PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Yung Hung Dong (ranked 1651 p4p, 82 weight class) and Yang Xinhai (ranked 1124 p4p, 66 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hung Dong
vs
Xinhai

170 cm
25
145 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

175 cm
22
140 lbs
8 - 2 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Yung Hung Dong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Yang Xinhai!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Illya Tyunina and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A shot to the body from Xinhai misses
and Dong counters with a leg kick.
Yung Hung Dong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dong throws a low kick, looking for Xinhai's leg but Xinhai calmly moves out of range.
Xinhai looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Dong looks to land a body kick but Xinhai moved away.
Xinhai throws out a counter right but Dong avoids it with no problem.
Xinhai has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Dong cracks Xinhai with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Xinhai swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Dong counters with a body kick.
Good leg kick by Dong there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Dong moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dong misses with a wild body shot.
Dong takes a swing at Xinhai's ribcage but misses.
Xinhai dips to his left and cracks Dong with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dong fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Xinhai has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Xinhai throws an off balance right hand
and Dong counters with a body kick.
Dong swings widly with a right hand
and Xinhai counters with a stiff right hand.
Dong misses with an attempted mid kick.
A little jabbing left from Xinhai on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Dong slips a straight right by Xinhai.
It looked like Dong was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Xinhai.
Dong looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Xinhai misses with an uppercut
and Dong counters with a stiff right hand.
Xinhai throws a hook but Dong avoids it easily.
Dong takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Dong dips to his left and cracks Xinhai with an uppercut!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dong bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Xinhai misses the shot to the body.
Dong bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
An inside leg kick lands from Dong.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Xinhai misses the jab.
Dong was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Dong gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Xinhai counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Dong comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Xinhai looks to land a left hand but Dong moved out of range nicely.
Xinhai throws a lazy uppercut
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dong throws out a leg kick but Xinhai moves out of range and Dong only half commits.
Xinhai looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Dong uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Xinhai.
An inside leg kick lands from Dong.
Xinhai walks into a jab.
Xinhai paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Dong throws a front kick aimed at Xinhai's knee but Xinhai avoids it well.
Xinhai fails to land with a series of punches.
Dong is looking to counter with a body kick.
Dong takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Dong throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dong throws a leg kick
and Dong takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Dong pivots, looking for a leg kick but Xinhai is out of range and Dong settles back down.
Dong ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Dong throws a head kick that 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!
A leg kick checked by Xinhai.
Dong lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Xinhai connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Xinhai is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Dong had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Xinhai paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Xinhai avoids a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yung Hung Dong dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Xinhai connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Dong's hands.
Dong looks for the body kick but Xinhai saw that one coming.
Xinhai might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Dong with a jab.
Dong throws a leg kick
enabling Xinhai to counter with a crisp jab.
Xinhai misses with an uppercut. Dong saw that one coming.
Xinhai throws a right hand that Dong ducks under and follows up with a left that Dong also avoids with ease.
Xinhai dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xinhai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dong was well out of range. Poor timing from Xinhai.
Xinhai moves out of range as Dong throws a body kick.
Xinhai swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Dong misses.
Yung Hung Dong is winning the standup battle so far.
Xinhai connects with a looping right hand.
Dong cracks the inside of Xinhai's front leg.
Dong looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Xinhai lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Xinhai throws a looping overhand right but Dong ducks down to avoid it.
Dong takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Xinhai throws a jab but it's blocked by Dong.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dong throws the left hand but Xinhai avoids the punch easily.
Xinhai is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Dong with a body shot.
Dong tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Xinhai was well out of range. Poor timing from Dong.
Dong buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Dong dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Xinhai misses with a looping right.
Dong swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Dong pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Xinhai on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Dong. Dong obviously looking to wear him down.
Dong scoring well with a low kick there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dong looks to throw a body kick
and Xinhai counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Dong throws a sloppy body shot
and Xinhai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Xinhai takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Xinhai misses with a few strikes there.
Dong fires out a quick counter leg kick but Xinhai just manages to avoid it.
Dong looks to land a combination. Xinhai sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Xinhai missing with a left hand there. Dong was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Xinhai scores with a crisp jab that stopped Dong in his tracks.
A left and a right from Xinhai both land. Nice combination.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dong throws the left hand but Xinhai avoids the punch easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dong misses with an attempted mid kick.
Xinhai will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A jab lands there for Dong.
Dong steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Xinhai.
Danga de danga de dang - Xinhai scores with a four punch combination!
Dong lets loose with a powerful body kick. Xinhai will feel that in the morning.
Dong throws a body punch but Xinhai moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yang Xinhai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Xinhai throws a big shot that misses.
And Dong counters with a quick kick to the body but Xinhai blocks it.
Dong lands with a kick to the ribs.
Dong with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Dong blocks a jab.
A solid leg kick lands there for Dong.
Xinhai's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Dong swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Xinhai.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xinhai misses with an uppercut.
A decent looking cross lands there for Dong.
Dong throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dong takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Xinhai gets tackled into the cage by Dong. Dong maintains the clinch.
Dong tries a body shot but Xinhai blocks it.
Xinhai throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Dongs head.
Dong goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A nice left hand lands by Xinhai.
Xinhai prevents a body shot from Dong.
Xinhai misses with the head strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Dong.
Xinhai throws a head punch that misses.
Dong misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Dong tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Xinhai's elbow.
Dong blocks an uppercut.
Dong throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Xinhai goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xinhai can't find room to land a body shot as Dong controls the action.
Xinhai scores with a nice hook to the head.
Xinhai tries to work over Dong's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dong lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Dong lands with a short punch from the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dong will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Xinhai up against the cage.
Xinhai stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Dong lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short uppercut from Dong.
Dong tries to work over Xinhai's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Come on Xinhai - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Dong works on Xinhai's body with a couple of short punches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Xinhai struggles to land a body shot inside as Dong controls his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xinhai throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Xinhai misses with some punches.
Dong swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Xinhai stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short uppercut from Xinhai.
Dong blocking some punches.
Xinhai being controlled against the cage.
Dong jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Xinhai walks away with a smile on his face. Dong gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Xinhai misses the shot to the body.
Xinhai stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Dong.
Dong scores with a push kick.
A low kick from Dong is predictable there
and Xinhai counters with a straight right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xinhai misses the jab.
Dong throws a quick counter head kick but Xinhai was just out of range.
Dong throws a body kick that misses
and Xinhai counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Dong throws a wild body kick that Xinhai sees coming a mile off.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Xinhai! But no joy.
Xinhai pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Dong appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Dong throws a leg kick that is checked
and Xinhai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
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!
Dong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Xinhai swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Dong avoids a punch combination nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Yang Xinhai.
I think Xinhai 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Yang Xinhai!
After winning the bout, Yang Xinhai thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.