PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Dan Church (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Schmidt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Church
vs
Schmidt

174 cm
23
135 lbs
4 - 5 - 2

150 cm
28
140 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Great elbows
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 2, fighting out of Tokyo, Dan Church!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Schmidt!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shigeki Sano and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Church walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Schmidt checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Schmidt lands with a straight right. Church didn't see that one coming.
Schmidt swats away the attempt to clinch by Church.
Schmidt swats away the attempt to clinch by Church.
Schmidt scores with a body shot.
Schmidt misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Church.

Church lands a front kick to the face, that drops Schmidt to the canvas! Is he dazed or just shocked? He's back to his feet and the referee is going to allow him to continue the fight!

It looks like John Schmidt has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Church tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Schmidt counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Church tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Schmidt counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Schmidt clobbers Church with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Schmidt lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Church moves in looking to clinch but Schmidt pushes him off.
Church chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Schmidt can pounce on him.
Church fails with an attempt to clinch.
Church tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Schmidt counters with a nice body kick.
Schmidt takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Church keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Church throws a push kick but Schmidt slaps the foot to one side.
Church is looking to clinch.
Church blocks a jab.
Church throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Schmidt works the jab nicely.
Church moves out of range as Schmidt strikes.
Church is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Church wants to clinch but Schmidt slips to the side
and Schmidt counters with a body kick that stops Church in his tracks momentarily.
Schmidt throws a looping overhand right but Church ducks down to avoid it.
Church throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Schmidt.
Schmidt avoids the head kick by Church.
Church throws a head kick that half lands.
Church throws the kick towards the body but Schmidt avoids it.
Church throws a body kick that misses.
Church tries to clinch but Schmidt moves away
and Schmidt counters with a slapping leg kick.
Church takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Schmidt thows a left - swing and a miss!
Schmidt misses with a straight right.
Church is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Church rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Schmidt moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Church tries to clinch but Schmidt moves out of range.

Church pushes Schmidt up against the ropes in a clinch.
Church with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Church blocks the elbow strike.
Church is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Schmidt blocks an elbow strike from Church.
Schmidt can't find room to land a body shot as Church controls the action.
Schmidt creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Church's defenses.
Schmidt landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Schmidt blocks an elbow strike.
Schmidt lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Church.
Church unloads a knee to the mid-section. Schmidt lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Church misses with a punch to the body.
Schmidt lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Church backwards.
Schmidt scores with a nice hook to the head.
Church tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Schmidt lands an elbow inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Church should take that round, based on the knockdown.
The cut man is working on John Schmidt's cut.
That's time! Church's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Schmidt closes the distance and clinches.
Church has Schmidt pressed against the ropes.
Schmidt throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Churchs head.
Schmidt lands a nice elbow.
Schmidt lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Schmidt lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Church misses with a knee to the head.
Schmidt gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A right hook to the body lands for Schmidt.
Schmidt throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Church blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Church tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Schmidt lands a knee to the body.
Schmidt looking to stall.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Church cracks Schmidt with a nice body shot.
Schmidt lands with a left to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schmidt slows down the pace here.
Schmidt prevents Church from breaking the clinch.
Schmidt working Church over with knees to the body.
Schmidt pushes Church back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Schmidt on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Schmidt lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Schmidt lands a shot to the body.
Schmidt scores with a nice hook to the head.
Schmidt blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Church lands a nice knee to the body.
Church looking to slow down the pace here.
Church is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Schmidt is defending well for now.
Schmidt tries to land knees in the clinch but Church avoids the damage to the body.
Church with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Schmidt lands with a short shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schmidt lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Church.
A shot in the inside from Schmidt.
Schmidt manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Church with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Knees to the body from Schmidt.
Church working hard to break the clinch.
Schmidt working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Church is trying to stall.
Schmidt on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Schmidt stalling in the clinch.
Schmidt lands an elbow just above Church 's eye.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Church tries a knee to the head but Schmidt blocks it.
Church lands an elbow inside.
Church takes an elbow to the forehead.
Schmidt creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Church's defenses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Schmidt showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on John Schmidt's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Schmidt connects with a body shot that sends Church's belly button to the back.
Church tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Schmidt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Church wants to clinch.
Schmidt's jab looks to have found its range, popping Church under the eye.
Church tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Schmidt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Schmidt lands a jab to the nose.
Church gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Schmidt.
Church on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Schmidt lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Schmidt circles away from the clinch attempt.
Church fails with an attempt to clinch.
Schmidt avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Church tries to clinch up
and Schmidt counters with a nice uppercut.
Schmidt digs a good hook to Church's body.
Schmidt misses with a straight left.
Schmidt throws a body kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Church on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Church moves to clinch but Schmidt breaks away
and Schmidt counters with a nice kick to the body.
Church tries to land a body kick
and Church takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Schmidt fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Church has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Schmidt keeps the fight on the outside.
Church wants to clinch
and Church takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Church misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Church thumps Schmidt with a low kick.
Schmidt connects with a solid leg kick.
Schmidt circles away from the clinch attempt
letting Schmidt counter with a right hand.
Church tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Schmidt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Church is rocked!
Church misses with a straight right.
Schmidt jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Church fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schmidt circles away from the clinch attempt
and Schmidt counters with a nice uppercut.
Oh Church is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Schmidt moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Church seems to have got his legs back now.
Good leg kick by Schmidt there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Church takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Church tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Schmidt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Church takes one on the button.
Schmidt connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Schmidt throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Church is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Church fails with an attempt to clinch.
Schmidt's corner calls for a 1-2. Schmidt obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Church tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
John Schmidt seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Schmidt looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Church blocks a jab.
Schmidt goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Schmidt takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Schmidt really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Schmidt's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Schmidt buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A head kick from Church lands but Schmidt takes it in his stride.
Schmidt works Church's body with a nice hook.
Schmidt lands a nice hook to Church's body. Church takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Church takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Schmidt fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Church manages to avoid it.
A slapping leg kick lands for Schmidt.
Church tries a head kick but it misses.
Schmidt lands a nice looking body shot.
A jab from Schmidt misses.
Church tries to clinch up.
Church moves to clinch but Schmidt breaks away
and Schmidt counters with an outside leg kick.
Schmidt lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Dan Church seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Church closes the distance looking to clinch
letting Schmidt counter with a right hand.
Church on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Schmidt lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Church darts in trying to clinch
and Schmidt counters with a nice leg kick.
Schmidt throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nice defenses there by Church.
Church wants to clinch
letting Schmidt counter with a right hand.
A head kick misses from Schmidt.
Schmidt looks to land a left hand but Church moved out of range nicely.
Church tries to land a body kick
and Schmidt counters with a nice leg kick.
Schmidt circles away from the clinch attempt.
Church darts in trying to clinch
and Schmidt connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Church tries to clinch but Schmidt moves out of range.
Church closes the distance looking to clinch
and Schmidt counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Church fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Church throws a leg kick but Schmidt sees it coming and moves out of range.
Church looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Church tries to clinch but Schmidt moves out of range.
Church throws a leg kick but Schmidt sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Church tries to clinch but Schmidt is having none of it.
Church tries to clinch but Schmidt moves out of range.
Schmidt scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Schmidt throws a leg kick which misses Church's front leg but catches the back leg as Church tries to avoid it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Schmidt comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Schmidt lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Church moves in looking to clinch but Schmidt pushes him off.
Church looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Church tries to close the distance and clinch but Schmidt swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Church takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Schmidt bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Church is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Schmidt throws out a loose jab but Church uses good head movement to avoid it.
A good leg kick by Schmidt.

Schmidt closes the distance and pushes Church back into the ropes.
Church with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Church tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Schmidt dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on John Schmidt's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Schmidt blocks a head kick by Church.
Schmidt scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Good leg kick by Schmidt there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Schmidt avoids a kick to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Church looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Church closes the distance looking to clinch
letting Schmidt counter with a right hand.

Church tries to keep at a distance but Schmidt has taken the fight into the clinch.
Church tries to land a knee to the head but Schmidt blocks with his arms.
Schmidt looks to throw an elbow but misses.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Schmidt throws an elbow but misses.
Church tries to land knees in the clinch but Schmidt avoids the damage to the body.
Dan Church has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Knees to the body from Church.
Church's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Schmidt lands a damaging elbow.
Church looking to throw knees to the head but Schmidt is blocking nicely.
Schmidt'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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schmidt avoiding damage as Church throws knees to the body.
Schmidt lands an elbow that stopped Church in his tracks for a moment.
Schmidt working Church over with knees to the body.
Schmidt avoiding damage as Church throws knees to the body.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Schmidt is stalling here.
Church crunches a lovely knee into Schmidt's ribcage.
John Schmidt is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Church with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Schmidt effectively controlling the action here.
Church tries to land knees in the clinch but Schmidt avoids the damage to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Church can't break the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Schmidt scores with a nice short uppercut.
Church tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nice elbow from Schmidt.
Church struggles to land a body shot inside as Schmidt controls his hands.
Schmidt lands a right hand that snaps the head of Church backwards.
Church throws an elbow that misses.
Schmidt blocks an elbow strike.
Nice elbow from Schmidt.
A bit of stalling here from Schmidt.
Church is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Schmidt is defending well for now.
John Schmidt seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Church misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Schmidt.
Schmidt lands an elbow inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Schmidt blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Schmidt is pushing Church up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Schmidt comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Schmidt 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 46:48
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 46:48
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 46:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Schmidt!
After winning the bout, John Schmidt thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.