PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Tao Ishinoba (ranked 4235 p4p, 3831 weight class) and Nino Melua (ranked 480 p4p, 439 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ishinoba
vs
Melua

183 cm
25
175
1 - 1 - 0

181 cm
25
177
1 - 0 - 0

Basic striking
Prefers standup

Good kicks
Intelligent

Conquer
Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Tao Ishinoba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nino Melua!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ishinoba fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Melua, pushing him back against the ropes.
Ishinoba tries to work over Melua's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ishinoba is looking to control Melua's arms but Melua gets an underhook and turns him. Now Ishinoba has his back to the ropes.
Melua wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ishinoba swings wildly with an uppercut but Melua uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ishinoba is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
I was talking to Ishinoba's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Ishinoba is trying to stall.

Ishinoba pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ishinoba throws a leg kick that misses.
Melua throws out a counter right but Ishinoba avoids it with no problem.
Melua slips a jab and a cross from Ishinoba.
Melua lands with a slapping head kick.
Ishinoba with a nice calf kick.
Melua throws a push kick but Ishinoba slaps the foot to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishinoba throws a body kick that misses.
Ishinoba blocks a head kick by Melua.
Ishinoba looks for the body kick but Melua saw that one coming.
Melua steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Ishinoba.
Ishinoba tries to clinch but Melua moves away
and Melua counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Ishinoba is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Ishinoba chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Ishinoba swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ishinoba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Melua's coach down at Gym Heroes was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Melua's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Ishinoba tries to clinch but Melua is having none of it.
Melua looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Melua.
Ishinoba throws a big counter combination but Melua scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Ishinoba throws a series of punches but Melua avoids them all with ease.
Ishinoba throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ishinoba throws a series of strikes that have Melua backpedaling.
Ishinoba fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Melua has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Ishinoba tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ishinoba tries to close the distance and clinch up but Melua swats him away and circles back towards the center.
As Ishinoba backs off Melua throws a huge counter combo but Ishinoba manages to avoid it all.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ishinoba avoids the head kick by Melua.
Ishinoba avoids the head kick by Melua.
Ishinoba misses with a few strikes there.
Ishinoba tries to close the distance and clinch but Melua swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ishinoba clinches with his opponent.
Ishinoba tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Melua's elbow.

Melua manages to break the clinch.
Ishinoba buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Melua throws a sloppy head kick and Ishinoba moves out of range easily.
Ishinoba fails in his attempt to clinch.
Melua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Danga de danga de dang - Ishinoba scores with a four punch combination!
Melua looks winded!

Melua darts in and clinches Ishinoba up against the ropes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tao Ishinoba dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ishinoba looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Melua swinging wildly here.
Ishinoba feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Meluas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Melua misses with a few strikes there.
Ishinoba ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
That kick from Ishinoba tenderised Melua's leg. Melua is trying to keep his angry face on.
Melua takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Ishinoba closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ishinoba lands a left hand that snaps the head of Melua backwards.
Ishinoba's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Ishinoba breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tao Ishinoba is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melua throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Melua goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Melua feints a jab promting Ishinoba to slip. Melua then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Ishinoba slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Melua is breathing heavily.
Ishinoba fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Melua has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Melua showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ishinoba.
Ishinoba wants to slow Melua down by chopping away at his legs.
Ishinoba lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Melua is rocked!
Ishinoba catches Melua napping and connects with a fantastic 3 punch combination that sends Melua crashing to the mat! He's still conscious but he's all over the place - can he beat the count?!? 4,5,6,7,8...9...10! He didn't make it back to his feet! Ishinoba raises both arms skywards and takes in the roar from the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Tao Ishinoba!