PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Taine Raharuhi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yoda Fairtex (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Raharuhi
vs
Fairtex

180 cm
17
165 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

173 cm
18
165 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

Excellent boxer
Very strong

Excellent MT
Granite chin

Venom Combat Sports

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Taine Raharuhi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Yoda Fairtex!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, George Francis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fairtex fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Fairtex feints and then cracks Raharuhi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Raharuhi down.
The crowd cheers as Fairtex lands an impressive looking overhand right. Raharuhi doesn't seem phased though.
Raharuhi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Raharuhi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Fairtex.
Fairtex swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Raharuhi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Fairtex lands a body shot.
Fairtex misses with a hook
and Raharuhi counters with a left to the body.

Fairtex moves into the clinch.
Fairtex swings wildly with an uppercut but Raharuhi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Raharuhi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Fairtex looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
A frustrated look appears on Raharuhi's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Fairtex lands a right hand that snaps the head of Raharuhi backwards.
Fairtex misses with a punch to the body.
Raharuhi misses with a body punch.
Fairtex is trying to maintain a safe position but Raharuhi gets an underhook and turns Fairtex into the ropes.
Raharuhi looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairtex digs a right hand underneath Raharuhi's ribcage. Raharuhi let out a lung full of air as it connected.
I was talking to Raharuhi's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Fairtex tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Fairtex throws a head punch that misses.
Raharuhi blocks an uppercut.
Fairtex lands a right hand that snaps the head of Raharuhi backwards.
Fairtex tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Fairtex throws a punch but it's blocked by Raharuhi.
A short right from Fairtex on the inside.
Fairtex tries a body shot but Raharuhi blocks it.
Fairtex tries to work over Raharuhi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Fairtex holding his opponent close, against the ropes.
Raharuhi scores with a nice hook to the head.
Fairtex misses with a body punch.
A short uppercut from Raharuhi.
Fairtex misses with a short punch on the inside.
A shot in the inside from Fairtex.
Raharuhi lands a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raharuhi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Raharuhi tries to circle away but Fairtex has him pinned against the ropes.
Fairtex trying to stall but Raharuhi improves his position.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Raharuhi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Fairtex pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Raharuhi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Raharuhi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Fairtex scores with a nice short uppercut.
Raharuhi pushes Fairtex back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Raharuhi lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Fairtex.
Fairtex doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Fairtex can't find room to land a body shot as Raharuhi controls the action.
Raharuhi wants to break the clinch but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoda Fairtex dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Fairtex instigates a clinch.
Fairtex tries to throw a body punch but Raharuhi avoids it by throwing Fairtex back against the ropes.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Fairtex.
Raharuhi blocking some punches.
Fairtex throws a head punch that misses.
Raharuhi lands an uppercut.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Fairtex goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Fairtex looking to slow down the pace here.
Raharuhi misses with a short punch on the inside.
Fairtex scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Raharuhi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fairtex prevents a body shot from Raharuhi.
Raharuhi can't find room to land a body shot as Fairtex controls the action.
Fairtex swings wildly with an uppercut but Raharuhi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Raharuhi takes a shot to the head.
Raharuhi prevents a body shot from Fairtex.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairtex fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Fairtex misses with the head strike.
Raharuhi stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Raharuhi lands a nice uppercut.
Fairtex is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Fairtex misses with a punch on the inside.
Fairtex lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A short uppercut from Raharuhi.
Raharuhi blocks a body shot from Fairtex.
Fairtex has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Fairtex has Raharuhi pressed against the ropes, preventing Raharuhi from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Fairtex misses with a punch to the body.
Fairtex throws a punch but it's blocked by Raharuhi.
Fairtex misses with a punch on the inside.
A short uppercut from Raharuhi.
Raharuhi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Yoda Fairtex seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A nice left hand lands by Fairtex.
Fairtex throws a head punch that misses.

Raharuhi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Raharuhi.
Fairtex misses the jab.
A big right from Raharuhi misses.
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!
Raharuhi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Fairtex.

Fairtex forces Raharuhi back against the ropes and clinches.
Raharuhi prevents a body shot from Fairtex.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Fairtex doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Fairtex prevents Raharuhi from breaking the clinch.
Fairtex keeps control of Raharuhi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Fairtex works on Raharuhi's body with a couple of short punches.
Fairtex will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Raharuhi up against the ropes.
Fairtex misses with a body punch.
Raharuhi blocking some punches.
Fairtex trying to stall but Raharuhi improves his position.
Fairtex doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoda Fairtex showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Raharuhi shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Raharuhi misses with a hook. Fairtex ducked under it nicely.
Fairtex gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Raharuhi counters with a nice low kick that buckles Fairtex's knee momentarily.
Raharuhi scores with a hook to the body. Fairtex takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Raharuhi lands the left hand.
Raharuhi takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Raharuhi fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Fairtex is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Raharuhi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Fairtex.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raharuhi lands a right hook to the body.
Raharuhi throws an overhand right that lands on Fairtex's shoulder, as Fairtex tries to avoid the shot.
Raharuhi sets himself, and Fairtex steps forward looking for the clinch! Raharuhi avoids it this time.
A looping hook to the body misses from Raharuhi. Fairtex does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fairtex gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Raharuhi misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fairtex has taken the fight to the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Fairtex.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Raharuhi.
Raharuhi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Fairtex throws a punch but it's blocked by Raharuhi.
Fairtex cracks Raharuhi with a nice body shot.
Raharuhi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Raharuhi lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Raharuhi wants to get back to striking at distance but Fairtex won't allow it.
A head punch on the inside from Raharuhi fails to land.
Raharuhi wants to break free but Fairtex has control.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Raharuhi.
Fairtex misses with some punches.
Raharuhi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Raharuhi tries a body shot but Fairtex blocks it.
Raharuhi lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Fairtex swings wildly with an uppercut but Raharuhi uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Fairtex fails to land.
Fairtex misses with a punch on the inside.
Fairtex lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Fairtex looking to slow down the pace here.
Raharuhi looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Fairtex lands a left hand that snaps the head of Raharuhi backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fairtex misses with the head strike.
Raharuhi tries to throw a body punch but Fairtex avoids it by throwing Raharuhi back against the ropes.
Raharuhi throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Fairtexs head.
A short body shot lands from Fairtex as the two fighters clinch.
Raharuhi lands a shoulder strike.
Raharuhi scores with a nice hook to the head.
Fairtex working aggressively here.
Fairtex is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Raharuhi doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taine Raharuhi clearly takes that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Fairtex uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Raharuhi.
Fairtex darts in trying to clinch
and Raharuhi counters with a stiff right hand.
Raharuhi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Raharuhi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Raharuhi throws a jab when Fairtex was well out of range.
Fairtex is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Taine Raharuhi is winning the standup battle so far.
Fairtex pivots, looking for a leg kick but Raharuhi is out of range and Fairtex settles back down.
Fairtex connects with an inside leg kick.

Fairtex has managed to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fairtex is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Fairtex tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Fairtex has Raharuhi pressed against the ropes, preventing Raharuhi from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Fairtex misses with the head strike.
Fairtex struggles to land a body shot inside as Raharuhi controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raharuhi leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Fairtex is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Raharuhi is keeping busy.
Fairtex is trying to stall.
Fairtex keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Raharuhi's efforts to push away.
Fairtex stalling in the clinch but Raharuhi improves position.
Raharuhi wants to break free but Fairtex has control.
Raharuhi is trying to push Fairtex away but Fairtex has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Fairtex misses with some punches.
Raharuhi wants to get back to striking at distance but Fairtex won't allow it.
Raharuhi wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Raharuhi breaks from the clinch.
Fairtex is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Raharuhi swats away the attempt to clinch by Fairtex.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Raharuhi is trying to push Fairtex away but Fairtex has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Raharuhi wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Fairtex has him pressed against the ropes.
Raharuhi tries to break free but Fairtex pushes him back against the ropes.
Raharuhi blocks an uppercut.
Raharuhi wants to get back to striking at distance but Fairtex won't allow it.
Raharuhi has had enough of the clinch but Fairtex keeps him there for the moment.
Fairtex stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Raharuhi misses with a short punch on the inside.
Raharuhi goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Fairtex throws a head punch that misses.
A right handed body shot lands from Raharuhi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Taine Raharuhi will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Good shot there by Raharuhi.
Fairtex uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Raharuhi.
Raharuhi lands the left hand.
Fairtex is looking to clinch.
Fairtex wants to clinch but Raharuhi slips to the side
and Raharuhi counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Raharuhi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Fairtex was well out of range. Poor timing from Raharuhi.
Raharuhi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Fairtex.
Fairtex misses with a right hand
letting Raharuhi counter with a right hand.
Fairtex is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fairtex tries to clinch up but Raharuhi circles away and keeps his distance.
Fairtex bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Raharuhi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Raharuhi lands with a right to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raharuhi blocks a body shot from Fairtex.
Raharuhi digs a right hand underneath Fairtex's ribcage. Fairtex let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A frustrated look appears on Raharuhi's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Fairtex.
Fairtex tries to work over Raharuhi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Raharuhi pushes Fairtex back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Raharuhi wants to break free but Fairtex has control.
Raharuhi tries a body shot but Fairtex blocks it.
Fairtex taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Raharuhi lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A head punch on the inside from Fairtex fails to land.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Fairtex tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex tries to throw a body punch but Raharuhi avoids it by throwing Fairtex back against the ropes.

Raharuhi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circling - Fairtex throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A slow jab from Raharuhi misses its intended target.
Raharuhi takes a swing at Fairtex's ribcage but misses.
Raharuhi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Fairtex tries to clinch up but Raharuhi circles away and keeps his distance.
Decent striking displayed by Raharuhi there.
A jab from Raharuhi misses.
Raharuhi misses with a wild body shot.
Raharuhi misses with a body shot.
Fairtex tries to clinch
and Raharuhi counters with a straight right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good exchange - Raharuhi coming out on top.
Fairtex on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taine Raharuhi showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Raharuhi has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 48:47
Judge George Francis scores the fight 48:48
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 47:48

The fight is ruled a draw!