PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kyun-Chul Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hannibal Butrovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kim
vs
Butrovic

175 cm
27
165 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

180 cm
28
168 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160

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 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kyun-Chul Kim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Hannibal Butrovic!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Sergei Dronov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kim throws an overhand right that lands on Butrovic's shoulder, as Butrovic tries to avoid the shot.
Kim throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kim misses with a looping left.
Butrovic lands a jab.
Kim scores with a crisp jab that stopped Butrovic in his tracks.
Kim throws a right hand that misses

and Butrovic counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Butrovic.
Butrovic looking to sit in guard and control but Kim gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Butrovic trying to keep a closed guard but Kim is proving a slippery customer.
Kim being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim is stalling in the full guard.
Butrovic looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kim controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

We're going to have a standup here because Kyun-Chul Kim wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Butrovic misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Butrovic fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Butrovic walks into a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kim misses with a hook
and Butrovic counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kim scores with a spinning back kick!
Kim looks to land a left hand but Butrovic moved out of range nicely.
A telegraphed right hand from Kim misses the target.
Kim smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Butrovic ducks under a wild hook from Kim.
Kim misses with a right hand

and Butrovic counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Butrovic lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Butrovic works over Kim with some ground and pound from guard.
Butrovic postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Butrovic throws a strike but Kim rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Butrovic looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kim is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butrovic controls Kim momentarily but Kim frees himself.
Kim engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Kim wants to control from the top but Butrovic keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim trying to move into half guard but instead Butrovic has managed to sweep!
Butrovic wants to control from the top but Kim keeps moving.
Kim preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Butrovic loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Butrovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Kim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Butrovic bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Kim defending against the ground and pound.
Butrovic has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Butrovic sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Kim is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Butrovic is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kim knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Butrovic goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Kim has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Butrovic but great work by Kim.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hannibal Butrovic dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kim fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Butrovic manages to avoid it.
Butrovic lands a jab.
Butrovic throws a big shot that misses.
Butrovic lands a nice shot to the body.
Kim misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Butrovic.
Butrovic cracks Kim with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Butrovic bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kim moves into range and connects with a jab.
Kim misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kyun-Chul Kim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice defenses there by Butrovic.
Kim scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kim misses with a straight right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butrovic fails with a takedown attempt.
Kim is looking to chop away at Butrovic's legs.
Kim throws a sloppy body shot
and Butrovic counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Butrovic bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Kim is looking to regain half guard here but Butrovic keeps moving and retains side control.
Butrovic throws a strike aimed at the side of Kim's head but Kim avoids it well.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Butrovic working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Butrovic tries to move to mount but Kim blocks the move with his legs.
Kim can't do much from the bottom here.
Hannibal Butrovic has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butrovic trying to control the action but Kim is working from the bottom.
Kim tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Butrovic wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Butrovic lands a few punches from side control.
Butrovic trying to control the action but Kim is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Butrovic working away.
Kim is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Butrovic creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Kim sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Kim takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Butrovic.
The strikes coming from Butrovic are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Butrovic lands a nice forearm strike.
Butrovic trying to control the action but Kim is working from the bottom.
Butrovic working the strikes but Kim uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Butrovic prevents Kim from standing back up.
Butrovic content to control rather than advance.
Butrovic looks to land a strike but Kim avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butrovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Kim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Butrovic controls from within his opponent's guard.
Kim is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Butrovic working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kim's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Butrovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Kim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hannibal Butrovic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Kim waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Butrovic.
Kim scores with a head kick.
Kim throws a poor cross that misses

and Butrovic counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Butrovic throws an elbow that misses. Kim uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Butrovic's guard. Nice move by Kim!
Butrovic bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kim's guard.
Butrovic throws an elbow that misses. Kim uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Butrovic's guard. Nice move by Kim!
Butrovic lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kim!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kim tries to hold on but Butrovic postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee warns Kim that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The referee warns Kim that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Butrovic throwing strikes here but Kim is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Butrovic misses with a head shot.
Butrovic thowing shots but they're missing.
Butrovic landing strikes from the mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Butrovic throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Kim because Butrovic loaded up on that one.
Butrovic avoids the attempt from Kim to control.
Butrovic putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butrovic looking to control but Kim is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kim in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Butrovic lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kim hang on?
Butrovic landing shots from mount.

Kim is rocked!
Butrovic content just to control the position here.
Butrovic with a couple of short strikes.
Oh Kim is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Butrovic connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Butrovic looking to ground and pound but Kim is blocking nicely.
Butrovic wants to control the pace but Kim is squirming around nicely.
Butrovic working Kim over with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Butrovic jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Kim is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Kim and Butrovic has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Kim takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Kim can't do much from the bottom here.
Kim seems to have got his legs back now.
Kim tries to bench press Butrovic off him but Butrovic keeps the position.
Butrovic in side control lands a decent elbow.
An elbow from Butrovic crashes against the mat.
Kim taking a bit of punishment here - Butrovic scoring with strikes.
Butrovic misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butrovic controlling the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Butrovic tries to move to mount but Kim blocks the move with his legs.
Butrovic working the head with strikes.
Butrovic throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Kim avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Butrovic.
Kim stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kim regains half guard, as Butrovic was trying to land strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hannibal Butrovic comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Butrovic winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hannibal Butrovic!
Hannibal Butrovic was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.