PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kawehi Kalani (ranked 5668 p4p, 24081 weight class) and Kalle Kula (ranked 585 p4p, 625 weight class). Kalle Kula is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Kalani
vs
Kula

190 cm
19
225
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
20
215
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kawehi Kalani!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Kalle Kula!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kalani buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Kula shoots in but no luck this time.
Kula throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kalani throws a head kick that misses
and Kula counters with a stiff right hand.
Kula's coach down at BKC Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Kula's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
A head kick misses from Kalani.
Kalani dodges the punch combination from Kula.
Kalani throws a low kick but Kula moves out of range easily.
Kalani avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And Kalani counters with a quick kick to the body but Kula blocks it.
Kalani throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kalani chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Kula tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Kalani swivels and escapes.
And Kalani counters with a quick kick to the body but Kula blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kalani stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kalani wants it to stay on the feet.
Kawehi Kalani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kalle Kula.

Kalani tries to keep at a distance but Kula has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kula being controlled against the cage.
Kula is trying to push Kalani away but Kalani has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalani tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kula avoids it.
Kula is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kalani pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Kula breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kula looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kalani is fending him off so far but Kula persists. Nope, Kalani circles away and we're back to standing.
Kalani pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kula darts in looking for a takedown but Kalani gets double underhooks and turns Kula into the cage.
Kalani thows a body kick. Kula tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Kula tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Kula looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kalani is fending him off so far but Kula persists. Nope, Kalani circles away and we're back to standing.
Kula misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kula pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kalani pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kalani throws a head kick that misses.
Kalani definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Kalani chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalani throws a leg kick that misses.
Kula tries to counter with a clinch but Kalani shakes him off and moves away.
Kalani shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Kalani throws a head kick but Kula moves out of range.
Kalani misses with a kick to the body.
Kula misses with a jab, cross combination.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kula looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kalani scores with a leg kick.
Kalani tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kalani scoring well with a low kick there.
Kalani dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kula. That did some damage!
Kalani leaves Kula with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kalani thinks about countering with a head kick.
Kalani misses with the body kick
and Kula counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kula shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Kalani's guard.

Kalani has his feet on Kula's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Kalani throws a leg kick but Kula sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Kalani throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kalani swinging wildly here.
Kalani throws a low kick but Kula avoids it.
Kula is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Kalani motions for Kula to come forward. Kalani throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kula avoids the head kick by Kalani.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kula.
Kalani lands a high kick!

It looks like Kalle Kula has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kalani takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kula fails with a takedown attempt.
Kalani throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kula pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kalani throws a leg kick
and Kula counters with a stiff right hand.
An inside leg kick from Kalani misses.
Kula with a lazy takedown attempt
and Kalani counters with a big head kick but Kula shrugs it off.
Kalani keeps the fight on the outside.
Kalani throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kula tries to clinch up but Kalani circles away and keeps his distance.
As Kula looks to move away, Kalani throws a big counter combo but Kula just gets out of the way.
Kalani slaps away a takedown attempt from Kula, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kula looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kawehi Kalani dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kalle Kula's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

A good leg kick by Kalani.

Kula gets a clinch.
Kula has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Kalani after a bit of a struggle.
Kula drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kalani gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kula letting Kalani take a breather here.
Kalani looking to throw knees to the head but Kula is blocking nicely.
Kula has Kalani pressed against the cage.
Kalani misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kula blocks an elbow strike.
Kula is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Kalani gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Kawehi Kalani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kalle Kula.
Kalani's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Kalani is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Kalani.
Kalani throws an elbow but it misses.
Kalani misses with a body punch.
Kula tries to pull guard but Kalani won't allow it.
Kalani working Kula over with knees to the body.
Kula is breathing heavily.
Kalani lands a nice uppercut.
Kalani keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kula's efforts to push away.
Kalani goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kalani trying to land knees to the body.
Kalani is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kula is defending well for now.
Kalani slowing the pace effectively.
Kula's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Kalani throws a punch but it's blocked by Kula.
Kalani landing knees to the body.
Kula managing to block the knees to the body from Kalani.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalani has Kula pushed against the cage.
Kalani tries to work over Kula's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kalani missing with knees to the body.
Kalani connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kula's face.
Kula blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kalani comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kula managing to block the knees to the body from Kalani.
Kalani displaying some good clinch control by pressing Kula up against the cage.
Kalani lands an elbow inside.
Kalani prevents the takedown attempt.
Kalani tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kalani is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kula tries to pull guard but Kalani forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Kalani throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kalani lands a body punch in the clinch.
Kalani stalling in the clinch.
Kula has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kalani is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Kula blocking some punches.
Kalani throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kula blocks it with crossed arms.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Kalani trying to land knees to the body.
Kula is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kalani is defending well.
Kula prevents a body shot from Kalani.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Kalani fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kalani lands an elbow that stopped Kula in his tracks for a moment.
Kula jumps guard but Kalani turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Kalani just misses with a elbow thrown towards Kula's brow.
Kalani misses with a short punch on the inside.

Kula successfully pulls guard.
Kalani loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kalani postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kalani working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kalani scoring with punches to the head and body.
Kalani has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Kula is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kalani throwing strikes but missing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kawehi Kalani dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kalle Kula's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Kula misses with a takedown attempt - Kalani sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kalani throws a head kick but Kula moves out of range.
Kula tries to clinch but Kalani moves out of range.
Kalani lands a head kick. Kula smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Kula scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Kula throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kalani's waist but Kalani gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kula off to one side.
Kula fails to land the takedown.
Kawehi Kalani has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kalle Kula.
Kalani misses with a body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kalani lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kalani is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kula can do to turn this around?
Kalani delivers a nice body kick.
Kawehi Kalani seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kula takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Both fighters circling a little - Kalani finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Kula takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kalani goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalani attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Kula keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

Kalani lands a big head kick that sends Kula tumbling to the mat! Kalani takes a step backwards and waves Kula back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Kula is rocked!
Kula shoots for a double leg takedown but Kalani sprawls well. He's pushed Kula's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kula is still on wobbly legs! Can Kalani finish him?
Kula shoots in for a double leg but Kalani sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Kalani is looking to counter with head kicks.
Kalani takes a swing at Kula's ribcage but misses.
Kalani throws a nasty head kick that just misses. He throws another kick to the head of his opponent and almost takes it off! Kula crumples to the floor and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Kawehi Kalani!
An out of breath Kawehi Kalani thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.