PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Mohamed Khalidov (ranked 21804 p4p, 522 weight class) and Argus Lekas (ranked 21616 p4p, 521 weight class). Lekas is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Avatar-Eagle has Landed. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Khalidov
vs
Lekas

178 cm
26
155 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

175 cm
23
158 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

World class MT
Cardio machine

Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mohamed Khalidov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Argus Lekas!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Lekas.
Lekas lands a nice hook to Khalidov's body. Khalidov takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Lekas keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Lekas scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Khalidov doesn't seem bothered though.
Lekas takes one to the side of the head.
Khalidov moves forwards but Lekas connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Khalidov swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Lekas throws a front kick aimed at Khalidov's knee but Khalidov avoids it well.
Khalidov motions for Lekas to come forward. Khalidov throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Khalidov sets himself, and Lekas steps forward looking for the clinch! Khalidov avoids it this time.
Khalidov takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Khalidov scores with a nice body kick.
Khalidov tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Lekas is able to avoid easily.
Lekas listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Lekas lands a leg kick that knocks Khalidov off balance momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Khalidov lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Khalidov takes a jab right on the kisser.
Lekas blocks a head kick by Khalidov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lekas connects with a leg kick. Khalidov looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A cross from Khalidov lands.
Lekas's corner calls for a 1-2. Lekas obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Lekas on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Lekas feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Khalidovs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Lekas uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Lekas throws a hook but Khalidov avoids it easily.
Khalidov walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Lekas takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Lekas scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lekas misses with a body shot.
Lekas is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Khalidov had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Lekas fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Lekas lands a right hook to the body.
Khalidov throws a wild body kick that Lekas sees coming a mile off.
Lekas blocks a head kick by Khalidov.
Lekas has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
A chopping leg kick lands by Khalidov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khalidov throws a nice outside leg kick.
Lekas lands a really nice looking cross but Khalidov seems unphased.
Lekas fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Khalidov looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Lekas buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Khalidov avoids the body shot from Lekas.
Khalidov feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Khalidov throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Lekas lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Khalidov misses with a leg kick.
Lekas misses with a hook
and Khalidov makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Lekas misses with a body kick.
Lekas misses with a leg kick.
Khalidov is looking to counter with a body kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A slow jab from Lekas misses its intended target.
A head kick from Khalidov lands but Lekas takes it in his stride.
Khalidov throws a leg kick that misses.
Lekas misses with a left hand
and Khalidov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lekas throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Lekas lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Khalidov at a distance.
Lekas ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Khalidov moves away.
Khalidov misses with a kick to the body.

Khalidov drives through and clinches with Lekas against the ropes.
A short body shot lands from Lekas as the two fighters clinch.

Lekas breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Khalidov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Khalidov throws a counter high kick but Lekas was just alert enough to avoid it.
Lekas buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Khalidov shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Khalidov tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khalidov tries to score with a low kick but Lekas moves his leg out of the way.
Lekas dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lekas stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Khalidov.
A shot to the body from Lekas misses
and Khalidov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lekas swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Khalidov makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lekas misses the shot to the body.
Lekas ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Khalidov moves away.
Argus Lekas seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lekas takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A thudding body kick lands there by Lekas!
Lekas fails to land with a series of punches.
Khalidov looks to land a left hand but Lekas moved out of range nicely.
Khalidov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
A chopping leg kick lands by Lekas.
Khalidov ducks under a wild hook from Lekas.
Khalidov tried to counter with a leg kick but Lekas avoided it.
A leg kick checked by Khalidov.
Lekas misses the shot to the body.
Khalidov blocks a head kick by Lekas.
Khalidov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lekas.
A slapping leg kick lands for Lekas.
Khalidov wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Khalidov.
Lekas looks to land a body kick but Khalidov moved away.
Lekas scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Khalidov throws a low kick, looking for Lekas's leg but Lekas calmly moves out of range.
Lekas scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Khalidov doesn't seem bothered though.
Lekas misses the shot to the body.
Khalidov slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Khalidov moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Good exchange - Khalidov coming out on top.
Khalidov tries a low kick but Lekas avoids it.
Khalidov defending well as Lekas loads up on a big left hand.
Khalidov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lekas.
Lekas ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Khalidov moves away.
Lekas dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Argus Lekas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Khalidov misses with a kick to the body
and Lekas counters with a nice body kick.
Mohamed Khalidov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lekas tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Khalidov is able to avoid easily.
A head kick by Khalidov misses
and Lekas counters with a body kick that stops Khalidov in his tracks momentarily.
Lekas takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Lekas is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Khalidov.
Khalidov misses with a head kick.
A nice side step and Lekas releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Lekas thumps Khalidov with a low kick.
Lekas moves away from the strike by Khalidov.
Khalidov blocks a low kick nicely.
Khalidov wants to clinch
and Lekas counters with a left to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khalidov looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Khalidov throws a body kick that misses.
Lekas misses the jab.
Khalidov is looking to counter with a body kick.
Lekas motions for Khalidov to come forward. Lekas throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Khalidov throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lekas attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
A head kick misses from Khalidov.
Lekas throws a leg kick
and Khalidov counters with a low kick, right behind Lekas 's knee.
Lekas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lekas throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Lekas misses with a looping right.
Khalidov seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Lekas takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Khalidov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Khalidov throws a quick inside leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Lekas.
Khalidov takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Lekas moves out of range of the body kick.
Khalidov throws a big shot that misses.
Khalidov throws an off balance right hand
and Lekas counters with a nice uppercut.
Lekas keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Lekas does it's job there.
Khalidov lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Lekas instigates a clinch.
Khalidov blocking some punches.
Khalidov lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Khalidov letting Lekas take a breather here.
Lekas lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Argus Lekas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

It looks like Mohamed Khalidov has been cut.
Lekas prevents a body shot from Khalidov.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Khalidov can't find room to land a body shot as Lekas controls the action.
Lekas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Lekas lands a body punch.
Lekas lands a right hand.
A short uppercut from Khalidov.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Khalidov.

And that's the end of the fight!
Argus Lekas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lekas has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Argus Lekas!
A very excited looking Argus Lekas made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
In defeat, Mohamed Khalidov stepped up to the mic, saying 'That was a game of inches.. I made mistakes and I have been punished for them, but I will learn on them and come back stronger than a motherfucker, just to destroy and annihilate this entire division. Good job to my opponent thou, he is a strong motherfucker. See you again.'.