
Reicher throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Choi.

Choi gets a double leg takedown into Reicher's guard.

Reicher is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Choi presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Choi jumps guard but Reicher stands there with Choi around his waist. Choi gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Choi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Choi has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Reicher after a bit of a struggle.

Reicher breaks from the clinch.
Choi takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Jay Reicher seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Choi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Reicher counters with a nice uppercut.
Reicher shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Choi eats them both and turns towards Reicher to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Reicher tries to close the distance and clinch but Choi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Choi is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Reicher.
Reicher throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reicher keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Choi is defended easily by Reicher.
Choi is looking to clinch but Reicher is avoiding it.
Reicher lands a right hook to the body.
Choi is looking to clinch.
Reicher connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Reicher moves into range and clinches up with Choi.
Choi is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Reicher escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Youngbin Choi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Choi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Reicher counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Choi gets the takedown into side control.

Reicher bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
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!
Reicher scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Reicher scores with a one two! Choi had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Choi misses with a takedown attempt
and Reicher counters with a stiff right hand.
Reicher lands with a straight right. Choi didn't see that one coming.
Choi throws the kick towards the body but Reicher avoids it.

Reicher moves into the clinch successfully.
Choi misses with a body punch.
Choi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Reicher walks away with a smile on his face. Choi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jay Reicher showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Choi wants to clinch but Reicher slips to the side
and Reicher counters with a straight right hand.
Choi ducks right into an uppercut from Reicher.
Reicher lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Reicher connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Choi fails with the takedown.
Reicher swinging wildly here.
Choi tries a head kick but it misses.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Choi enables Reicher to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Choi manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Choi is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Choi tries to circle away but Reicher has him pinned against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Choi drops down looking for an ankle pick but Reicher pulls his leg out and moves away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Choi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Youngbin Choi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reicher tries to bum rush Choi with a series of wild strikes but Choi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Reicher lands with an uppercut that bounces Choi off the cage and back into range.
Choi shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Reicher defends it nicely.
Reicher scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Choi doesn't seem bothered though.
Choi swats away the attempt to clinch by Reicher.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reicher stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Reicher wants it to stay on the feet.
Reicher connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Nice takedown defense from Reicher. No joy for Choi on that attempt.
Reicher throws out a counter right but Choi avoids it with no problem.

Reicher gets a clinch.
Reicher gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Choi.
Reicher stalls.

Reicher manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reicher stuns Choi with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Reicher lands a nice shot to the body.
Reicher feints a jab promting Choi to slip. Reicher then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Choi slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Reicher lands a jab to Choi's midsection.
Choi fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Reicher throws a good cross that connects.
Reicher throws a series of strikes that have Choi backpedaling.

Reicher drives through with a takedown into guard.
Choi is looking to stand back up but Reicher counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Choi.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Choi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Reicher scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Choi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Reicher is working away from the top position though.

Reicher wants to work for an arm triangle but Choi is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Choi is trying to maintain the position but Reicher is very close to passing his half guard.
Choi wants to get back to full guard but Reicher has passed into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jay Reicher comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Reicher has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jay Reicher!
Jay Reicher seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.