PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Denise Kormier (ranked 4715 p4p, 25140 weight class) and Lars Plazibat (ranked 323 p4p, 388 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Kormier
vs
Plazibat

160 cm
23
145
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
145
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

BANZAI COMBAT NUTRITION

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Denise Kormier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lars Plazibat!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Plazibat pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Plazibat. Kormier shrugs it off though.

Kormier takes the fight into the clinch.

Kormier breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Plazibat tries a head kick but it misses.
Plazibat throws a nice outside leg kick.
Plazibat shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Plazibat gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Kormier loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kormier slips nicely into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kormier not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Plazibat has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Kormier is on him like a limpet, forcing Plazibat back against the cage.
Kormier could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Plazibat managing to block the knees to the body from Kormier.
Kormier manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Plazibat's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kormier tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kormier looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Kormier forces Plazibat back against the cage and clinches.

Plazibat tightens his grip and picks Kormier up, before dumping him to the ground. Kormier manages to land in guard.
Plazibat must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kormier wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Kormier trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Kormier looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Plazibat is pushing down on Kormier's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kormier is fighting to maintain full guard but Plazibat has managed to sneak the leg through.
Kormier is pressing down on Plazibat's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Kormier pushes Plazibat off and gets back to his feet.

Kormier looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kormier controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kormier looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Kormier thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Kormier is trying to work for a kimura but Plazibat is defending well.
Kormier wants to get back to his feet.
Kormier working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kormier is trying to control. Plazibat wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Plazibat is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kormier controlling the action here.
Kormier has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Kormier tries to pass to full mount but Plazibat defends it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Denise Kormier dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kormier is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Plazibat is looking for the big counter here.
Plazibat throws a head kick that misses
and Kormier counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kormier is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Plazibat can do to turn this around?
Plazibat misses with a head kick.

Kormier closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Plazibat to the mat! Plazibat manages to get full guard.
Kormier loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Plazibat trying to control the position.
Kormier showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kormier wants to control from the top but Plazibat keeps moving.
Kormier won't allow Plazibat to get back to his feet.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Kormier looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kormier sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Plazibat's guard.
Kormier prevents Plazibat from standing back up.

That's two 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.
Kormier seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Nice strikes from Kormier there.
Plazibat really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kormier. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Kormier 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.
Plazibat wants to get back to full guard but Kormier has passed into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plazibat wants to get back to his feet but Kormier drags him back down.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kormier misses with the ground and pound.
Denise Kormier overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kormier slows the pace down.
Plazibat tries to escape but Kormier is in control.
Kormier is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Denise Kormier is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kormier wants to clinch up but Plazibat keeps it at a distance.
Kormier tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Plazibat manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Plazibat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Kormier looking to score a takedown here. Plazibat is defending well but Kormier drives through and ends up in Plazibat's guard.
Plazibat working a defensive guard but Kormier passes into half guard.
Plazibat is breathing heavily.
Plazibat is looking to escape.
Kormier tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Kormier not doing much here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Denise Kormier dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Kormier throws a looping overhand right but Plazibat ducks down to avoid it.
Plazibat throws a body kick that misses

and Kormier counters with a single leg into guard. Plazibat didn't expect that.
Kormier missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kormier would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Kormier lands a couple of digs.
Kormier is stalling in the full guard.
Plazibat wants to stand and escape but Kormier is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kormier trying to control the position from guard on top but Plazibat is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plazibat looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kormier circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kormier tries to clinch but Plazibat moves out of range.
Plazibat unleashes a big counter combination but Kormier bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Plazibat enables Kormier to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Plazibat manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Kormier is standing up over Plazibat. Plazibat looks to escape but Kormier dives into side control.
Plazibat takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Plazibat is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Kormier asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Kormier is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Plazibat has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Kormier throws an elbow but Plazibat slips to the side and avoids it well.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Kormier wants to stand but Plazibat has his arm trapped.
Kormier cracks Plazibat with a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plazibat managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Kormier.
Plazibat prevents Kormier from moving into mount.
Kormier working the ground and pound.
Kormier taking a breather here.

Kormier is trying to get an arm triangle but Plazibat is defending well.

Kormier thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kormier tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Kormier controlling the position from side mount.
Lars Plazibat has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Kormier working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Denise Kormier showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kormier, 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denise Kormier!