PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Konrad Kurze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Efriam Haldi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Efriam Haldi has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Konrad Kurze's chin.

Kurze
vs
Haldi

150 cm
26
130 lbs
19 - 9 - 0

167 cm
22
144 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

5th Round Clothing
Brute

5th Round Clothing
CEC Nutrition Q160

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 19 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Konrad Kurze!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Efriam Haldi!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick by Haldi misses
letting Kurze counter with a right hand.
Kurze lands a nice looking body shot.
Haldi wants to slow Kurze down by chopping away at his legs.
Kurze moves out of range as Haldi strikes.
Kurze ducks under a wild hook from Haldi.

Kurze looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kurze is trying to control. Haldi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Haldi tries to kick Kurze off but Kurze keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Kurze is trying to control the action in half guard but Haldi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kurze lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kurze stalling.
Kurze trying to control from half guard but Haldi is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurze is controlling the pace.
Kurze wants to lay and pray for a moment but Haldi keeps working.

We're going to have a standup here because Konrad Kurze wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kurze cracks Haldi with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Kurze thows a body shot but no joy.
Haldi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Haldi closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Efriam Haldi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Haldi blocks a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haldi tries to clinch up but Kurze circles away and keeps his distance.
Haldi thows a body kick. Kurze tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Good exchange - Haldi coming out on top.
Haldi wants to clinch but Kurze slips to the side
and Kurze makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Haldi really felt that one!
A looping hook to the body misses from Kurze. Haldi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kurze throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Haldi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Jab, jab by Kurze - just one landing.
Kurze cracks Haldi with a good jab.
Haldi looks to throw the jab but Kurze is out of range.
Kurze moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kurze tests Haldi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kurze misses with a looping left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haldi takes a swing at Kurze's ribcage but misses.
Haldi takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Kurze shoots in but no luck this time.
Haldi tries to clinch up but Kurze circles away and keeps his distance.
Kurze fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Haldi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Haldi throws an overhand right that lands on Kurze's shoulder, as Kurze tries to avoid the shot.
Haldi throws a sloppy head kick and Kurze moves out of range easily.
Haldi misses with an uppercut. Kurze saw that one coming.

Haldi fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kurze, pushing him back against the cage.
Kurze lands a body punch.
Kurze's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Haldi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kurze is trying to pull guard but Haldi turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konrad Kurze. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kurze tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Haldi smiles and moves away.
Haldi throws a wild body kick that Kurze sees coming a mile off.
Haldi slips under a jab from Kurze.
Kurze looks to score with a jab to the body but Haldi is just out of range.
Haldi takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Kurze throws an overhand right that lands on Haldi's shoulder, as Haldi tries to avoid the shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Haldi takes the fight into the clinch.
Haldi lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Haldi blocking some punches.
Haldi goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Haldi throws a head punch that misses.
Kurze takes an elbow to the forehead.
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 Konrad Kurze will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Haldi takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Haldi walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Haldi clinches up against the cage.

Kurze ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Kurze no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Haldi postures up.
Haldi won't allow Kurze to sweep him here.
Haldi wants to stand but Kurze is controlling his posture from full guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Haldi stands up from Kurze's guard - Haldi perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kurze throws a looping overhand right but Haldi ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haldi misses with a looping left.
Kurze misses with a body shot.
Haldi misses with a looping right.
Kurze avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Haldi on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kurze is defended easily by Haldi.
Haldi loads up on a big right hand but Kurze slips the punch.
Haldi goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Kurze throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kurze avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Kurze darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurze looks to score with a jab to the body but Haldi is just out of range.
Haldi throws a sloppy head kick and Kurze moves out of range easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Haldi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Haldi throws a looping overhand right but Kurze ducks down to avoid it.
Haldi slips a jab from Kurze.
Kurze just misses with a punch to the body.
Kurze takes a swing at Haldi's ribcage but misses.
A head kick misses from Kurze.
Haldi takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
A shot to the liver by Kurze. Beautiful body shot.
Haldi throws a lazy right hand but Kurze sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Haldi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurze throws a shot to the body.
Kurze misses with a body shot.
Haldi throws a head kick but Kurze moves out of range.
Haldi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kurze manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kurze misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Haldi.
Kurze shoots in but no luck this time.
Kurze scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Kurze bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Haldi is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Kurze lands a few punches from side control.
Kurze in side control, just content to control the action for now.
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.
Kurze trying to control the position but Haldi is working away.
Haldi is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Haldi is looking for a sweep.
Kurze trying to control the action but Haldi is working from the bottom.
Kurze in side control, throwing shots but Haldi defends.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kurze scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Haldi to see if he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Konrad Kurze dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

The crowd cheers as Kurze lands an impressive looking overhand right. Haldi doesn't seem phased though.
Haldi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kurze slips a jab from Haldi.
Kurze shoots in looking for a takedown. Haldi tries to sprawl out of it but Kurze keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Haldi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kurze lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Haldi at a distance.
The fighters circle momentarily. Kurze darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Haldi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kurze swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kurze thows a left - swing and a miss!
Haldi misses with a kick to the body.
Kurze scores with a jab to the head.
Haldi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kurze manages to avoid it.
Haldi lands a glancing blow to the side of Kurze's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurze connects with a single shot there.
Kurze ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Haldi moves away.
Haldi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kurze counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Haldi throws a head kick but Kurze moves out of range.
Kurze with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Kurze tries to work over Haldi's front leg with a kick but Haldi checks it.
Kurze blocks a head kick by Haldi.
Haldi misses with a looping right.
Haldi on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Haldi is looking to clinch.

Kurze gets a takedown into half guard.
Kurze is stalling here. Haldi is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Kurze seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Haldi has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Konrad Kurze is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kurze wants to control but Haldi postures up.

Haldi is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kurze is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Haldi tries to stand but Kurze is controlling his head.
Kurze gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kurze moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haldi wants to control from the top but Kurze keeps moving.
Kurze pulls Haldi in close to prevent any damage.
Kurze might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Haldi postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kurze is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Haldi, into his guard.
Kurze stays in close to Haldi's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kurze ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Haldi moves away.
Good shot there by Kurze.
Kurze misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Haldi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Haldi tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kurze's elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Haldi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Efriam Haldi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kurze avoiding damage as Haldi throws knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Konrad Kurze showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kurze, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Konrad Kurze!
Konrad Kurze really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Punishment Nutrition - All 159Q products now $75 logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.