PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Garuda Kaji (ranked 1991 p4p, 2713 weight class) and Vihtori Tuomaala (ranked 233 p4p, 312 weight class). Kaji's entrance music is Young Eagle's Song (Yokaren's Song). A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kaji
vs
Tuomaala

190 cm
20
191
6 - 1 - 0

172 cm
27
189
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Garuda Kaji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vihtori Tuomaala!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Colin Fotheringham and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tuomaala throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kaji misses with a body shot.
Tuomaala buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tuomaala throws a leg kick but Kaji moved away.
Tuomaala connects with a solid leg kick.
Kaji lands with a nice body punch.
Kaji scores with a jab to the jaw.
Kaji lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Tuomaala takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Tuomaala looks to land a combination. Kaji sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kaji takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Tuomaala has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Kaji looks to score with a jab to the body but Tuomaala is just out of range.
Tuomaala displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kaji throws out the jab.
Tuomaala blocks a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kaji. Tuomaala does a little dance to reset his feet.
We've been told by Kaji's head coaches at Kitano Fight Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Tuomaala throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kaji throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Tuomaala on the side of the head.
Tuomaala misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Tuomaala.
Kaji looks to land a left hand but Tuomaala moved out of range nicely.
Kaji blocks a low kick nicely.
Tuomaala lands with a kick to the ribs.
Tuomaala tries a head kick but it misses.
Kaji loads up on a big right hand but Tuomaala slips the punch.
Tuomaala drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Tuomaala finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Tuomaala throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Tuomaala takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Tuomaala will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Tuomaala walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Kaji checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Tuomaala uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kaji.
Kaji fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tuomaala looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Kaji listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A bone on bone clash there as Kaji blocks the leg kick.
Kaji is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Tuomaala looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kaji uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Tuomaala has time to react.
Kaji lands a lovely overhand right.

Tuomaala is rocked!
Kaji misses with an uppercut.
Tuomaala is still on wobbly legs! Can Kaji finish him?
Tuomaala throws out a leg kick but Kaji moves out of range and Tuomaala only half commits.
Tuomaala seems to have recovered his senses.
Kaji lands a body shot.
Tuomaala throws a leg kick but Kaji checks it.
Tuomaala fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kaji manages to avoid it.
Tuomaala throws a front kick aimed at Kaji's knee but Kaji avoids it well.
Kaji lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Kaji throws a hook to the side of Tuomaala's head but Tuomaala sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Tuomaala rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kaji cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tuomaala fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kaji.
Tuomaala misses with a right hand
and Kaji counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kaji is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Kaji misses the shot to the body.
Kaji misses with an uppercut.
Tuomaala throws a head kick but Kaji moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crunch! Tuomaala slams his shin into Kaji's torso.
Tuomaala lands a head kick!
A jab from Kaji does it's job there.
Tuomaala does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Tuomaala fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kaji.
Tuomaala takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Kaji fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tuomaala manages to avoid it.
Tuomaala motions for Kaji to come forward. Tuomaala throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kaji throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Tuomaala stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Tuomaala pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kaji keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Kaji moves out of range of the body kick.
Kaji throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kaji ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tuomaala moves away.
Tuomaala throws a leg kick that is checked
and Kaji counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kaji moves into range and connects with a jab.
Kaji tests Tuomaala's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Tuomaala misses with a lunging right hand
and Kaji counters with a nice body shot.
Kaji is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Good standup being displayed there by Kaji as he connects with a hook.
Kaji drops Tuomaala with a straight left! Oh this is bad for Tuomaala! Kaji dives in and starts dropping bombs - the referee has no choice but to step in and save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Garuda Kaji!
Garuda Kaji decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.