PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Mikael Saputo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manlove Kush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saputo comes to the cage accompanied by The Milk Song. 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.

Saputo
vs
Kush

175 cm
25
155 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

177 cm
25
166 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Dangerous knees
Very quick

Good kicks
Powerful

Vikai Gear
Atlantis

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mikael Saputo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Manlove Kush!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Sandra Marshall and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saputo throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kush swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Saputo darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Kush finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Saputo slips a jab from Kush.
Saputo moves out of range as Kush throws a body kick.
Saputo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kush.
An attempted straight right counter from Saputo misses the target.
Kush scores with a nice strike.
Kush with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Saputo to score with a decent uppercut.
Kush drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Kush misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kush takes one on the button.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kush takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Saputo lands with a thumping leg kick.
Saputo's corner calls for a 1-2. Saputo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Kush misses with a body kick.
As Kush tries to get set, Saputo tries to push him back and clinch up but Kush manages to avoid the attempt.
Saputo lands a jab to the nose.
Kush scores with the left hand. Saputo knows he should have avoided that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kush defending well as Saputo loads up on a big left hand.
Kush on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Saputo lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Kush is rocked!
Saputo avoids the head kick by Kush.
Saputo checks a low kick from Kush.
Saputo fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Kush on the side of the head.
Kush is still on wobbly legs! Can Saputo finish him?
Saputo lands with a right hand.
Saputo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kush manages to avoid it.
Kush ducks under a wild hook from Saputo.
Kush swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Kush looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Saputo works the jab nicely.
Saputo looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Saputo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Saputo breaks the clinch.
Kush seems to have recovered his senses.
Kush looks for the body kick but Saputo saw that one coming.
Saputo connects with a good right hand that stumbles Kush. Kush circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Kush looks to score with a jab to the body but Saputo is just out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kush tries to clinch but Saputo is having none of it.
Saputo loads up on a big right hand but Kush slips the punch.
A head kick misses from Kush.
Kush misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Saputo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Saputo connects with an inside leg kick.
Saputo comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Saputo lands with a good body shot.
Saputo moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Saputo connects with a crisp jab.
Kush tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Kush throws a solid leg kick but Saputo takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kush.
Saputo swings for the body but Kush moves out of range.
Saputo keeps the fight on the outside.
Saputo scores with a sloppy right hand. Kush should have avoided that one.
Kush fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Saputo manages to avoid it.
Kush misses with a right hand
and Saputo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saputo lands a jab to Kush's midsection.
Saputo pushes Kush away with a front kick.
Kush avoids a punch combination nicely.
Saputo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Saputo is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Saputo.
Saputo swats away the attempt to clinch by Kush.
Saputo slips a straight right by Kush.
Saputo throws a jab when Kush was well out of range.
Kush misses the shot to the body.
Kush avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Danga de danga de dang - Saputo scores with a four punch combination!
Saputo throws a quick inside leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kush looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kush throws a leg kick that is checked
and Saputo counters with a slapping leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saputo fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Kush on the side of the head.
Saputo avoids the head kick by Kush.
Saputo lands a head shot.
Kush uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saputo.
Saputo scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Nice uppercut there from Saputo.
Kush gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Kush ducks right into an uppercut from Saputo.
Kush looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Saputo seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Kush pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Saputo is looking to counter punch.
Saputo moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Kush's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Saputo fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Saputo thuds a left hand into Kush's body.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Kush is looking to clinch but Saputo is avoiding it.
Kush misses with a body kick.
Kush takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Kush tries a head kick but it misses.
It looked like Saputo wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Kush tries a low kick but Saputo avoids it.
Saputo just misses with a punch to the body.
Saputo lands a nice hook to Kush's body. Kush takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Kush swats away the attempt to clinch by Saputo.
Kush wants to counter the offense by Saputo and move into the clinch position.

Saputo moves into the clinch.
Saputo struggles to land a body shot inside as Kush controls his hands.
Saputo digs a right hand into Kush's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Kush's gas tank.
Saputo wants to stall.
Kush is looking to break free of the clinch but Saputo has double underhooks.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Saputo throws a head punch that misses.
Kush tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A short uppercut from Saputo.
Kush doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kush wants to break the clinch but can't.
The referee calls for Saputo to work.
Saputo blocks a body shot from Kush.
Saputo lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Saputo leaning his opponent against the cage.
Kush tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Saputo's elbow.
Kush can't find room to land a body shot as Saputo controls the action.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saputo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kush lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Saputo scores with a knee to the head.
Saputo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Kush takes a knee right on the jaw!
Saputo connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Manlove Kush has been cut.
Kush misses with some punches.
Kush misses with a short punch on the inside.
Saputo just leaning against Kush, taking a breather.
Kush works on Saputo's body with a couple of short punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kush.
A short body shot lands from Saputo as the two fighters clinch.
Kush throws a punch but it's blocked by Saputo.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
The referee is keeping an eye on Saputo - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Saputo blocking some punches.
Saputo misses with the head strike.
Kush misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kush tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kush tries to throw a body punch but Saputo avoids it by throwing Kush back against the cage.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Saputo scores a nice knee to the body.
Saputo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kush missing with knees to the body.
Saputo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Saputo tries to work over Kush's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kush tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Saputo avoids it.
Kush prevents a body shot from Saputo.
Saputo tries to stall but Kush uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Saputo lands a right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kush doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kush tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Saputo's elbow.
Saputo avoiding damage as Kush throws knees to the body.
Kush tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kush.
Saputo misses with a knee strike.

Saputo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Saputo blocks a jab.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Saputo blocks a jab.
Saputo lands with a nice combination. Kush backs away looking to recover.
Saputo scores with a nice head shot.
Kush uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saputo.
Saputo takes a swing at Kush's ribcage but misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Saputo.
Saputo takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Saputo scores with a big combo that sends Kush crashing to the mat! He's still conscious but the referee has seen enough as Kush flops around uncontrollably and he's called an end to the fight! Saputo jumps onto the cage and throws his mouthpiece into the crowd. Gross.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:34 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mikael Saputo!
An out of breath Mikael Saputo thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.