PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Tom Dancer (ranked 23570 p4p, 24271 weight class) and Aki Nakatani (ranked 657 p4p, 626 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.

Dancer
vs
Nakatani

188 cm
23
190
0 - 1 - 0

186 cm
20
200
0 - 3 - 0

Excellent MT
Very strong

Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Kore Fight Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tom Dancer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Aki Nakatani!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakatani lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Dancer throws a front kick aimed at Nakatani's knee but Nakatani avoids it well.
Nakatani throws a body punch but Dancer moves out of range.
Nakatani doesn't manage to clinch there - Dancer circles away.
Dancer appears to be looking for a big counter.
Dancer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nakatani tries to clinch but Dancer is having none of it.
Nakatani tries to close the distance and clinch up but Dancer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Dancer moves forwards but Nakatani connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Nakatani with the inside leg kick.
Dancer blocks a head kick by Nakatani.
It looked like Dancer wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A lazy body kick from Nakatani
and Dancer counters with a body kick that stops Nakatani in his tracks momentarily.
Dancer fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nakatani manages to avoid it.
Dancer ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
A bone on bone clash there as Dancer blocks the leg kick.
Nakatani on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Dancer. Dancer obviously looking to wear him down.
Nakatani tries to close the distance and clinch but Dancer swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dancer goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Dancer looks for the body kick but Nakatani saw that one coming.
Nakatani scores with a spinning back kick!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dancer throws a body kick that misses.
Dancer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nakatani tries to land a front kick but Dancer steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dancer pivots, looking for a leg kick but Nakatani is out of range and Dancer settles back down.
Dancer looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Dancer attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Dancer stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Nakatani.
Nakatani lands a nice hook to Dancer's body. Dancer takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Dancer connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Nakatani clinches up with Dancer and pushes him back against the ropes.
Nakatani is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Dancer is defending well for now.
Nakatani tries a knee to the head but Dancer blocks it.
Nakatani using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dancer has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nakatani missing with knees to the body.
Dancer lands a hook that snaps the head of Nakatani backwards.
Dancer makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Nakatani throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dancer blocks it with crossed arms.
Dancer scores with a hook to the body.
Dancer blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nakatani with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dancer lands a left hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dancer blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Dancer lands a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dancer pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Nakatani told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Nakatani misses with a hook to the ribs.
Dancer lands a right hand that snaps the head of Nakatani backwards.
Dancer lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Nakatani backwards.
Dancer misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nakatani landing knees to the head.
Dancer works on Nakatani's body with a couple of short punches.
Nakatani looks winded!
Dancer throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Dancer lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Dancer leaning against his opponent.

Dancer breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dancer scores with a kick to the midsection.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dancer delivers a nice body kick.
Dancer lunges at Nakatani with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Nakatani's hand.
Dancer checks a leg kick nicely.
Dancer is looking for a counter combo.
Dancer avoids the head kick by Nakatani.
A good leg kick by Dancer.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Dancer dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Dancer scores with a leg kick.
Nakatani defending well as Dancer loads up on a big left hand.
Dancer misses with a head kick.
Tom Dancer is winning the standup battle so far.
Nakatani lands with a kick to the temple. Dancer shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Dancer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nakatani throws a head kick that misses.
Dancer misses with a low kick as Nakatani jumps back.
Dancer ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Nakatani moves away.
Dancer connects with a high kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Dancer misses the target.
Nakatani throws a lazy head kick
and Dancer counters with a straight right hand.
Nakatani looks for the body kick but Dancer saw that one coming.
Dancer is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nakatani.
Nakatani throws a head kick that misses.
Dancer walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Nakatani checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Dancer misses with a straight left.
Nakatani pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dancer tried to score with a low kick but Nakatani checks it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Dancer.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dancer connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Dancer crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Nakatani - the referee stops the clock and Dancer gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Nakatani. Dancer manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A head kick misses from Nakatani.
Nakatani wants to clinch.
Nakatani thows a leg kick but Dancer checks it
and Dancer counters with a low kick, right behind Nakatani 's knee.
Dancer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Nakatani throws a wild body kick that Dancer sees coming a mile off.
Nakatani throws a body kick that misses.
Nakatani fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Dancer is out of range.
Nakatani explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Nakatani finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Nakatani throws a head kick but Dancer moves out of range.
Nakatani swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Dancer throws a leg kick but Nakatani moved away.
Nice defenses there by Dancer.
Nakatani throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Nakatani thumps Dancer with a low kick.
Aki Nakatani seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Dancer.
Nakatani keeps Dancer at a distance using the push kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dancer avoids a kick to the body.
Dancer looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Nakatani looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Dancer tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Nakatani thows a body kick. Dancer tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Dancer blocks the body kick.
A head kick misses from Nakatani.
A counter left hand to the body from Dancer misses its target.
Dancer throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nakatani throws a fast counter high kick but Dancer manages to duck under it in time.
Dancer fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nakatani manages to avoid it.
Dancer will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Nakatani misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dancer lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Dancer lands a nice looking kick to the body. Nakatani takes a step back to recover.
Nakatani is breathing heavily.
Dancer misses with a looping left.
Nakatani throws a sloppy head kick and Dancer moves out of range easily.
Nakatani looks to land a body kick but Dancer moved away.
Nakatani goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Nakatani's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Dancer explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nakatani scores with a head kick. Dancer tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tom Dancer will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Nakatani is looking to clinch but Dancer is avoiding it.
Dancer throws a wild body kick that Nakatani sees coming a mile off.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Dancer crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Nakatani - the referee stops the clock and Dancer gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Nakatani. Dancer manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Nakatani tries to clinch but Dancer is having none of it.
Dancer keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dancer connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Dancer connects with a jab.
Nakatani avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Nakatani moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Nakatani checks a leg kick.
Dancer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nakatani can do to turn this around?
Nakatani takes a jab right on the kisser.
Dancer tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dancer tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dancer looks to land a body kick but Nakatani moved away.
Nakatani bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Dancer's head.
Dancer cracks Nakatani with a right hand to the side of the head.

Nakatani is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nakatani blocks the body kick.
Nakatani lands a high kick!
Nakatani checks a low kick from Dancer.
Nakatani scores with a leg kick.
Tom Dancer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Nakatani.
Dancer checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Nakatani attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Dancer seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Nakatani takes one to the chin there.
Dancer moves out of range of the leg kick from Nakatani.
Nakatani misses with a lunging right hand
letting Dancer counter with a right hand.
Dancer scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Nakatani is still on wobbly legs! Can Dancer finish him?
Nakatani takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Dancer moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Dancer steps in and throws a big head kick that drops Nakatani to the mat! Nakatani looks in trouble, can he beat the count? Dancer is bouncing in a neutral corner joining in with the referee '4,5,6' they both chant. 7,8,9... he's not going to make it! 10! He's out! Dancer jumps onto the ropes and takes in the acclaim from the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Tom Dancer!
A relieved looking Tom Dancer thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.