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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jami Balkan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raijin Kage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kage has chosen Gojira - Oroborus as his entrance music. Jami Balkan has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.
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| 177 cm
28
162 lbs
18 - 8 - 0 |
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165 cm
27
162 lbs
13 - 4 - 1 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Excellent grappler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank |
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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
18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jami Balkan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
13 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raijin Kage!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Yves DeLean and Alec Ball.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balkan avoids the head kick by Kage.
Balkan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Balkan throws the kick towards the body but Kage avoids it.
Balkan throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Crunch! Kage slams his shin into Balkan's torso.
Balkan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Balkan sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Balkan missing with a left hand there. Kage was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A decent looking cross lands there for Balkan.
Kage takes one on the button.
Kage throws a sloppy body shot
letting Balkan counter with a right hand.
Balkan lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kage dives in and grabs Balkan's left leg, looking for a takedown. Balkan pushes down on Kage's head and hops out.
Balkan misses with a wild body shot.
Kage dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Balkan. That did some damage!
Balkan blocks a jab.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Kage moves out of range as Balkan strikes.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Balkan, right into the meat.
Balkan misses with a two punch combination.
Kage throws a head kick that misses.
Kage chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Balkan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kage.
Kage motions for Balkan to come forward. Kage throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Good work by Kage as he checks the leg kick.
Kage misses with a head kick.
Kage throws a body kick that misses.
Kage throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Balkan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kage moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Balkan moves out of range of the body kick from Kage.
Balkan tried to counter with a leg kick but Kage avoided it.
Balkan is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Kage cracks the inside of Balkan's front leg.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balkan waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kage.
Kage feints the counter takedown.
Kage misses with a body punch
and Balkan counters with a straight right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Balkan getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Kage staying out of range there.
Jami Balkan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fighters circling - Balkan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Balkan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kage manages to avoid it.
Balkan misses with a straight right.
Kage checks a low kick from Balkan.
Kage tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kage looks for the body kick but Balkan saw that one coming.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Balkan.
Balkan is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Balkan throws a leg kick but Kage sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Kage moves out of range of the body kick from Balkan.
Kage lands with a kick to the ribs.
Balkan scores with a sloppy right hand. Kage should have avoided that one.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balkan misses with a hook.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kage.
Kage connects with a high kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Balkan.
Balkan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kage moves away.
Nice body kick from Kage.
Kage scores with a takedown into Balkan's guard.
Balkan looking for a sweep. Not yet Balkan, not yet.
Kage in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Balkan will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Kage wants to control from the top but Balkan keeps moving.
Balkan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kage is one step ahead there.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kage trying to control the position from guard on top but Balkan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kage looking to sit in guard and control but Balkan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Balkan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kage works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Balkan controlling from the top position.
Balkan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kage not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kage tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Jami Balkan dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.
Balkan looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Balkan throws the kick towards the body but Kage avoids it.
Kage is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Balkan thows a body kick. Kage tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Balkan is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Kage darts in looking for a takedown but Balkan gets double underhooks and turns Kage into the cage.
Kage pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Balkan wants to land a leg kick but Kage is out of range.
Kage with the counter takedown but Balkan avoids it easily.
Balkan throws a combination. Kage tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
It looks like Raijin Kage has been cut.
Kage on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Balkan. Balkan obviously looking to wear him down.
Balkan misses with an attempted mid kick.
Balkan throws a poor cross that misses
and Kage counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Kage trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balkan controlling Kage's posture.
Kage throwing strikes but missing.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Balkan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kage wants to pass the guard but Balkan is keeping the position.
Balkan working a defensive guard here.
Kage looking to pass the guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Kage sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Balkan's guard.
Kage throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kage wants to free his trapped foot but Balkan is holding on for dear life with his legs.
That's two 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.
Balkan is not content to let Kage control the position.
Kage not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Balkan is looking to improve his position.
Kage wants to pass the guard but Balkan is defending well.
The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Balkan throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Balkan moves out of range of the strikes.
Balkan swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Balkan lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Kage has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Kage and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
The fighters circle momentarily. Balkan darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Balkan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kage blocks a low kick nicely.
Balkan buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Kage moves out of range of the leg kick from Balkan.
Kage checks the leg kick nicely there.
Balkan takes a kick to the side of the head.
Kage walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Balkan checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Balkan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kage swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kage decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Balkan is looking for a sweep. Kage is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kage trying to control from half guard but Balkan is working away.
Balkan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Balkan wants to get back to full guard.
Kage has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Kage lands a nice short elbow.
Raijin Kage has got the better of the ground game so far.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kage tries to pass the half guard into mount. Balkan knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kage is keen to just control but Balkan is a slippery customer.
Balkan wants to control but Kage is keeping busy.
Balkan avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kage.
Kage is trying to control. Balkan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kage works his way into side control.
Kage working away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kage throws an elbow but Balkan slips to the side and avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Raijin Kage showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Raijin Kage's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!
Balkan slaps away a takedown attempt from Kage, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Balkan takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Kage avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Kage throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Balkan tried to counter with a leg kick but Kage avoided it.
A big left from Balkan misses.
Kage with the counter takedown but Balkan avoids it easily.
Balkan waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kage.
Kage changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
A big right from Balkan misses.
Balkan takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kage throws a shot from downtown. Balkan moves away and avoids it.
Balkan attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Balkan swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Balkan is looking to score with low kicks.
A looping hook to the body misses from Balkan. Kage does a little dance to reset his feet.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Balkan dips to his left and cracks Kage with an uppercut!
Balkan misses with a leg kick.
Kage throws a sloppy head kick and Balkan moves out of range easily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Kage. That's going to slow Balkan down.
Balkan scores with the left hand. Kage knows he should have avoided that one.
Balkan just misses with a punch to the body.
Kage checks a low kick from Balkan.
Balkan is looking to slow Kage down with leg kicks.
Balkan attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Balkan throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Balkan avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Balkan throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
And Kage tries to counter it with a takedown but Balkan pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Kage. Balkan shrugs it off though.
Kage tries to land a front kick but Balkan steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Balkan looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Jami Balkan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kage feints and as Balkan raises his hands in defense, Kage changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kage slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Balkan avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Kage.
Balkan is looking for a sweep.
Kage throwing strikes but Balkan manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Kage is trying to work for a sweep but Balkan has mounted him!
Balkan is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Kage to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Kage shrugs it off.
Kage manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Kage trying to control here.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kage tries to get to full guard but Balkan has control of the leg.
Balkan trying to control from half guard but Kage is working away.
Balkan is pressing down on Kage's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kage is holding on for now.
Kage is looking to improve his position.
Balkan wants to free his trapped foot but Kage is holding on for dear life with his legs.
That's four 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.
Kage is trying to control but can't.
Balkan is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Kage sees it coming and defends easily.
Kage moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Kage tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Balkan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kage is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Balkan pushing down on Kage's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
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 Jami Balkan.
I think Balkan 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jami Balkan!
An out of breath Jami Balkan thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
46% |
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