PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kallen Laupati (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gatts Mirk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Laupati is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. Gatts Mirk will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Laupati
vs
Mirk

157 cm
19
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
19
187 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kallen Laupati!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gatts Mirk!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Mirk.
Laupati is breathing heavily.
Laupati takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

It looks like Kallen Laupati has been cut.
Gatts Mirk seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mirk shoots in and drives through. Laupati sprawls well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mirk looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Laupati keeps the fight on the outside.

Mirk rushes Laupati and presses him up against the cage.
Mirk can't break the clinch.
Laupati is trying to break free.
Mirk lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Laupati backwards.
Mirk wants to break the clinch but can't.

Mirk has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Laupati uses from the top position.
Laupati prevents Mirk from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A combination from Mirk does no damage.
Mirk stalks Laupati and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Laupati's face. Laupati staggers backwards, shaken.
Laupati keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Laupati closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Mirk is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Laupati is controlling him well.

Laupati is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Mirk has escaped the position, nice work there.
Laupati taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mirk is trying to buck Laupati off.
Laupati controlling from side mount.

Laupati stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laupati keeps the fight on the outside.

Mirk clinches with his opponent.
Mirk is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Laupati gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Kallen Laupati has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gatts Mirk.
Laupati displaying some good clinch control by pressing Mirk up against the cage.
Mirk wants a takedown but no success here.
Mirk drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Laupati jumps guard and drags Mirk to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Laupati wants to stand up but Mirk is controlling him.
Mirk wants to get up but he can't break Laupati's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laupati is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mirk has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Laupati is proving hard to escape from.

Laupati had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Mirk is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Laupati Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Mirk's back instead.
Mirk is trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gatts Mirk will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kallen Laupati's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Laupati is looking to clinch.

Mirk pushes Laupati up against the cage in a clinch.
Mirk fails to pull guard.
Laupati gets underhooks to prevent Mirk's takedown attempt.
Mirk jumps guard but Laupati stands there with Mirk around his waist. Mirk gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kallen Laupati has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gatts Mirk.
Mirk can't get the takedown.

Mirk breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Laupati is looking to clinch but Mirk is avoiding it.
Mirk thuds his right hand into Laupati's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Mirk has his takedown stuffed

and Laupati counters with a takedown into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mirk wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Laupati wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mirk keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mirk tries to escape but Laupati is in control.
Laupati is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Mirk's shoulder. That is not cool.

Laupati working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Laupati looking to control but instead Mirk has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Laupati stops Mirk from getting back to his feet.

That's two 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mirk shoots in but no luck this time.
Mirk moves in looking to clinch but Laupati pushes him off.
Mirk shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Laupati pinned against the cage. Laupati gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mirk tries to close the distance and clinch but Laupati swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mirk looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Laupati fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mirk sprawls well initially but Laupati persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Laupati is pressing down on Mirk's thigh, looking to free his foot. Mirk is holding on for now.
Laupati is looking to take a break and control but Mirk is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laupati looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Laupati wants to control but Mirk is keeping him busy.
Mirk wants to get back to his feet.
Still in half guard, Laupati seems content to control.
Laupati wants to pass to mount but Mirk is defending the position.
Laupati looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mirk with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mirk doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Laupati counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Laupati stands up from Mirk's guard - Laupati perhaps looking for a knockout.
Mirk has his takedown stuffed

and Laupati counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Laupati trying to control but Mirk is working from the bottom.
Laupati slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Laupati prevents Mirk from escaping the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mirk is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kallen Laupati dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kallen Laupati's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Laupati tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mirk swivels and escapes.
Mirk clinches but Laupati breaks the clinch
and Laupati counters with a leg kick.
Mirk lands with a slapping head kick.
Mirk throws a head kick that Laupati semi-blocks.

Mirk scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Laupati is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Mirk asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Laupati regains half guard.
Laupati manages to get to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Laupati is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laupati working a defensive guard but Mirk passes into half guard.
Laupati trying to hold on to Mirk's head to control him but Mirk postures up.
Mirk tries to stand but can't do so whilst Laupati controls his leg.
Laupati is trying to control but can't.

Mirk escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Laupati looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mirk is trying to stand up here but Laupati is controlling him well.

Mirk has one foot on Laupati's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Laupati instigates a clinch.
Mirk gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Mirk goes for a takedown in the clinch but Laupati prevents it.
Laupati wants a takedown but no success here.
Mirk wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mirk crunches a lovely knee into Laupati's ribcage.
Laupati will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Mirk up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Laupati has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Mirk clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Mirk is taking damage to the body and head.
Laupati lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Laupati.
Laupati tries to get the hooks in deep but Mirk pushed the leg off.
Mirk has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Laupati.
Laupati trying to control.
Laupati struggling to land strikes to the head as Mirk covers up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laupati tries to keep control of the position but Mirk is staying busy.
Mirk has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Laupati.
Mirk prevents Laupati from getting a body triangle.
Mirk is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Laupati is looking to control Mirk but Mirk is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Mirk is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kallen Laupati.
I think Laupati 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Kallen Laupati!