PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ong Bak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rami Kottari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bak comes to the cage accompanied by you've lost that loving feeling. 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.

Bak
vs
Kottari

225 cm
36
289 lbs
20 - 21 - 0

188 cm
36
255 lbs
17 - 20 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ong Bak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rami Kottari!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Vladimir Khabensky and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bak throws a right hand that misses
and Kottari counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Bak is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bak really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bak uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kottari.
Bak tries to move into range but Kottari moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Bak wants to clinch up but Kottari keeps it at a distance.
Bak moves in looking to clinch but Kottari pushes him off.
Kottari changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Kottari throws a hook but Bak avoids it easily.

Kottari manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Bak on his heels. He'll look to pass Bak's guard now, I'm sure.
Kottari with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kottari stops Bak from standing up.
Kottari looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Bak trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Kottari's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Let's hope that Kottari has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Bak is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kottari looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Bak wants to stand up but Kottari is controlling him.
Bak keeping moving, preventing Kottari from controlling successfully.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A swing and a miss from Kottari.
Bak fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kottari tries for a takedown but Bak sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bak is looking to clinch but Kottari is avoiding it.
Kottari throws a hook but Bak blocks it.

Bak clinches up with Kottari and pushes him back against the cage.
Bak with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Rami Kottari has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bak landing knees to the head.
Bak connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kottari's face.
Bak creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kottari's defenses.
Bak connects with a knee to the head.
Bak tries to land a knee to the head but Kottari blocks with his arms.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bak with a knee to the head.
Kottari managing to block the knees to the body from Bak.
Kottari avoids a wild elbow strike from Bak.

Kottari has picked Bak up - he's going for a ride! Kottari dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Kottari winds up and cracks Bak with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kottari is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Kottari wants to pass to mount but Bak is defending the position.
Bak is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Elite Fighting Temple that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kottari is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Kottari is keen to just control but Bak is a slippery customer.
Bak pushes Kottari off looking to stand but Kottari dives back in and keeps control.
Kottari keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Bak tries to kick Kottari off but Kottari keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Kottari working the head and body with strikes.
Bak wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Bak rushes Kottari and presses him up against the cage.
Bak with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Bak with a knee to the head.
Bak connects with a knee to the head.
Kottari stalling against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bak trying to land knees to the body.
Bak throws a knee to the head but misses.
Bak tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kottari is struggling to control the position.
Kottari stalling against the cage.
Kottari receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Bak trying to land knees to the body.
Bak misses with an elbow strike.
Nice elbow from Bak.
Kottari avoiding damage as Bak throws knees to the body.
Bak lands a damaging elbow.

That has opened up Rami Kottari's cut even more.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kottari leaning his opponent against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ong Bak will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rami Kottari's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bak tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kottari paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kottari circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kottari misses with a straight right.
And Bak counters with a quick kick to the body but Kottari blocks it.
Bak wants to clinch up but Kottari keeps it at a distance.
Ong Bak is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bak wants to clinch up but Kottari keeps it at a distance.
Bak is looking to clinch but Kottari is avoiding it.
Bak is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kottari avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bak wants to clinch up but Kottari keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bak moves away from the strike by Kottari.
Bak closes the distance looking to clinch

and Kottari counters with a takedown into side control.
Kottari trying to control the position but Bak is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here as Kottari stalls from top position.
Kottari has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kottari is continuing to stall.
Bak wants to get back to his feet but Kottari drags him back down.
Kottari wants to control but Bak is keeping him busy.
Bak takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Kottari is working Bak over with some ground and pound from side control.
Kottari landing strikes.
Bak is pushing Kottari's head away, looking to escape. Kottari manages to hold on to the position though.
Rami Kottari has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bak is trying to escape the position but Kottari is controlling the position.
Kottari cracks Bak with a big elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bak wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kottari landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Kottari connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Bak some visible discomfort.
Bak is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Kottari trying to control the action but Bak is working from the bottom.
Kottari has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kottari prevents Bak from escaping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Bak fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bak slips a straight right by Kottari.
Ong Bak seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kottari misses with a looping right.
Bak fails with an attempt to clinch.

Kottari cracks Bak with an uppercut from hell and Bak crumples to the canvas, he's out! Oh no, he's recovered and he's grabbed one of Kottari's legs and pulled him into guard. The ref thought about stopping it there but he's let it go - good reffing!

Bak is rocked!

It looks like Ong Bak has been cut.
Bak will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Kottari loads up on a big left hand. Bak felt that one! He's just covering up now, not defending himself intelligently - Kottari looks towards the ref and unloads with 3 more big shots and the ref has no choice but to stop the fight! Bak can't hide his disappointment, as Kottari celebrates the victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Rami Kottari!
During a confident post fight interview, Rami Kottari thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Ong Bak spoke after the fight, saying 'Osssss'.