PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Kazuhisa Nagashima (ranked 2728 p4p, 24086 weight class) and Luan Mabunda (ranked 151 p4p, 247 weight class). Mabunda comes into a darkened arena with his song building. King Von ft. Fivio Foreign - I Am What I Am kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nagashima
vs
Mabunda

171 cm
19
145
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
20
140
4 - 3 - 0

Lethal high kicks
Very quick

Dangerous knees
Powerful

Conviction

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Kazuhisa Nagashima!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Luan Mabunda!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Eddie Farnsworth and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mabunda closes the distance but Nagashima moves to the side
and Mabunda takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nagashima seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Mabunda moves in looking to clinch but Nagashima pushes him off.
Nagashima cracks Mabunda with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Mabunda connects with an inside leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Mabunda.
Mabunda takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Mabunda misses with a low kick.

Mabunda closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Mabunda using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nagashima has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nagashima swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Mabunda is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nagashima is defending well for now.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks with his arms.
Mabunda blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Mabunda throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nagashima blocks it with crossed arms.
Nagashima throws a punch but it's blocked by Mabunda.
Nagashima looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mabunda tries a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagashima misses with an elbow strike.
Nagashima lands with a short shot to the head.

Mabunda escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nagashima misses with a wild body shot.
Nagashima tests Mabunda's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nagashima takes a swing at Mabunda's ribcage but misses.
Mabunda doesn't manage to clinch there - Nagashima circles away.
It looked like Nagashima was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Mabunda.
Mabunda throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Nagashima misses with a wild body shot.
Mabunda looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.

Mabunda has closed the distance and engaged Nagashima in a clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Nagashima.
Mabunda throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nagashima blocks it with crossed arms.
Mabunda blocks an uppercut.
Nagashima tries a body shot but Mabunda blocks it.
Nagashima tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Mabunda's elbow.
Nagashima missing with knees to the body.
Nagashima pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Mabunda lands a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mabunda looking to throw knees to the head but Nagashima is blocking nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mabunda lands a knee to the body.
Nagashima is trying to maintain a safe position but Mabunda gets an underhook and turns Nagashima into the ropes.
A hook to the body from Nagashima.
Mabunda landing knees to the head.
Mabunda looking to throw knees to the head but Nagashima is blocking nicely.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Mabunda tries a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks it.
Nagashima can't find room to land a body shot as Mabunda controls the action.
Mabunda tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mabunda lands a good knee to the midsection. Nagashima won't want to take too many of those.
Nagashima tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Mabunda takes a knee to the side of the body.
Mabunda on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nagashima stalls.
Nagashima throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Nagashima scores with a shot to the side of Mabunda's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kazuhisa Nagashima will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Nagashima throws a low kick but it's checked well by Mabunda.
Nagashima listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Nagashima throws a sloppy body shot
and Mabunda counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Nagashima has Mabunda up against the ropes in a clinch.
Mabunda lands a good knee to the midsection. Nagashima won't want to take too many of those.
Mabunda tries a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks it.
Mabunda looking to throw knees to the head but Nagashima is blocking nicely.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nagashima.
Nagashima tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Nagashima avoids it.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks with his arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mabunda with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mabunda throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nagashima blocks it with crossed arms.
Nagashima lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Nagashima with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mabunda on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Mabunda blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nagashima lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Nagashima looking to throw knees to the head but Mabunda is blocking nicely.
Nagashima unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mabunda lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Mabunda throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nagashima blocks it with crossed arms.
Nagashima lands a good knee to the midsection. Mabunda won't want to take too many of those.
Mabunda is breathing heavily.
Mabunda connects with a knee to the head.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks with his arms.
Luan Mabunda seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Nice elbow from Nagashima.
Mabunda landing knees to the head.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks with his arms.
Nagashima blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Nagashima throws an elbow but misses.
Mabunda misses with a knee to the head.
Mabunda is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nagashima is defending well for now.
Nagashima lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Mabunda.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mabunda throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Nagashima blocks it with crossed arms.
Nagashima scores with a hook to the body.
Mabunda looking to throw knees to the head but Nagashima is blocking nicely.
The referee calls for Nagashima to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Nagashima.
Mabunda is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nagashima is defending well for now.
Nagashima misses with a body punch.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Nagashima avoids it.
Nagashima working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Nagashima pushes Mabunda back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nagashima fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Nagashima has a couple of punches blocked by Mabunda.
Mabunda working Nagashima over with knees to the body.
Mabunda is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Nagashima.
Nagashima misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mabunda scores a nice knee to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nagashima misses with a punch to the body.
Mabunda tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nagashima misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nagashima tries to land knees in the clinch but Mabunda avoids the damage to the body.
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 Kazuhisa Nagashima will probably get the nod.
That's time! Nagashima's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Mabunda takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Nagashima misses with a wild body shot.
Nagashima misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mabunda tries to clinch but Nagashima is having none of it.
A quick step to the side and Nagashima tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
A low kick from Nagashima misses
and Mabunda counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Mabunda closes the distance and pushes Nagashima back into the ropes.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Nagashima.
Mabunda trying to land knees to the body.
Mabunda tries a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks it.
Nagashima misses with a body punch.
Nagashima lands a right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Mabunda tries a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks it.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Nagashima throws an elbow but misses.
Nagashima works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Nagashima tries to land knees in the clinch but Mabunda avoids the damage to the body.
Mabunda blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mabunda breaks the clinch.
Mabunda wants to clinch up but Nagashima keeps it at a distance.
Mabunda lands with a thumping leg kick.
Nagashima tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mabunda tries to close the distance and clinch but Nagashima swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
As Mabunda backs away, Nagashima returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Mabunda takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Nagashima throws a predictable looking body shot
and Mabunda counters with a slapping leg kick.
Nagashima throws a leg kick which misses Mabunda's front leg but catches the back leg as Mabunda tries to avoid it.

Mabunda darts in and clinches Nagashima up against the ropes.
Mabunda with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Nagashima digs a right hand into Mabunda's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Mabunda's gas tank.
Nagashima misses with a body punch.
Mabunda tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nagashima creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Nagashima gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Mabunda tries a knee to the head but Nagashima blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nagashima lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Mabunda or not.
Mabunda misses with a knee to the head.

Mabunda pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Nagashima.
Mabunda walks into a left hand.
Mabunda scoring well with a low kick there.
Mabunda takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Nagashima misses with a looping left.
Luan Mabunda has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Mabunda instigates a clinch.
Nagashima misses with a punch on the inside.
Mabunda using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Nagashima has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nagashima tries to land a knee to the head but Mabunda blocks with his arms.
Nagashima tries to stall but Mabunda uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Mabunda with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nagashima takes a knee right on the jaw!
Nagashima throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Mabundas head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kazuhisa Nagashima.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Nagashima, 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight for Kazuhisa Nagashima!
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight for Kazuhisa Nagashima!
Judge John Roberts scores the fight for Kazuhisa Nagashima!

Kazuhisa Nagashima wins by unanimous decision!
During a confident post fight interview, Kazuhisa Nagashima thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Luan Mabunda spoke after the fight, saying 'RIP KING VON!'.