PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Popo Bawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and The Kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hitmonlee is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by New York Times??. The Kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bawa
vs
Kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee

185 cm
18
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
18
143 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Popo Bawa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, The Kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bawa looks to land a body kick but Hitmonlee moved away.
The Kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hitmonlee moves out of range as Bawa throws a body kick.
Bawa throws a sloppy head kick and Hitmonlee moves out of range easily.
Hitmonlee moves out of range of the body kick from Bawa.
Bawa tries to land a leg kick but Hitmonlee saw it coming and moves away.
Bawa fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Hitmonlee checks it well.
Hitmonlee checks the leg kick nicely there.
Bawa throws a sloppy head kick and Hitmonlee moves out of range easily.
Hitmonlee throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bawa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hitmonlee checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Hitmonlee thumps Bawa with a low kick.
Bawa looks to land a body kick but Hitmonlee moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hitmonlee moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Hitmonlee throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Bawa throws out a leg kick but Hitmonlee moves out of range and Bawa only half commits.
Hitmonlee throws a head kick but Bawa moves out of range.
Bawa takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hitmonlee throws a low kick, looking for Bawa's leg but Bawa calmly moves out of range.
Bawa tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bawa tries to land a body kick
and Hitmonlee counters with a nice leg kick.
Hitmonlee throws a wild body kick that Bawa sees coming a mile off.
Bawa lands with a slapping head kick.
Hitmonlee misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hitmonlee attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hitmonlee pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hitmonlee throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hitmonlee throws out a leg kick but Bawa moves out of range and Hitmonlee only half commits.
Hitmonlee goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Bawa moves out of range of the body kick.
Hitmonlee scores with a push kick.
Hitmonlee misses with a head kick.
A lazy body kick from Hitmonlee
and Bawa counters with a thumping low kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bawa throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Bawa moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Bawa walks forward, straight into a front kick from Hitmonlee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Bawa.
Bawa misses with a body kick.
Hitmonlee takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Hitmonlee looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Hitmonlee is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Hitmonlee trying to control the position from guard on top but Bawa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hitmonlee sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Bawa's guard.
Bawa is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bawa is trying to maintain the position but Hitmonlee is very close to passing his half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bawa wants to get back to full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hitmonlee throws a front kick aimed at Bawa's knee but Bawa avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

The Kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee dominated that round.
That's time! Bawa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hitmonlee pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bawa throws a sloppy head kick and Hitmonlee moves out of range easily.
Bawa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hitmonlee tries a low kick but Bawa avoids it.
Hitmonlee on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Bawa. Bawa obviously looking to wear him down.
The Kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hitmonlee throws a leg kick but Bawa moved away.
Hitmonlee lands a head kick. Bawa smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A low kick from Bawa is predictable there
and Hitmonlee counters with a big head kick but Bawa shrugs it off.
Bawa throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Bawa pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Hitmonlee throws a solid leg kick but Bawa takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Hitmonlee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bawa lands a high kick!
Bawa really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bawa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bawa is looking to slow Hitmonlee down with leg kicks.
Hitmonlee throws a hook but Bawa avoids it easily.
Bawa misses with a low kick.
Bawa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bawa throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A low kick from Bawa misses
and Hitmonlee counters with a thumping low kick.
Bawa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hitmonlee checks a leg kick nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bawa avoids a kick to the body.
Hitmonlee pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bawa misses with the body kick
and Hitmonlee counters with a nice body kick.
Good leg kick by Hitmonlee there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Hitmonlee throws a wild body kick that Bawa sees coming a mile off.
A lazy body kick from Hitmonlee
and Bawa counters with a nice body kick.
Hitmonlee throws a head kick that half lands.
Bawa looks to throw a body kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Good leg kick by Hitmonlee there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Hitmonlee throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Bawa counters with a good low kick that Hitmonlee was not able to check.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slapping body kick lands there for Bawa.
Hitmonlee throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bawa throws a leg kick that is checked
and Hitmonlee counters with a nice low kick that buckles Bawa's knee momentarily.
Hitmonlee shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bawa as he jumps to the side.
A low kick from Bawa misses
and Hitmonlee makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Hitmonlee throws a sloppy head kick and Bawa moves out of range easily.
Hitmonlee fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Bawa is out of range.
Hitmonlee moves out of range as Bawa throws a body kick.
Bawa avoids the head kick by Hitmonlee.
A low kick from Bawa misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hitmonlee on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Bawa. Bawa obviously looking to wear him down.
Hitmonlee is breathing heavily.
Bawa misses with a leg kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Popo Bawa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hitmonlee takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Hitmonlee misses with a low kick.
Bawa is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Hitmonlee throws a low kick, looking for Bawa's leg but Bawa calmly moves out of range.
Hitmonlee wants to slow Bawa down by chopping away at his legs.
Bawa tries a head kick but it misses.
Bawa misses with the body kick
and Hitmonlee makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hitmonlee checks a leg kick.
Hitmonlee looks to land a body kick but Bawa moved away.
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 Popo Bawa will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Bawa blocks a head kick by Hitmonlee.
Bawa blocks a head kick by Hitmonlee.
Hitmonlee lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Hitmonlee throws a head kick that misses.
Bawa throws a head kick but Hitmonlee moves out of range.
Bawa misses with a kick to the body
and Hitmonlee makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Bawa really felt that one!
Bawa misses with a kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hitmonlee pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Hitmonlee lands a lovely overhand right.
Hitmonlee tries a head kick but it misses.
Bawa shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hitmonlee defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bawa throws a sloppy head kick and Hitmonlee moves out of range easily.
Hitmonlee dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bawa. That did some damage!
Hitmonlee checks a leg kick.
Hitmonlee pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bawa checks the leg kick.
Bawa scores with a kick to the body.
Hitmonlee tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bawa wants to land a leg kick but Hitmonlee is out of range.

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.
Bawa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hitmonlee throws a leg kick that misses.
Bawa throws a head kick that misses
and Hitmonlee counters with a solid body kick.
Good leg kick by Hitmonlee there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Bawa will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A leg kick checked by Hitmonlee.
Bawa throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Hitmonlee counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Bawa is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Hitmonlee has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Bawa.
Hitmonlee lands a head kick!
Bawa blocks the body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bawa throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Hitmonlee moves out of range as Bawa throws a body kick.
Hitmonlee throws a half hearted mid kick.
Bawa avoids the head kick by Hitmonlee.
A head kick misses from Hitmonlee.
Bawa misses with the body kick
and Hitmonlee counters with a leg kick.
Hitmonlee throws a front kick that sends Bawa stumbling back into the cage.
Hitmonlee tries to land a front kick but Bawa steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Bawa throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nice body kick from Bawa.
A lazy body kick from Bawa
and Hitmonlee counters with a thumping low kick.
Bawa misses with a low kick.
Bawa throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
A head kick by Hitmonlee misses
and Bawa counters with a nice body kick.
Hitmonlee takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bawa goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Bawa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hitmonlee.
Bawa bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Bawa tries a low kick but Hitmonlee avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
The Kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hitmonlee has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... The Kicking Pokemon Hitmonlee!