PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jin Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Stepp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kim
vs
Stepp

185 cm
40
220 lbs
29 - 42 - 2

193 cm
32
218 lbs
20 - 12 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 29 - 42 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Jin Kim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Steven Stepp!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kim swats away the attempt to clinch by Stepp.
Kim appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Stepp closes the distance and clinches.

Kim has picked Stepp up - he's going for a ride! Kim dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Kim trying to control the action but Stepp is working from the bottom.
Kim looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Stepp keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stepp landing small, sideways elbows.
Stepp wants to get back to full guard.
Stepp flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stepp is trying to get back to full guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Kim lands a nice short elbow.
Stepp is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Kim scores with a couple of nice shots.
Stepp is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kim's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kim's back!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stepp misses with an elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stepp is hanging on to Kim's back as he tries to escape.
Stepp punches the canvas rather than the man.
Kim trying to control the action but Stepp just sinks the hooks in.
We've been hearing good reports from Kim's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Stepp missing with strikes.
Stepp somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Kim trying to control the hands but Stepp breaks the grip.
Stepp throwing strikes and Kim squirms under the pressure, ending up mounted.
Stepp throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Stepp working some short elbows here. He postures up to throw some more ground and pound but Kim slips a leg through to get back to half guard. Nice work.
Kim keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stepp throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Stepp takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Stepp frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Stepp landing punches.
Kim avoids a series of strikes thrown by Stepp.
Kim tries to hold on but Stepp postures up.
Kim blocking the ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kim holds on to Stepp around his waist, trying desperately to prevent any attacks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kim wants to control but Stepp is having none of it.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Stepp working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Stepp misses with some ground and pound and Kim recovers position to half guard.
Kim is concentrating on defense, preventing Stepp from advancing position.
Stepp throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Stepp missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stepp is looking to take a break and control but Kim is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Stepp blocks the strikes from Kim.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Stepp sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kim defending well though.
Kim is trying to maintain the position but Stepp is very close to passing his half guard.
Stepp winds up and cracks Kim with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

It looks like Jin Kim has been cut.
Stepp throwing shots but Kim is blocking nicely.
Stepp lands with a punch from half guard.
Stepp not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Stepp thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kim's head.
Stepp throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Stepp missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stepp looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Stepp dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jin Kim's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Kim tries to keep at a distance but Stepp has taken the fight into the clinch.

Kim breaks from the clinch.

Stepp takes the fight into the clinch.

Stepp escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stepp closes the distance but Kim moves to the side

and Kim counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Stepp lands a decent shot there.
Stepp throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Stepp avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Stepp throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stepp is striking but Kim is not phased and passes to half guard.
Stepp is looking for a sweep. Kim is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kim working over Stepp with some ground and pound. Stepp looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The fighters are battling for position here. Stepp manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stepp is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Kim trying to control but Stepp is working from the bottom.
Stepp trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Stepp trying to control the position.
Stepp lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Stepp throwing strikes but missing.
Stepp lands a couple of elbows.
Stepp must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stepp accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stepp throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kim working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stepp.
Kim pulls Stepp in close to prevent any damage.
Stepp throws a big right hand that misses.
Stepp with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kim seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Kim working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stepp.
Kim working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Stepp.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kim tries to keep at a distance but Stepp has taken the fight into the clinch.
Stepp is trying to break free.
Kim blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Stepp escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stepp tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kim manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kim changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Stepp moves in looking to clinch but Kim pushes him off.
Stepp tries to close the distance and clinch but Kim swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Stepp moves into the clinch.

Stepp manages to break the clinch.

Stepp darts in and clinches Kim up against the cage.
Stepp is trying to push Kim away but Kim has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Kim drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Stepp lands with a left to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stepp breaks the clinch.
Jin Kim is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Stepp moves into the clinch.

Kim turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stepp throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Stepp is trying to work for a sweep but Kim has mounted him!
Stepp slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Stepp misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Kim trying to mount his opponent but Stepp defends it.
Kim drops an elbow to the side of Stepp's head.
Kim controlling the pace.
Stepp wants to control but Kim is keeping busy.
Kim working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Steven Stepp will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jin Kim's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Kim tries for a takedown but Stepp sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Stepp takes the fight into the clinch.

Stepp breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stepp keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Stepp clinches up with Kim and pushes him back against the cage.
Kim changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Stepp fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jin Kim. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Stepp tries to clinch there but Kim circles away.
Stepp doesn't manage to clinch there - Kim circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Stepp clinches.
Stepp is trying to break free.

Kim pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stepp doesn't manage to clinch there - Kim circles away.
As Stepp backs away, Kim returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Stepp is looking to clinch.
Stepp turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kim closes this distance looking for a takedown but Stepp circles away.
Stepp fails with an attempt to clinch.

Stepp rushes Kim and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Stepp prevents the takedown attempt.
Kim is working for takedown but Stepp is calmly controlling the position for now.
A short left from Stepp.
Kim has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Stepp after a bit of a struggle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Stepp pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Stepp rushes Kim and presses him up against the cage.

Stepp breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Stepp clinches up with Kim and pushes him back against the cage.

Stepp breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kim circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kim throws a big counter combination but Stepp scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Stepp tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Stepp closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Stepp clinches up against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Stepp is trying to break the clinch but Kim is controlling him.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kim is trying to drag Stepp to the mat but Stepp just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Kim drops down looking for an ankle pick but Stepp pulls his leg out and moves away.
Stepp tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Stepp is looking to clinch but Kim is avoiding it.
Stepp doesn't manage to clinch there - Kim circles away.
Stepp has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kim or perhaps it was just good defense by Stepp, which made it look bad.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stepp looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stepp keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A nice left hand lands by Stepp.

Stepp escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Stepp clinches up against the cage.

Kim tightens his grip and picks Stepp up, before dumping him to the ground. Stepp manages to land in guard.
Stepp wants to sweep but no luck.
Stepp controls Kim momentarily but Kim frees himself.
Stepp striking from his own guard.
Stepp throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Stepp is striking from the bottom but Kim uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Stepp tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stepp punching from the bottom.
Stepp gets back to full guard.
Stepp trying to strike off his back.
Kim trying to control the position from guard on top but Stepp is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stepp thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Stepp throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Stepp trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Stepp keeping moving, preventing Kim from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Stepp defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kim.
Steven Stepp seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stepp looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jin Kim has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kim shoots in looking for a takedown. Stepp tries to sprawl out of it but Kim keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Stepp manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Stepp comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Stepp 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Stepp!
Steven Stepp spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.