PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hyun Kim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Garelli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kim kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is To the Top. Garelli is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Patriarch on a Vespa. This should be fireworks!

Kim
vs
Garelli

176 cm
29
170 lbs
21 - 6 - 0

180 cm
32
184 lbs
29 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Granite chin

ACME-Blood Red Q158 Always $30 (5% Laundry SALE)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hyun Kim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joe Garelli!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Garelli misses its intended target.
Garelli misses with a looping left.
Garelli throws a jab but it's blocked by Kim.
Kim misses with a low kick.

Kim darts in and clinches Garelli up against the cage.
Garelli lands with a short shot to the head.

Garelli has Kim pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Garelli pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Kim tumbling to the mat - Garelli dives into Kim's guard.

Garelli avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Garelli trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Garelli is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Kim throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kim has his foot on Garelli's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Garelli works his way back into a safe position though.
Garelli makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Garelli trying to control but Kim is working from the bottom.
Kim looking for a sweep. Not yet Kim, not yet.
Garelli advances position into side control!
Sloppy strikes there by Garelli.
Garelli wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kim keeps working.

Garelli goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Kim has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Garelli but great work by Kim.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garelli is looking to regain half guard here but Kim keeps moving and retains side control.
Kim throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Garelli works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Garelli wants to improve his position but Kim is controlling well.
Garelli is trying to maintain the position but Kim is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garelli is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Garelli gets full guard.
Kim throwing strikes from guard but Garelli blocks nicely.
Garelli pulls Kim in close to his closed guard and prevents Kim from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kim stands up over Garelli, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Garelli 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 postures up.
Kim landing with the ground and pound.
Garelli is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Garelli keeping moving, preventing Kim from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Garelli dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kim throws out a leg kick but Garelli moves out of range and Kim only half commits.
Kim uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Garelli.
Garelli moves out of range of the body kick from Kim.
Kim keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Garelli.
Kim misses with a takedown attempt - Garelli sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Garelli loads up on a big right hand but Kim slips the punch.
A jab lands there for Garelli.
Kim does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Garelli wants to clinch.
Garelli throws a hook to the side of Kim's head but Kim sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kim misses with a leg kick
and Garelli counters with a straight right hand.
Kim uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Garelli.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garelli takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Garelli throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hyun Kim is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kim misses with a double jab
enabling Garelli to counter with a crisp jab.

Garelli has managed to clinch.
Garelli avoiding damage as Kim throws knees to the body.
Kim tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Garelli's elbow.
Garelli wants a takedown but no success here.
Kim goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Garelli fails to land.
Garelli tries for a takedown. No joy.
Garelli drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hyun Kim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Garelli.
Garelli is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Garelli receives a warning from the referee for stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kim tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Garelli has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Kim regains guard immediately.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Garelli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kim swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Kim looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Kim 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.
Garelli trying to control but Kim is working from the bottom.
Garelli wants to pass the guard but Kim is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garelli is stalling in the full guard.

Kim is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Garelli defends well.
Garelli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kim swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kim wants to sweep here but Garelli controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garelli engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Kim has an active guard here but Garelli has managed to pass into half guard.
Garelli wants to control but Kim is keeping him busy.

Garelli is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kim doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Garelli.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kim is pressing down on Garelli's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Garelli showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kim misses with a head kick.
Kim displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Garelli throws out the jab.
A big right from Garelli misses.
Kim is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Garelli throws a jab but it's blocked by Kim.

Garelli dives in and scores a takedown into Kim's guard.
Garelli wants to pass the guard but Kim is keeping the position.

Kim is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Kim working for a triangle but Garelli defends it easily.
Garelli looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garelli wants to control from the top but Kim keeps moving.
Joe Garelli has got the better of the ground game so far.
Garelli pushing down on Kim's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Garelli not doing much here.
Kim moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Kim looking for a sweep. Not yet Kim, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garelli slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Garelli thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Garelli trying to control the position but Kim is working away.

Garelli tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Garelli has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kim is looking for a sweep.
Garelli working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garelli throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Garelli scores with a couple of short elbows.
Garelli trying to control the position but Kim is working away.
Garelli controlling from side mount.
Garelli has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Kim!
Kim in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Garelli controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kim regains half guard.
Hyun Kim has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kim has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Garelli is working away from the top position though.
Garelli is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Kim actively working from the bottom here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Garelli stalling.
Kim misses with some strikes from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Garelli comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Garelli 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Garelli!
A victorious Joe Garelli thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.