PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Leonardo Pazzini (ranked 4807 p4p, 396 weight class) and Michael Kimura (ranked 4682 p4p, 389 weight class). Pazzini comes to the cage accompanied by Acid Drinkers - Hit the road Jack. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Pazzini
vs
Kimura

177 cm
21
145 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

168 cm
28
157 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Solid chin

IniTech Nutrition
KOMBAT KLOTHING

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Leonardo Pazzini!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Kimura!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pazzini darts in looking for a takedown but Kimura gets double underhooks and turns Pazzini into the cage.
Kimura is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Pazzini shoots and misses

and Kimura counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kimura.

Pazzini is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Kimura drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kimura jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Pazzini is looking for a triangle here but Kimura uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Kimura trying to control the position but Pazzini is working away.
Pazzini struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pazzini is trying to improve his position.
Pazzini gets back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pazzini tries to get to full guard but Kimura has control of the leg.
Pazzini wants to get back to his feet.

Pazzini looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Pazzini wants to improve his position but Kimura is controlling well.

Pazzini looking for submissions off his back.
Kimura is taking a breather. Pazzini says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Pazzini looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Pazzini looking for subs from the bottom but Kimura mounts him!
Pazzini really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Kimura tries to control but Pazzini wriggling away.
Pazzini is looking to improve his position but Kimura isn't that keen on the idea.
Kimura looking to control but Pazzini is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Pazzini is desperately trying to improve his position but Kimura has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kimura is looking to work his way around to Pazzini's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Pazzini is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Pazzini swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Pazzini really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Pazzini wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Pazzini is in bad spot here.
Pazzini trying to control the hands but Kimura won't let him.
Pazzini can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pazzini is working hard here to advance position.
Kimura avoiding Pazzini 's attempts to control his hands.
Pazzini is trying to stand back up.
Kimura is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Pazzini rolls, trying to escape but Kimura keeps control of the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kimura is looking to control Pazzini but Pazzini is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Pazzini tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Pazzini fails to land the takedown.
Kimura with the counter takedown but Pazzini avoids it easily.
Pazzini shoots in for a takedown but Kimura shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Kimura shoots in for a takedown but Pazzini shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Pazzini shoots in but no luck this time.
Pazzini looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Pazzini. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kimura drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Pazzini has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Kimura has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Pazzini is trying to drag Kimura to the mat but Kimura just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Kimura is trying to pull guard but Pazzini has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kimura is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Pazzini to keep the fight standing.
Pazzini is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Kimura gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Pazzini gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Pazzini has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kimura controls Pazzini momentarily but Pazzini frees himself.

Pazzini drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Kimura dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pazzini being controlled here, momentarily.

Pazzini is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kimura defends well.
Kimura trying to control but Pazzini is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Pazzini is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kimura is aware though and is defending well.
Pazzini trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Pazzini wants to sweep but no luck.

Pazzini looking for subs off his back but Kimura has passed one foot through into half guard.
Kimura is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Pazzini is trying desperately to improve position.
Michael Kimura has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pazzini defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Kimura.
Kimura moves to back control.
Pazzini tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Pazzini is looking to improve his position but Kimura isn't that keen on the idea.
Pazzini reaches up to try and control the position but Kimura seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Pazzini rolls and tries to escape and now Kimura has his back!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pazzini staying busy and making it hard for Kimura to control.
Kimura controlling well, preventing Pazzini from escaping the position.
Pazzini trying to control the hands but Kimura won't let him.
Kimura is hanging on to Pazzini's back as he tries to escape.
Kimura gets his hands free as Pazzini looks to control.
Well, with Kimura on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Pazzini is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
Pazzini tries to escape but Kimura has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Kimura has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Kimura controlling the positon.
Pazzini tries to break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Kimura showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Pazzini throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kimura's waist but Kimura gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pazzini off to one side.
Pazzini shoots in and drives through. Kimura sprawls well.
Kimura stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Pazzini. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pazzini fails with a takedown attempt.

Kimura shoots in and gets a takedown into Pazzini's guard.
Pazzini can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kimura controls the pace.
Pazzini looking for a sweep. Not yet Pazzini, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kimura controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Pazzini looking for subs off his back but Kimura has passed one foot through into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kimura slows the pace down in half guard.
Pazzini is looking to control Kimura's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pazzini avoid being mounted?
Kimura prevents Pazzini from improving his position.

Pazzini actively working from the bottom here.

Pazzini looking for submissions off his back.

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.

Pazzini looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Kimura is taking a breather. Pazzini says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Pazzini looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Well, if Kimura is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Pazzini is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pazzini actively working from the bottom here.

Pazzini actively working from the bottom here.
Kimura looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Kimura tries for a takedown but Pazzini sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pazzini.
Nice sprawl there from Kimura as Pazzini shoots in.
Pazzini shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kimura pinned against the cage. Kimura gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Kimura drives through with a takedown into Pazzini's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kimura showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kimura passes into half guard.
Kimura prevents Pazzini from improving his position.
Kimura passes to full mount!
Leonardo Pazzini has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pazzini looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pazzini rolls, trying to escape but Kimura keeps control of the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Kimura comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kimura 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Kimura!