PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pann Khumpai (ranked 2380 p4p, 252 weight class) and Steve Cho (ranked 2506 p4p, 264 weight class). Pann Khumpai has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Khumpai
vs
Cho

170 cm
23
152 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

168 cm
25
154 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Fist MMA Gear

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Pann Khumpai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Steve Cho!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cho throws a series of punches but Khumpai avoids them all with ease.
Khumpai tries to clinch there but Cho circles away.
Cho looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Khumpai throws a body kick that misses
and Cho counters with a stiff right hand.
Cho sizes up Khumpai with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Khumpai tries to clinch but Cho is having none of it.
Sloppy strikes from Cho. Those never looked like landing.
An attempted straight right counter from Khumpai misses the target.
Cho connects with the punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cho lands a jab to Khumpai's midsection.
Cho throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Khumpai sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Khumpai tries to close the distance and clinch but Cho swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
As Khumpai backs off Cho throws a huge counter combo but Khumpai manages to avoid it all.
Khumpai scores with a spinning back kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khumpai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cho unleashes a big counter combination but Khumpai bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Cho throws a left and a right that both miss
and Khumpai counters with a nice body kick.
Cho avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cho throws a hook to the side of Khumpai's head but Khumpai sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cho catches Khumpai with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Khumpai moves in looking to clinch but Cho pushes him off.
Khumpai moves in looking to clinch but Cho pushes him off.
It seemed like Cho was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Cho goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Khumpai has closed the distance and engaged Cho in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khumpai lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Steve Cho has been cut.
Cho wants to get back to striking at distance but Khumpai won't allow it.
Khumpai throws a head punch that misses.
A frustrated look appears on Cho's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Khumpai avoiding damage.

Khumpai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Khumpai avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Khumpai ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Khumpai tries to bum rush Cho with a series of wild strikes but Cho uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cho circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khumpai tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cho swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cho fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Khumpai throws a big counter combination but Cho scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Cho misses with an uppercut.
We've been told by Khumpai's head coaches at Finch Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Khumpai tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cho counters with a left and a right that stings Khumpai.
Khumpai is looking to clinch but Cho is avoiding it.
Khumpai displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cho throws out the jab.
Khumpai takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Cho keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Khumpai blocks a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khumpai tries to close the distance and clinch but Cho swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cho throws a counter combo.
Khumpai slips a straight right by Cho.

Khumpai forces Cho back against the cage and clinches.
Khumpai tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cho avoids it.
Khumpai throws a head punch that misses.
Khumpai tries a body shot but Cho blocks it.
Khumpai lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cho tries to break free but Khumpai pushes him back against the cage.

Khumpai's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Khumpai closes the distance but Cho moves to the side
and Cho counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Cho dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Steve Cho'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.

Khumpai tries to move into range but Cho moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Khumpai tries to land a front kick but Cho steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Pann Khumpai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khumpai uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Khumpai clinches with his opponent.
Cho blocks a body shot from Khumpai.
Cho has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cho is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Khumpai misses with a knee to the head.
Cho looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khumpai tries to land knees in the clinch but Cho avoids the damage to the body.

Khumpai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cho misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cho ducks under a wild hook from Khumpai.
Cho looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Cho throws a leg kick but Khumpai moved away.
Khumpai is looking for a counter combo.
Khumpai is looking to clinch but Cho is avoiding it.
As Khumpai backs off Cho throws a huge counter combo but Khumpai manages to avoid it all.
Cho keeps the fight on the outside.
Cho looks to land a combination but Khumpai avoids it well.
Khumpai is looking to clinch but Cho is avoiding it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cho! But no joy.
Khumpai wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Khumpai clinches with his opponent.
Khumpai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cho's elbow.

Khumpai escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cho swats away the attempt to clinch by Khumpai.
Steve Cho seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cho misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Khumpai wants to clinch but Cho slips to the side
and Cho makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Khumpai moves in looking to clinch but Cho pushes him off.
Cho looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cho fails to land with a series of punches.

Khumpai rushes Cho and presses him up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Khumpai.
Cho prevents a body shot from Khumpai.
Cho can't break the clinch.
Cho prevents a body shot from Khumpai.
Khumpai is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Khumpai tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Khumpai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khumpai takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Cho fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Khumpai is out of range.
Khumpai misses with the combination.
Cho looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Cho getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Khumpai gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cho wants to get back to striking at distance but Khumpai won't allow it.
Khumpai misses with a hook to the ribs.
Khumpai tries to work over Cho's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Pann Khumpai will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Steve Cho's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Khumpai looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cho looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Khumpai wants to clinch
and Cho counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Khumpai clinches up against the cage.
Khumpai lands a knee to the body.
Khumpai doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khumpai misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cho tries to break free but Khumpai pushes him back against the cage.
Khumpai lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Khumpai can't find room to land a body shot as Cho controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khumpai tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cho wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A short right from Khumpai.

Khumpai manages to break the clinch.
Khumpai swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cho counters with a one-two to the body.
Cho misses with a looping left.
Cho throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Khumpai counters with a three punch combo that has Cho backing up. Cho nods at Khumpai to acknowledge the strikes.
Khumpai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cho swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Cho lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Khumpai circles away quickly and effectively.
Cho throws a hook but Khumpai blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khumpai swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cho. Khumpai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Khumpai doesn't manage to clinch there - Cho circles away.
Khumpai looks to clinch
enabling Cho to counter with a crisp jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cho swats away the attempt to clinch by Khumpai.
Cho lands a nice shot that snaps Khumpai's head back.
A jab lands there for Cho.
Pann Khumpai is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cho avoids the body shot from Khumpai.
Cho unleashes a big counter combination but Khumpai bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khumpai moves in looking to clinch but Cho pushes him off.
Khumpai tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Cho counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cho throws a head kick but Khumpai moves out of range.
Khumpai gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Cho counters with a nice uppercut.

Khumpai forces Cho back against the cage and clinches.
Cho prevents a body shot from Khumpai.

Khumpai escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Khumpai drives through and clinches with Cho against the cage.
Khumpai doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cho is trying to break the clinch but Khumpai is controlling him.
Khumpai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cho's elbow.
Khumpai misses with a punch to the body.
Cho tries to circle away but Khumpai has him pinned against the cage.
Khumpai taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Khumpai breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Khumpai scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Khumpai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cho looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Cho throws a good cross that connects.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Steve Cho.
I think Cho has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 29:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!