PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tuju Kilju (ranked 9347 p4p, 575 weight class) and George Alexander (ranked 3273 p4p, 313 weight class). Kilju comes to the cage accompanied by One Of These Mornings. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kilju
vs
Alexander

175 cm
39
147 lbs
27 - 15 - 1

172 cm
33
146 lbs
18 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Freebok (85% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tuju Kilju!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, George Alexander!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Alexander gets a clinch.
Alexander is working Kilju over against the cage.
Alexander pushes Kilju back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Alexander looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Kilju has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Alexander avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Kilju manages to break the clinch.
Alexander tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kilju half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Kilju shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Alexander but Alexander pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Alexander gets a clinch.
Kilju tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tuju Kilju. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kilju jumps guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kilju looking to hit a scissor sweep but Alexander is one step ahead there.
Kilju looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alexander is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Kilju is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Kilju looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Alexander engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Alexander postures up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Kilju keeping moving, preventing Alexander from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kilju misses with a takedown attempt - Alexander sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Alexander tries to clinch up but Kilju circles away and keeps his distance.
Kilju keeps the fight on the outside.
Kilju fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Alexander manages to avoid it.

Kilju closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Alexander did well to prevent Kilju getting side control.
Alexander keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kilju passes into side control, despite Alexander's attempt to control the position.
You can see the frustration on Alexander's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Alexander is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Kilju's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alexander blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kilju.
Kilju is trying to control the action in half guard but Alexander is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kilju trying to pass the guard but Alexander defending well.
Kilju thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kilju is looking to take a break and control but Alexander is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kilju content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kilju is keen to just control but Alexander is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Alexander is trying to maintain the position but Kilju is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Kilju moves into the clinch.

Kilju ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Kilju no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Kilju looking for subs off his back but Alexander has passed one foot through into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alexander seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tuju Kilju will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Alexander is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Kilju closes the distance and clinches.
Alexander misses with some punches.
Kilju tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Alexander just stands there and leans against the cage.
Kilju takes a shot to the head.
Kilju tries to circle away but Alexander has him pinned against the cage.
Alexander working aggressively here.
Kilju tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kilju blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alexander misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kilju is trying to pull guard but Alexander turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Alexander stops a takedown attempt from Kilju.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tuju Kilju. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kilju prevents a body shot from Alexander.
Alexander struggles to land a body shot inside as Kilju controls his hands.
Kilju blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kilju has had enough of the clinch but Alexander keeps him there for the moment.
Alexander lands a nice uppercut.
A body shot lands from Alexander.

Kilju's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Alexander is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kilju tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Alexander manages to circle out of the way.
Alexander displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kilju.

Alexander pushes Kilju up against the cage in a clinch.
Kilju tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Kilju is trying to pull guard but Alexander has him pressed against the cage.
Alexander misses with a hook from the clinch.
Come on Kilju - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Kilju wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexander tries to work over Kilju's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Alexander.

Kilju pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Alexander moves into the clinch.
Alexander lands a right hand.
Alexander tries a body shot but Kilju blocks it.
Alexander misses with a punch on the inside.
Alexander swings wildly with an uppercut but Kilju uses good head movement to avoid it.
Alexander can't find room to land a body shot as Kilju controls the action.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alexander working aggressively here.
Kilju tries for a takedown but Alexander manages to get underhooks.
Alexander digs a right hand underneath Kilju's ribcage. Kilju let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Kilju manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Kilju tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kilju fails to pull guard.
A head punch on the inside from Alexander fails to land.
A short left from Alexander.
Kilju drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Alexander misses with a punch on the inside.
Kilju'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.
Alexander scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Alexander misses with some punches.
Kilju tries to pull guard but Alexander won't allow it.
Kilju tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Alexander avoids it.

Kilju breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kilju shoots in looking for a takedown. Alexander tries to sprawl out of it but Kilju keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Alexander manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kilju backing away here, and Alexander unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Alexander tries to clinch there but Kilju circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Alexander as Kilju shoots in.
Kilju fails with the takedown.
Alexander moves in looking to clinch but Kilju pushes him off.
Tuju Kilju is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kilju shoots in and drives through. Alexander sprawls well.
Alexander lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Alexander lands a slapping body shot.
Kilju fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Alexander moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Alexander showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Alexander swinging wildly here.
Kilju seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Alexander has managed to clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Alexander fails to land.
Kilju tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Kilju is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Alexander is defending well.
Alexander goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Alexander misses with a hook to the ribs.
A right hook to the body lands for Kilju.
Alexander scores with a nice hook to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kilju drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Alexander gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tuju Kilju. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alexander doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Alexander working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kilju pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alexander is looking to clinch.
Alexander tries to clinch there but Kilju circles away.
Kilju tries to counter with a takedown but Alexander is quick to defend against it.
Alexander lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kilju lands a front kick.
George Alexander is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alexander darts in trying to clinch

and Kilju counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Alexander wants to improve his position but Kilju is controlling well.

Kilju decides to stand and escape the position.

Alexander darts in and clinches Kilju up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kilju manages to pull guard.
Kilju looking to control.
Tuju Kilju overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Alexander's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Kilju controls Alexander momentarily but Alexander frees himself.
Kilju looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Alexander controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kilju working a defensive guard but Alexander passes into half guard.
Alexander is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Alexander stops Kilju from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alexander perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Alexander moves into the clinch.
Kilju wants a takedown.
A head punch on the inside from Alexander fails to land.
Alexander misses with a body punch.
A shot in the inside from Alexander.
Alexander misses with a punch on the inside.
Alexander doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Alexander fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Alexander has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Alexander fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kilju tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Alexander fails to land.
Kilju blocks an uppercut.
Alexander misses with the head strike.
George Alexander seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Alexander scores with a shot to the side of Kilju's head.
Alexander swings wildly with an uppercut but Kilju uses good head movement to avoid it.
Alexander lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Kilju.
Alexander working aggressively here.
Kilju has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Alexander avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Alexander gets through Kilju's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Alexander scores with a hook to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Alexander is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Alexander prevents Kilju from breaking the clinch.
Alexander keeps control of Kilju as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Alexander misses with a punch on the inside.
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!
A shot in the inside from Alexander.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Alexander comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Alexander has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... George Alexander!
George Alexander took to the mic in his post fight interview and said ' '.