PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Apollo Takamura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Layne Fields (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Takamura
vs
Fields

195 cm
29
192 lbs
9 - 20 - 0

192 cm
35
197 lbs
18 - 16 - 1

World class boxer
Cardio machine

World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Apollo Takamura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Layne Fields!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shirou Masuda and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fields scores with a head kick.
Takamura circles away from the clinch attempt
and Takamura counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Fields closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Fields misses with a punch to the body.
Fields'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.
Takamura is trying to push Fields away but Fields has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Fields trying to land knees to the body.
I was talking to Takamura's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Takamura breaks from the clinch.
Takamura scores with a punch to the head.

It looks like Layne Fields has been cut.
Fields throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fields fails with an attempt to clinch.
Fields misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fields tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Takamura counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Fields tries to clinch up
and Takamura counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Fields clinches up against the ropes.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Fields.
Fields keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Takamura's efforts to push away.

Takamura's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fields pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Fields instigates a clinch.
Nice elbow from Fields.
Takamura lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Fields stalls.
Takamura is trying to push Fields away but Fields has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fields keeps control of Takamura as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Takamura avoids the elbow strike from Fields, against the ropes.
Takamura misses with a punch on the inside.
Fields blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Fields lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Takamura avoiding damage as Fields throws knees to the body.
Takamura blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Takamura has a couple of punches blocked by Fields.
Fields misses with a body punch.
Fields misses with a hook from the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fields missing with knees to the body.
Takamura is trying to break the clinch but Fields is controlling him.
Fields tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Fields tries to work over Takamura's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Layne Fields dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Layne Fields's cut.
That's time! Takamura's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Takamura swats away the attempt to clinch by Fields.
Takamura moves out of range of the leg kick from Fields.
Takamura jabs at Fields's body.
Fields throws a body kick, spinning off balance
letting Takamura counter with a right hand.
Takamura misses with an uppercut. Fields saw that one coming.
Fields tries to close the distance and clinch but Takamura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Fields tries to clinch
and Takamura counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Takamura checks a leg kick.
Nice uppercut lands for Takamura. That snapped Fields's head back.
A slow jab from Takamura misses its intended target.
The crowd cheers as Takamura lands an impressive looking overhand right. Fields doesn't seem phased though.
Fields tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Takamura paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Takamura avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fields tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Fields checks a leg kick.

Fields clinches up against the ropes.

Takamura breaks the clinch.

Fields darts in and clinches Takamura up against the ropes.
Fields working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Fields is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Takamura working hard to break the clinch.
Fields using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Takamura has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Fields escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fields throws a lazy head kick
and Takamura counters with a good low kick that Fields was not able to check.
Fields misses with a hook
letting Takamura counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takamura throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Fields on the side of the head.
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!
Takamura avoids a punch combination nicely.
Decent striking displayed by Fields there.
Fields closes the distance looking to clinch
and Takamura connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Fields misses with a hook. Takamura ducked under it nicely.
Fields fails with an attempt to clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Fields swings for the body but Takamura moves out of range.
Takamura scores with a head kick.
Fields throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Takamura counters with a nice uppercut.
Fields is looking to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apollo Takamura dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Layne Fields's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Takamura avoids a punch combination nicely.
Takamura cracks Fields with a right hand to the side of the head.
Fields moves out of range as Takamura throws a body kick.
Takamura takes a swing at Fields's ribcage but misses.
Fields tries to close the distance and clinch but Takamura swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Takamura misses with a body shot

and Fields counters by clinching up.
Fields is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Takamura is defending well for now.
Takamura blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Takamura tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Takamura blocks an uppercut.
Fields throws a knee to the head but misses.
Takamura stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Fields throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takamura scores with a shot to the side of Fields's head.
Layne Fields seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Takamura misses with a hook from the clinch.
Takamura is trying to break free.
Fields displaying some good clinch control by pressing Takamura up against the ropes.
Fields trying to land knees to the body.
Takamura wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Fields softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Takamura wants to stall.
Takamura tries to break the clinch but Fields is controlling the position.
Fields tries to land knees in the clinch but Takamura avoids the damage to the body.
Takamura scores with a nice hook to the head.
Takamura wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Takamura takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Fields.

Takamura is rocked!
Fields stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Oh Takamura is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fields is leaning against Takamura and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Fields.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fields creates a bit of space and fires a knee right up the middle, almost lifting Takamura off his feet and sending him crashing to the canvas! Takamura is trying to get back to his feet but his equilibrium is completely gone! The referee has called it off! This fight is over! Fields is jumping up and down like a mad man, celebrating with his cornermen.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). Layne Fields!
Layne Fields really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Knockout Nutrition (150Q $25) logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.