PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Krejzi Kure (ranked 1871 p4p, 208 weight class) and Anton Altair (ranked 1856 p4p, 205 weight class). Kure's entrance music is BIG SHUG - who's hard. A fine choice. Altair is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Bran's freestyle . Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kure
vs
Altair

170 cm
40
159 lbs
23 - 20 - 1

180 cm
29
150 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Pit Bull Development
RAGS of a RONIN

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 23 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Krejzi Kure!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Anton Altair!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Yves DeLean and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kure misses with a lunging right hand
and Altair counters with a straight right hand.
Altair fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Kure on the side of the head.
Kure throws a lazy right hand but Altair sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kure digs a good body shot into Altair's ribs.
A big left from Kure misses.
Altair flicks out a counter leg kick but Kure steps away.
Kure misses with a looping left.
Altair throws a solid leg kick but Kure takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Altair.

Kure closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Altair quickly recovers to half guard.
Kure thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Altair's head.
Altair told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Kure seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Altair has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kure is working away from the top position though.
Altair has his hands clasped together around Kure's back. He's all about the action.
Altair is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kure is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Altair moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kure accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kure trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Altair keeping full guard, as Kure tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Altair utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kure is in close to Altair's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Altair keeping moving, preventing Kure from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kure postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Kure throwing strikes from guard but Altair blocks nicely.
Altair pulls Kure in close to his closed guard and prevents Kure from doing any damage or advancing position.
Kure keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Altair's head.
Altair looking to control.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Altair holds on and takes a little breather.
Kure throws a big right hand that misses.
Kure throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Altair works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kure wants to control from the top but Altair keeps moving.
Kure pushing down on Altair's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Kure stops Altair from getting back to his feet.
Kure is thwarting Altair's attempts to control the position.
Kure throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Altair is pressing down on Kure's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Altair trying to keep a closed guard but Kure is proving a slippery customer.
Kure stopping the sweep attempt from Altair.
Kure with a flurry of punches that miss.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kure accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kure in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Altair is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Kure postures up in Altair's guard and throws a big left but Altair blocks it.
Altair is adopting a defensive guard.
Altair is trying to control the position but Kure postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kure misses with a hook to the body
enabling Altair to counter with a crisp jab.
Altair throws a one two combo.

It looks like Krejzi Kure has been cut.
Kure closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Krejzi Kure seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kure takes one on the button.
Altair blocks a jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kure fails to land the takedown.
Altair follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
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 Krejzi Kure will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Krejzi Kure's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Altair takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Kure moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Kure throws a big shot that misses.
Altair throws a big shot that misses.
Altair scores with a nice right hand.
The crowd cheers as Altair lands an impressive looking overhand right. Kure doesn't seem phased though.
Kure looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Altair goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Kure shoots in looking for a takedown but Altair manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kure's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kure jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kure throws a poor cross that misses
and Altair counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kure thinking.

Kure manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Altair on his heels. He'll look to pass Altair's guard now, I'm sure.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Altair is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kure wants to pass the guard but Altair is keeping the position.
Kure trying to control but Altair is working from the bottom.
Altair is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kure throws a big right hand that misses.
Kure trying to control the position from guard on top but Altair is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Altair uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Altair misses with an uppercut. Kure saw that one coming.
Kure looks to land a combination. Altair sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kure misses the jab.
Krejzi Kure is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kure looks to score with a jab to the body but Altair is just out of range.
Altair looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Kure is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Altair's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Kure swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Altair takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Kure swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Altair ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Altair! But no joy.
Altair has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Kure walks into a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Altair lands with a cross.
Kure looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Altair is fending him off so far but Kure persists. Nope, Altair circles away and we're back to standing.
Kure scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Kure gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Altair.
Kure tests Altair's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kure throws a hook but Altair blocks it.
Anton Altair is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Altair.
Altair throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jab by Kure.
Kure throws a shot from downtown. Altair moves away and avoids it.
No joy there for Kure, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kure moves away from the strike by Altair.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Altair - that will leave a mark!
Kure swings for the body but Altair moves out of range.
Kure tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Altair was well out of range. Poor timing from Kure.
Kure swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Altair counters with a leg kick.
Kure lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Altair circles away quickly and effectively.
Kure throws a right hand that misses
and Altair counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Altair uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kure.
Altair looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Altair misses the shot to the body.
Kure throws an off balance right hand
and Altair connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Altair throws a big shot that misses.
Altair throws a half hearted mid kick.
Kure was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Kure takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Kure rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Altair counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Altair throws a push kick but Kure slaps the foot to one side.
Kure waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Altair.
Kure takes one to the side of the head.
Donk. Kure catches Altair right on the button with a cross.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Kure crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Altair - the referee stops the clock and Kure gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Altair. Kure manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Kure misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Anton Altair will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Krejzi Kure'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. This is the final round!

Altair connects with a solid leg kick.
Altair takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Kure takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Kure moves out of range of the strikes.
Kure looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Some wild striking there from Kure.
A little jabbing left from Altair on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Altair delivers a nice body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kure blocks a jab.
Altair throws a body shot but no joy.
Kure lands a right hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kure will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Altair connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Kure momentarily.
Kure loads up on a big right hand but Altair slips the punch.
Altair throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Sloppy strikes from Kure. Those never looked like landing.
Kure throws a lazy uppercut
and Altair counters with a straight right hand.
Altair bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Anton Altair seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kure bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Altair's head backwards.
Altair jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kure has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Altair finds it's way round the side to connect with Kure's head.
Kure swinging wildly here.
Altair misses with an uppercut. Kure saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kure has a takedown stuffed.
An inside leg kick lands from Altair.
Kure lands a slapping body shot.
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!
Kure misses with a two punch combination.
Altair lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Kure looks to land a right hand but Altair moved out of range.
Kure throws a lazy right hand but Altair sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kure connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Kure tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Altair defends well and Kure ends up having to push Altair into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Krejzi Kure. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kure. Altair does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kure gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Altair.
A swing and a miss from Kure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Altair throws a half hearted mid kick.
Altair lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Kure misses with a straight left.
A combination from Kure does no damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kure on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Altair. Altair obviously looking to wear him down.
Kure misses with an uppercut. Altair saw that one coming.
Altair chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Kure fails to land the takedown.
Altair tries to land a front kick but Kure steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Kure shoots for a takedown but Altair saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kure swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Altair gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Kure.

Altair gets caught flat footed, as Kure shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Altair is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Altair is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kure wants to control from the top but Altair keeps moving.
Altair pulls Kure in to control the position.
Altair working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kure.
Altair seems keen to control Kure's posture.
Kure preventing the sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Anton Altair.
I think Altair 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anton Altair!
In his post fight interview, Anton Altair started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.