PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Reijo Halli (ranked 794 p4p, 538 weight class) and Little Kitty Sripituksakul (ranked 106 p4p, 79 weight class). Halli comes to the cage accompanied by Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz. 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?

Halli
vs
Sripituksakul

177 cm
38
165
19 - 13 - 1

168 cm
37
136
33 - 22 - 1

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Powerful

Bondi MMA 🏝️

Brooklyn Apothecary

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 19 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reijo Halli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 22 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Little Kitty Sripituksakul!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Winston Howard and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sripituksakul's jab looks to have found its range, popping Halli under the eye.
Halli digs a good body shot into Sripituksakul's ribs.
Sripituksakul circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sripituksakul looks to throw the jab but Halli is out of range.
Halli appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Little Kitty Sripituksakul seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Halli comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Sripituksakul gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Sripituksakul throws a hook but Halli avoids it easily.
Sripituksakul scores with a crisp jab that stopped Halli in his tracks.
Sripituksakul listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Sripituksakul looks to land a left hand but Halli moved out of range nicely.
Sripituksakul throws a looping overhand right but Halli ducks down to avoid it.
Sripituksakul thows a left - swing and a miss!
Halli tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sripituksakul paws at him with a jab and circles away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sripituksakul throws a jab but it's blocked by Halli.
Halli ducks under a wild hook from Sripituksakul.
Halli tests Sripituksakul's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sripituksakul closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Sripituksakul misses with an uppercut. Halli saw that one coming.
Halli moves out of range as Sripituksakul strikes.
Sripituksakul cracks Halli with a right hand to the side of the head.
Sripituksakul misses with a wild body shot.
A big right from Sripituksakul misses.
Halli lands with a good body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sripituksakul misses with a looping left.
Sripituksakul throws a jab but it's blocked by Halli.

Halli closes the distance and clinches.
Sripituksakul prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sripituksakul blocking some punches.
Sripituksakul misses with a hook to the ribs.

Halli tightens his grip and picks Sripituksakul up, before dumping him to the ground. Sripituksakul manages to land in guard.
Sripituksakul can't keep his opponent in guard - Halli advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Sripituksakul looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Halli keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sripituksakul manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Halli trying to control the position from guard on top but Sripituksakul is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sripituksakul 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halli tries to free his leg and advance position but Sripituksakul is retaining full guard.
Sripituksakul tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sripituksakul trying to keep a closed guard but Halli is proving a slippery customer.
Halli slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Halli trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Halli is working hard here to advance position.

Sripituksakul is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Halli defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sripituksakul is keeping the position for now.
Halli's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Halli jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Nice shot by Halli.
Halli moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Sripituksakul throws an overhand right that lands on Halli's shoulder, as Halli tries to avoid the shot.
Halli avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Halli slips a jab from Sripituksakul.
Sripituksakul circles away from the clinch attempt.
Halli lands a nice hook to Sripituksakul's body. Sripituksakul takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Sripituksakul uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Halli scores with a hook.

Halli forces Sripituksakul back against the cage and clinches.
Sripituksakul is looking to break free of the clinch but Halli has double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sripituksakul struggles to land a body shot inside as Halli controls his hands.
I was talking to Halli's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Sripituksakul is trying to break the clinch but Halli is controlling him.
Halli scores with an uppercut up the middle.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Halli misses with the head strike.

Halli gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Sripituksakul wants to get back to full guard.
Halli trying to control the pace.
Halli seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sripituksakul does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Halli looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Sripituksakul wants to improve his position but Halli is controlling well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Halli dominated that round.
That's time! Halli's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sripituksakul feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Hallis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Halli displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sripituksakul throws out the jab.
Halli just misses with a punch to the body.
Sripituksakul on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Halli's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Sripituksakul connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Halli scrambles back to his feet.
Halli uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sripituksakul.
Sripituksakul uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Halli.

Halli closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sripituksakul quickly recovers to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Halli controlling the action here.

Sripituksakul is defending against the submission attempts here by Halli.
Halli prevents Sripituksakul from improving his position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Halli connects with a nice short shot to Sripituksakul's temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sripituksakul makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sripituksakul.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halli wants to pass the guard but Sripituksakul is keeping the position.
Sripituksakul keeping moving, preventing Halli from controlling successfully.
Halli is really struggling to control Sripituksakul but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Sripituksakul is looking for a triangle but Halli pushes his legs off easily.
Halli stands and throws Sripituksakul's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Halli is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sripituksakul is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halli controls the position.
Halli working the head and body with strikes.
Sripituksakul is looking to reverse the position.
Sripituksakul is not content to let Halli control the position.

Halli working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Halli trying to control the position but Sripituksakul is working away.
Sripituksakul tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sripituksakul is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Halli controls the position.
Halli trying to control the action but Sripituksakul is working from the bottom.
Halli takes a little break here. Sripituksakul wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Sripituksakul is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Halli grinds an elbow into Sripituksakul's temple.
Sripituksakul is looking to regain half guard here but Halli keeps moving and retains side control.

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

Halli wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sripituksakul, who protects the arm well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Halli wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sripituksakul, who protects the arm well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Halli dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Halli bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sripituksakul on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Sripituksakul throws the left hand but Halli avoids the punch easily.
Little Kitty Sripituksakul seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A big left from Sripituksakul misses.

Halli moves into the clinch.
Sripituksakul is trying to break free.
Halli is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Halli scores with a shoulder strike.
Sripituksakul wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Halli has him pressed against the cage.
A short right from Halli on the inside.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Halli creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Halli pulls guard effortlessly.

Sripituksakul drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Halli dives on top into guard.

Sripituksakul can't keep his opponent in guard - Halli advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sripituksakul is trying to get back to full guard.

Sripituksakul actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sripituksakul wants to get back to full guard.
Sripituksakul takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Halli is taking a breather. Sripituksakul says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Halli is trying to control. Sripituksakul wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Reijo Halli overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Halli tries to pass to full mount but Sripituksakul defends it.
Halli is looking to take a break and control but Sripituksakul is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Halli content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Halli is trying to control. Sripituksakul wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Halli is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Halli tries to pass to full mount but Sripituksakul defends it.
Sripituksakul is not content to let Halli control the position.
Halli trying to pass the guard but Sripituksakul defending well.

Sripituksakul looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Halli wants to control but Sripituksakul is keeping him busy.

Sripituksakul looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Halli wants to pass the guard but Sripituksakul is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sripituksakul is staying active underneath Halli, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Sripituksakul throws a body punch but Halli moves out of range.
Sripituksakul might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Sripituksakul misses with a looping left.

Halli closes the distance and clinches.
Halli lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Halli turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Halli manages to end up in side control.

Halli swings around for an armbar but Sripituksakul sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Halli's guard.
Sripituksakul trying to control but Halli is working from the bottom.
Sripituksakul stopping the sweep attempt from Halli.
Halli keeping moving, preventing Sripituksakul from controlling successfully.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Halli is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sripituksakul is looking to pass into half guard but Halli pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Halli is in guard.

Sripituksakul is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Halli defends well.
Halli trying to control but Sripituksakul is working from the bottom.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Reijo Halli showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Halli, 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reijo Halli!
In his post fight interview, Reijo Halli started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.