PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kylian Kirkham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cole Lee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Kirkham might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Hunt You Down. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kirkham
vs
Lee

178 cm
20
155 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kylian Kirkham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cole Lee!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Dean Styles and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lee wants to clinch up but Kirkham keeps it at a distance.
Lee looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kirkham is fending him off so far but Lee persists. Nope, Kirkham circles away and we're back to standing.
Kirkham lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lee circles away quickly and effectively.
Lee fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Lee changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kirkham tries to avoid it but Lee manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kirkham to the ground. Kirkham escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kylian Kirkham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cole Lee.
Lee looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Lee fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Lee closes the distance and clinches up with Kirkham, looking for a takedown. Lee pushes Kirkham against the cage but Kirkham circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lee shoots for a takedown but Kirkham saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Kirkham gets a clinch.
Lee tries to throw a body punch but Kirkham avoids it by throwing Lee back against the cage.
Lee wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Kirkham landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Lee taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Kirkham breaks the clinch.
Lee fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lee looks gassed!
Lee tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Kirkham counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Kirkham is looking for a kimura but Lee is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kirkham to get the leverage.

Kirkham is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Lee defends it well.

Kirkham seems to be working for a kimura but Lee defends the submission attempt.
Lee wants to control but Kirkham is keeping busy.
Lee is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee trying to control from the bottom.
Lee is trying to get back to full guard.
Kirkham moves into full mount! Lee won't be happy about that!
Lee tries to lock up and control but Kirkham gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Kirkham with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Kirkham looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Kirkham wants to finish this one by submission but Lee is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Kirkham.
Lee is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kirkham unloads with some shots from mount but Lee bucks and avoids them well.

Kirkham with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Lee is trying to escape the mount.
Lee wants to hold on but Kirkham pushes him away.

That's four 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.

Kirkham wants to finish this one by submission but Lee is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Kirkham.
Lee tries to hold on but Kirkham postures up.
Lee slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Lee regains full guard. Nicely done.
Lee striking off his back but it's not causing Kirkham any problems.

Lee looking for a guillotine here but Kirkham defends easily.
Lee looking to control.
Kirkham wants to pass the guard but Lee is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kylian Kirkham dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lee fails with the takedown

and Kirkham counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lee won't be happy with that.
Lee wants to get back to his feet but Kirkham drags him back down.
Kirkham advances to mount.
Lee is trying desperately to improve position.
Kirkham unloads with some shots from mount but Lee bucks and avoids them well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kirkham misses with a head shot.
Lee is trying to escape the mount.
Lee throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lee tries to hold on but Kirkham pushes him away.
Lee bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Lee stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kirkham swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lee is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Kirkham has his foot on Lee's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lee works his way back into a safe position though.
Kirkham keeping moving, preventing Lee from controlling successfully.
Lee has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kirkham is proving hard to escape from.

Kirkham is looking for a triangle but Lee pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee with a nice head shot there.

Kirkham is looking for a triangle but Lee pushes his legs off easily.
Lee not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Kirkham trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Kirkham looking for a guillotine here but Lee defends easily.
Kirkham 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.
Lee lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lee stands up over Kirkham, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lee wants to control from the top but Kirkham keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lee throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kirkham's waist but Kirkham gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lee off to one side.

Lee closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Lee lands in his opponent's guard.
Lee pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kirkham is keeping the position for now.
Kirkham keeping moving, preventing Lee from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kirkham is looking for a triangle but Lee pushes his legs off easily.
Kirkham wants to sweep here but Lee controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lee trying to control but Kirkham is working from the bottom.
Kirkham looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kirkham being controlled here, momentarily.
Kirkham is trying to control the position but Lee postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kylian Kirkham dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Lee tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kirkham swivels and escapes.

Kirkham fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Lee, pushing him back against the cage.
Kirkham prevents Lee from breaking the clinch.
Knees to the body from Kirkham.
Lee fails to pull guard.
Kirkham effectively controlling the action here.

Kirkham's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Kirkham gets a takedown into half guard.
Lee is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lee is trying to stand.
Kirkham is trying to control. Lee wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kirkham trying to control from Lee's half guard. Lee has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lee has his foot on Kirkham's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kirkham works his way back into a safe position though.
Kirkham pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lee is keeping the position for now.
Lee bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kirkham's guard.
Kylian Kirkham overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lee looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kirkham keeping moving, preventing Lee from controlling successfully.
Lee is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Kirkham looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lee is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Lee postures up.

Kirkham escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lee gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Kirkham escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lee gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Lee pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kirkham is keeping the position for now.
Lee working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kirkham's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lee avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Lee advances position into side control!
Kirkham tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Lee working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kirkham tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lee trying to control the position but Kirkham is working away.
Lee lands some shots froms side control.

Lee tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Lee is trying to get an arm triangle but Kirkham is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cole Lee.
Well Kirkham has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Kylian Kirkham!
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight for Kylian Kirkham!
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight for Kylian Kirkham!

Kylian Kirkham wins by unanimous decision!