PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jin Lee Yan Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maurcio Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jin Lee Yan Kim looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Lee Yan Kim
vs
Rua

171 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
22
153 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jin Lee Yan Kim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Maurcio Rua!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lee Yan Kim is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rua sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rua tries to clinch up but Lee Yan Kim circles away and keeps his distance.
Lee Yan Kim is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Rua.
Lee Yan Kim lands a head kick!
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Lee Yan Kim shows good takedown defense.
Rua keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Lee Yan Kim fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jin Lee Yan Kim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rua shoots in but Lee Yan Kim avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rua throws a half hearted mid kick.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rua tries to keep at a distance but Lee Yan Kim has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rua tries to break the clinch but Lee Yan Kim is controlling the position.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Lee Yan Kim drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rua gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Lee Yan Kim blocks a body shot from Rua.

Lee Yan Kim breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lee Yan Kim changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rua tries to avoid it but Lee Yan Kim manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rua to the ground. Rua escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lee Yan Kim is breathing heavily.

Lee Yan Kim has taken the fight to the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Lee Yan Kim gets a trip takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rua is trying to stand up here but Lee Yan Kim is controlling him well.

Lee Yan Kim is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Rua has his hands clasped together around Lee Yan Kim's back. He's all about the action.
Lee Yan Kim is keen to just control but Rua is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lee Yan Kim is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rua desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Rua moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rua is adopting a defensive guard.

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.
Rua thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Lee Yan Kim thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rua wants to sweep here but Lee Yan Kim controlling him for the moment.
Rua throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rua is controlling Lee Yan Kim's posture.
Lee Yan Kim trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Maurcio Rua will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rua is looking to clinch but Lee Yan Kim is avoiding it.
Rua misses with a two punch combination.
Rua tries to clinch but Lee Yan Kim is having none of it.
Rua shoots in for a takedown but Lee Yan Kim shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rua fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lee Yan Kim tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rua paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee Yan Kim lands a high kick!
Rua fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Jin Lee Yan Kim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maurcio Rua.
Lee Yan Kim is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee Yan Kim stuffs the takedown attempt from Rua. Rua gets slowly back to his feet.

Lee Yan Kim moves into the clinch.

Lee Yan Kim tightens his grip and picks Rua up, before dumping him to the ground. Rua manages to land in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rua can do anything to dispel that myth.

Lee Yan Kim thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rua throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Lee Yan Kim is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rua seems keen to control Lee Yan Kim's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lee Yan Kim stands up and waves to Rua to follow him.
Rua fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Lee Yan Kim throws a head kick that Rua semi-blocks.
Rua tries to clinch there but Lee Yan Kim circles away.
Rua looks to land a combination but Lee Yan Kim avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee Yan Kim shoots for a double leg takedown but Rua sprawls well. He's pushed Lee Yan Kim's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rua closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lee Yan Kim circles away.
Lee Yan Kim shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rua as he avoids it easily.
Maurcio Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rua gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Lee Yan Kim counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rua is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Lee Yan Kim shoots in for a takedown but Rua shows good takedown defense.
Rua connects with a right hand. Lee Yan Kim shakes it off.

Lee Yan Kim moves into range and clinches up with Rua.
Rua goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lee Yan Kim prevents it.

Lee Yan Kim turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lee Yan Kim working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Lee Yan Kim is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rua knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Rua can't do much from the bottom here.
Rua is looking to reverse the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jin Lee Yan Kim dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Rua throws a sloppy head kick and Lee Yan Kim moves out of range easily.
Rua displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lee Yan Kim.
Lee Yan Kim shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Rua to counter with a crisp jab.
Rua shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Lee Yan Kim holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Lee Yan Kim is trying to break free.

Lee Yan Kim escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rua shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rua is looking to clinch but Lee Yan Kim is avoiding it.
Rua misses with a takedown attempt - Lee Yan Kim sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jin Lee Yan Kim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maurcio Rua.
Rua keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rua is looking to clinch but Lee Yan Kim is avoiding it.
Rua shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lee Yan Kim sprawls well. Lee Yan Kim wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rua gets slowly back to his feet.
Rua avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rua swats away the attempt to clinch by Lee Yan Kim.
Lee Yan Kim is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rua sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rua darts in trying to clinch
and Lee Yan Kim counters with a slapping leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Lee Yan Kim fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lee Yan Kim stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lee Yan Kim wants it to stay on the feet.
Lee Yan Kim misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rua lands with a nice body punch.
Lee Yan Kim fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rua avoids it really well and circles away.
Rua tries for a takedown but Lee Yan Kim circles away easily

and Lee Yan Kim counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Lee Yan Kim.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rua tries to stall but Lee Yan Kim uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Lee Yan Kim gets control of Rua's arms and successfully pulls guard. Lee Yan Kim will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ruais looking to pass into half guard but Lee Yan Kim pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Lee Yan Kim is in guard.
Rua keeping full guard, as Lee Yan Kim tries to pass.
Lee Yan Kim trying to control but Rua is working from the bottom.
Lee Yan Kim is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Rua is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Rua is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lee Yan Kim wants to control from the top but Rua keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Lee Yan Kim stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rua swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rua looking for a sweep. Not yet Rua, not yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rua shoots in and drives through. Lee Yan Kim sprawls well.
Rua will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lee Yan Kim defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rua.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jin Lee Yan Kim showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lee Yan Kim 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jin Lee Yan Kim!