PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bong Ji Woo (ranked 8 p4p, 63 weight class) and Ispa Perkele (ranked 2 p4p, 8 weight class). Ji Woo's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, FED UP. Ispa Perkele has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Ji Woo
vs
Perkele

179 cm
35
162
33 - 9 - 0

178 cm
28
166
25 - 7 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Conviction

Hoarse Pills
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bong Ji Woo!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Ispa Perkele!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Perkele throws out a leg kick but Ji Woo moves out of range and Perkele only half commits.
Perkele avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ji Woo.

Perkele tries to keep at a distance but Ji Woo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Perkele stalling in the clinch but Ji Woo improves position.
Perkele takes a shot to the head.
Perkele stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Perkele fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ji Woo lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Perkele gets through Ji Woo's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ji Woo.
Ji Woo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ji Woo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Ji Woo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Still in the clinch, Ji Woo scores with a nice short uppercut.

Perkele breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Perkele throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Ji Woo to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perkele moves out of range as Ji Woo strikes.
Perkele looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Perkele misses with a lunging right hand
and Ji Woo counters with an outside leg kick.
Ji Woo throws a push kick but Perkele slaps the foot to one side.
Perkele follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Perkele swings widly with a right hand
and Ji Woo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Perkele thinking.
Ji Woo lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
A swing and a miss from Ji Woo.
As Ji Woo backs off Perkele throws a huge counter combo but Ji Woo manages to avoid it all.
Ji Woo will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Ji Woo just misses with a punch to the body.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Ji Woo lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Perkele has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Perkele and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ji Woo gets a clinch.

Perkele's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Perkele swings for the body but Ji Woo moves out of range.
Perkele misses with an uppercut.
Ji Woo appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Perkele waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ji Woo.
Ji Woo darts in trying to clinch
and Perkele counters with a one-two to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
An inside leg kick lands from Ji Woo.
Perkele circles away from the clinch attempt.

Ji Woo pushes Perkele up against the cage in a clinch.
I was talking to Ji Woo's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ji Woo blocks an uppercut.
Ji Woo being controlled against the cage.
Ji Woo swings wildly with an uppercut but Perkele uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ji Woo tries to pull guard but Perkele forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Perkele breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ji Woo scores with a jab. Perkele acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
That kick from Perkele tenderised Ji Woo's leg. Ji Woo is trying to keep his angry face on.
Perkele connects with a nice looking jab.
Ji Woo looks for the body kick but Perkele saw that one coming.
Ji Woo throws an overhand right that lands on Perkele's shoulder, as Perkele tries to avoid the shot.
Ji Woo connects with an inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ji Woo throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Ji Woo tries to clinch but Perkele is having none of it.
Ji Woo wants to clinch but Perkele slips to the side
and Perkele counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Perkele avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Perkele looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Ji Woo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ji Woo wants to clinch.
Perkele looks to throw the jab but Ji Woo is out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bong Ji Woo will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Perkele uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ji Woo.
Nice uppercut there from Ji Woo.

Ji Woo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A short left from Perkele.
Ji Woo misses with a punch on the inside.
Perkele working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ji Woo lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Ji Woo lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Perkele blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ji Woo digs a right hand into Perkele's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Perkele's gas tank.
Ji Woo lands a nice shot to the body.
Ji Woo working aggressively here.
Perkele is trying to maintain a safe position but Ji Woo gets an underhook and turns Perkele into the cage.
Perkele swings wildly with an uppercut but Ji Woo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Perkele has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Ji Woo seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Perkele can turn it around.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ji Woo.
A nice right hand lands inside from Perkele.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Perkele is looking to control Ji Woo's arms but Ji Woo gets an underhook and turns him. Now Perkele has his back to the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perkele throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Ji Woo has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Perkele uses from the top position.
Perkele must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Perkele is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Perkele trying to control the position from guard on top but Ji Woo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two 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.
Perkele stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ji Woo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ji Woo can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Perkele controls the pace.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ji Woo jabs Perkele right on the nose. Perkele blinks but takes it well.
Ji Woo lands a head kick!
Ji Woo connects with a jab.
Ji Woo takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ji Woo lands with a nice body kick.
Perkele keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Perkele throws a hook but Ji Woo avoids it easily.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ji Woo.
Bong Ji Woo is winning the standup battle so far.
Perkele misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ji Woo.
Ji Woo misses with an uppercut
letting Perkele counter with a right hand.
Perkele lands a jab to the nose.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ji Woo slips under a jab from Perkele.
Perkele misses with a right hand
and Ji Woo counters with a slapping leg kick.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ji Woo sizes up Perkele with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Ji Woo lands with an uppercut that bounces Perkele off the cage and back into range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bong Ji Woo dominated that second round.
That's time! Ji Woo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Perkele blocks the body kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Ji Woo.
Perkele throws a body punch but Ji Woo moves out of range.
As Perkele tries to get set, Ji Woo tries to push him back and clinch up but Perkele manages to avoid the attempt.
Perkele misses with the body kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Ji Woo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Ji Woo clinches.
Ji Woo has a couple of punches blocked by Perkele.
Bong Ji Woo has scored more points in the clinch so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ji Woo throws a punch but it's blocked by Perkele.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Perkele.
A short right from Ji Woo.
Ji Woo swings wildly with an uppercut but Perkele uses good head movement to avoid it.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ji Woo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perkele has Ji Woo pressed against the cage.
Ji Woo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Perkele stalling in the clinch but Ji Woo improves position.

Ji Woo decides to pull guard.
Perkele slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Perkele trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Ji Woo manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Ji Woo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Perkele can do to turn this around?
Perkele controlling Ji Woo's posture.
Ji Woo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Perkele is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Perkele controlling the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ji Woo moves away from the strike by Perkele.
Ji Woo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Ji Woo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ji Woo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ji Woo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Perkele paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Perkele throws a hook to the side of Ji Woo's head but Ji Woo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Ji Woo lands a really nice looking cross but Perkele seems unphased.
Perkele gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Ji Woo throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Perkele counters with a stiff right hand.
Ji Woo takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Ji Woo misses with a looping right.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Perkele swats away the attempt to clinch by Ji Woo.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Bong Ji Woo did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Perkele throws a jab when Ji Woo was well out of range.
Ji Woo tries to clinch up but Perkele circles away and keeps his distance.
Perkele swings widly with a right hand
and Ji Woo counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Perkele misses with a shot to the body
and Ji Woo counters with a straight right hand.
A swing and a miss from Perkele.
Ji Woo fires out a quick counter leg kick but Perkele just manages to avoid it.
Perkele ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ji Woo moves away.
Perkele misses with a right hand
and Ji Woo counters with a low kick, right behind Perkele 's knee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ji Woo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Perkele.
Perkele circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ji Woo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perkele swings widly with a right hand
and Ji Woo counters with a nice uppercut.

Ji Woo darts in and clinches Perkele up against the cage.
Perkele blocks an uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ji Woo.
Ji Woo lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Ji Woo prevents Perkele from breaking the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Ji Woo fails to land.

Perkele breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Perkele moves out of range as Ji Woo strikes.
Ji Woo moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromPerkele.
Ji Woo's corner calls for a 1-2. Ji Woo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Perkele swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Perkele tries to bum rush Ji Woo with a series of wild strikes but Ji Woo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ji Woo staying out of range there.
Perkele misses with a head kick.
Ji Woo lands a nice leg kick that just misses Perkele's sensitive parts.
Ji Woo blocks a jab.
Ji Woo is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Perkele.
Ji Woo lands with an overhand left.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ji Woo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Perkele swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Perkele shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Ji Woo bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Ji Woo finds it's target.
That kick from Ji Woo tenderised Perkele's leg. Perkele is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ji Woo moves into range and connects with a jab.
Perkele throws a series of punches but Ji Woo avoids them all with ease.
Ji Woo slips a straight right by Perkele.
Perkele throws a leg kick but Ji Woo sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Ji Woo lands with an uppercut that bounces Perkele off the cage and back into range.
Ji Woo tests Perkele's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Ji Woo closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ji Woo swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Perkele escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Perkele's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Ji Woo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Perkele throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Perkele misses with a looping left.
Ji Woo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Perkele tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ji Woo lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Perkele throws an ugly left hook that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bong Ji Woo had his way with Ispa Perkele in that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Ji Woo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Perkele was well out of range. Poor timing from Ji Woo.
Perkele let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Ji Woo misses with a shot to the body
and Perkele counters with a nice uppercut.
Ji Woo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ji Woo wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Perkele misses with an uppercut. Ji Woo saw that one coming.
Ji Woo misses with a leg kick
and Perkele counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Perkele misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ji Woo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perkele misses with a looping right.
Ji Woo lands with a kick to the ribs.
Perkele takes one on the button.
Ji Woo slips under a jab.
As Perkele tries to get set, Ji Woo tries to push him back and clinch up but Perkele manages to avoid the attempt.
Ji Woo scores with a punch to the head.
Perkele swings widly with a right hand
and Ji Woo counters with a low kick, right behind Perkele 's knee.

Ji Woo gets a clinch.
Perkele struggles to land a body shot inside as Ji Woo controls his hands.
Ji Woo misses with some punches.
Perkele blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ji Woo working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Perkele tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Perkele breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nice shot by Ji Woo.

Perkele gets tackled into the cage by Ji Woo. Ji Woo maintains the clinch.
Perkele scores with a shot to the side of Ji Woo's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Perkele blocks a body shot from Ji Woo.
Ji Woo blocking some punches.
Perkele lands with a short shot to the head.
Ji Woo misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ji Woo.
Perkele misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ji Woo gets through Perkele's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Perkele pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ji Woo closes the distance but Perkele moves to the side
and Perkele counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ji Woo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
It looked like Ji Woo was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Perkele.
Ji Woo avoids the head kick by Perkele.
Ji Woo throwing a counter right hand but Perkele manages to avoid it.
Ji Woo lands an overhand right.
Perkele throws out a loose jab but Ji Woo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ji Woo jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Perkele swings away with a body shot that misses
and Ji Woo counters with a head kick. That will keep Perkele thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Ji Woo darts in trying to clinch
and Perkele connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ji Woo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Perkele swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Perkele does it's job there.
Perkele takes a swing at Ji Woo's ribcage but misses.

Ji Woo instigates a clinch.
Ji Woo scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Perkele pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ji Woo tries to close the distance and clinch but Perkele swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Perkele! But no joy.
Perkele takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
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!
Ji Woo moves away from the strike by Perkele.
Ji Woo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ispa Perkele.
Well Ji Woo 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 50:45
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 50:45
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bong Ji Woo!
Bong Ji Woo retains his lightweight title!
Bong Ji Woo spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.