PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Leonard Kinney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ji Hyun Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kinney comes to the cage accompanied by Say It Ain't So. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Kinney
vs
Hyun Kim

215 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

168 cm
19
159 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Leonard Kinney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ji Hyun Kim!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Hirohito Nitta and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kinney tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kim paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Kinney gets caught flat footed, as Kim shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kim content to stall in guard here.
I looks like Kim might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Kinney is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Kim makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Kim.

Kinney stands and steps away. Kim gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Kinney jabs at Kim's body.
Leonard Kinney seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kim throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kinney attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Kinney throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kinney really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kinney tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kinney lands a high kick!
Kinney gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kim counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Kim gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Kinney breaks from the clinch.

Kim pushes Kinney up against the cage in a clinch.

Kinney breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kinney looks to land a combination but Kim avoids it well.
Kim throws a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kinney swings for the body but Kim moves out of range.
Kim circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kim counters with a single leg into guard. Kinney didn't expect that.
Kim scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Kim stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Kinney scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kinney is breathing heavily.
An elbow from Kinney crashes against the mat.
Kim is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Kinney's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Kinney looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim is looking to improve his position.
Kinney is thwarting Kim's attempts to control the position.
Kim works his way to full guard. Good work.

Kim kicks Kinney off and gets to his feet.

Kim moves into the clinch.
Kinney is looking to control Kim's arms but Kim gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kinney has his back to the cage.
Kim has had enough of the clinch but Kinney keeps him there for the moment.

Kim breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Kim drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Kim has knee on belly and moves into mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kim postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kinney looks a forlorn figure.
Kinney is working to get back to half guard.
Kinney wants to hold on but Kim pushes him away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kim tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kinney tries to hold on but Kim postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ji Hyun Kim dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kinney throws a sloppy head kick and Kim moves out of range easily.
Nice straight punches there by Kinney. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Kinney.
Kinney keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kinney with a poor takedown
and Kim counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kim circles away from the clinch attempt

and Kim counters by clinching up.
Kinney wants a takedown but no success here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Kim manages to break the clinch.
Kinney misses with a takedown
and Kim counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kinney thinking.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonard Kinney. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Kim changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kinney looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Kim stands up and beckons Kinney to his feet.

Kim rushes Kinney and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Kinney prevents Kim from breaking the clinch.
Kim wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kinney is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Kim manages to break the clinch.
Kim throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kim gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kinney goes for a takedown attempt but Kim pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Kinney throws and low kick but Kim moves out of range easily.

Kim has managed to clinch.

Kim breaks the clinch.
Kinney tries to clinch

and Kim counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kinney is looking to improve his position.
Still in half guard, Kim seems content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kim escapes and gets back to his feet.

Kinney clinches with his opponent.

Kinney jumps guard.
Kim trying to control but Kinney is working from the bottom.
Kim wanted to stand there but Kinney had control of the position.
Kinney can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kim controls the pace.

Kim gets to his feet. Kinney looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Kinney closes the distance but Kim moves to the side

and Kim counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kinney is trying to stand back up but Kim is controlling him
Kinney on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Kim connects with a nice short shot to Kinney's temple.
Kim with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Kim is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ji Hyun Kim has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kinney moves into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ji Hyun Kim 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 fails to land the takedown.
Nice takedown defense from Kim. No joy for Kinney on that attempt.
Kinney shoots and misses

and Kim counters with a single leg into guard. Kinney didn't expect that.

Kim gets to his feet - Kinney follows without any prompting.
Kim circles away from the clinch attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Kim scores a takedown into full mount!
Kim tries to control but Kinney wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Kinney tries to hold on but Kim postures up.
Kim looking to control and managing it successfully.
Kim lands with some strikes.

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.
Kinney wants to hold on but Kim pushes him away.
Kim takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kinney is squirming around, avoiding Kim's attempts to control the action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ji Hyun Kim just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kim stuns Kinney with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim throws a combination. Kinney tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Kinney with a poor takedown

and Kim counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kim.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonard Kinney. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kim sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kim has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kinney can't keep his opponent in guard - Kim advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Kim wants to stand up but Kinney is controlling the position.
Kinney trying to hold on to Kim's head to control him but Kim postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kinney moves into full guard.
Kinney tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kim sitting in guard here, content to control.
Kinney controls Kim momentarily but Kim frees himself.

Kinney working for a triangle but Kim defends it easily.
Kinney is trying to keep Kim in close.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ji Hyun Kim comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kim has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ji Hyun Kim!