PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Melankomas Caria (ranked 3175 p4p, 367 weight class) and Alex Stefanovic (ranked 3151 p4p, 364 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Caria
vs
Stefanovic

186 cm
29
181 lbs
25 - 9 - 1

180 cm
30
184 lbs
12 - 8 - 2

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Melankomas Caria!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Stefanovic!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Albert Achterberg and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stefanovic fails in his attempt to clinch.
Caria thows a left - swing and a miss!
Caria throws a leg kick but Stefanovic checks it.
Caria pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Caria sets himself, and Stefanovic steps forward looking for the clinch! Caria avoids it this time.
Caria throws the left hand but Stefanovic avoids the punch easily.
Caria moves out of range as Stefanovic strikes.
Stefanovic scores with a jab to the body.
Melankomas Caria seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stefanovic's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Stefanovic duly obliges.
Stefanovic darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Stefanovic fails to land with a series of punches.
Stefanovic swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
An inside leg kick from Caria misses.
Stefanovic gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Stefanovic checks the leg kick nicely there.
A slow jab from Stefanovic misses its intended target.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Caria throws a low kick but Stefanovic moves out of range easily.
Caria keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Caria displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Stefanovic throws out the jab.
Caria misses with a body shot.
Caria scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Caria misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caria just misses with a punch to the body.
Stefanovic throws a series of punches but Caria moves out of range.
Stefanovic throws a body punch but Caria moves out of range.
Stefanovic steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Caria.
Stefanovic steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Caria.
Caria throws the left hand but Stefanovic avoids the punch easily.
Stefanovic displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Caria throws out the jab.
Stefanovic connects with a body shot.
A solid leg kick lands there for Caria.
We've been informed that Stefanovic has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Stefanovic throws a hook but Caria avoids it easily.
Caria scores with a hook to the body. Stefanovic takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Stefanovic misses with a low kick.
Stefanovic thows a leg kick but Caria checks it
and Caria cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A jab from Caria finds it's way through Stefanovic's defenses.
Caria misses with a hook. Stefanovic ducked under it nicely.
Caria lands with a right hand.
Nice shot by Stefanovic.
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!
Caria is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Stefanovic.
Caria steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stefanovic.
Stefanovic with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Caria to score with a decent uppercut.
Stefanovic walks into a stiff left hand from Caria.
Stefanovic moves out of range of the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caria blocks a leg kick.
Caria takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Stefanovic fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Caria, pushing him back against the ropes.

Caria breaks the clinch.
Caria throws a jab but it's blocked by Stefanovic.
Stefanovic tries to clinch up.
Stefanovic throws the left hand but Caria avoids the punch easily.
A little feinted left hand from Caria on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Caria throws a lazy right hand but Stefanovic sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Caria showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stefanovic.
Caria misses with a low kick.
Caria swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Stefanovic.
Caria moves away from the strike by Stefanovic.
A slow jab from Stefanovic misses its intended target.
A big left from Stefanovic misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stefanovic fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Caria manages to avoid it.
Caria moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Caria throws the left hand but Stefanovic avoids the punch easily.
Stefanovic on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Stefanovic misses with a few strikes there.
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 Melankomas Caria will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Stefanovic connects with a body shot that sends Caria's belly button to the back.
Caria throws an overhand right that lands on Stefanovic's shoulder, as Stefanovic tries to avoid the shot.
Caria looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Stefanovic wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Stefanovic paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Stefanovic misses with a wild body shot.
Caria throws a body kick that misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Caria misses the target.
Alex Stefanovic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Caria scores with a hook.
Caria looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Caria throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Stefanovic misses with a leg kick.
Stefanovic ducks under a wild hook from Caria.
Caria throws a hook to the side of Stefanovic's head but Stefanovic sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stefanovic. Caria does a little dance to reset his feet.
Stefanovic is looking to clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A nice leg kick lands there from Stefanovic.
Caria takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Caria misses with a straight right.
Stefanovic swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caria scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Stefanovic blocks a jab.
Stefanovic ducks under a wild hook from Caria.
Stefanovic blocks a jab.
Caria throws a leg kick that misses.
Stefanovic throws a body punch but Caria moves out of range.
Stefanovic walks into a jab.
Caria bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Caria misses with a wild combination.
Caria moves out of range as Stefanovic strikes.
Caria throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stefanovic uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Caria.
Good leg kick by Caria there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Stefanovic defending well as Caria loads up on a big left hand.
Caria bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Stefanovic's head backwards.
Caria throws a leg kick but Stefanovic moved away.
Stefanovic tries to counter with a clinch but Caria shakes him off and moves away.
Stefanovic misses the shot to the body.
Stefanovic connects with an inside leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Caria throws an overhand right that lands on Stefanovic's shoulder, as Stefanovic tries to avoid the shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stefanovic scores with a hook to the body. Caria takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Stefanovic avoids a punch combination nicely.
A countering left hand to the body from Stefanovic misses.
Stefanovic thows a left - swing and a miss!
An inside leg kick from Caria misses.
A punch combination from Stefanovic misses.
Stefanovic scores with a leg kick.
Stefanovic works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Caria uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Stefanovic.
Stefanovic thumps Caria with a low kick.
Stefanovic swings for the body but Caria moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Stefanovic.
Caria ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Stefanovic lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Stefanovic throws the left hand but Caria avoids the punch easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Caria misses with an uppercut. Stefanovic saw that one coming.
Caria throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Caria cracks Stefanovic with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Stefanovic moves out of range of the body kick from Caria.
Stefanovic looks to land a left hand but Caria moved out of range nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alex Stefanovic will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Caria throws a half hearted mid kick.
Stefanovic throws a body punch but Caria moves out of range.
Caria just misses with a punch to the body.
Stefanovic throws a good cross that connects.
Caria jabs Stefanovic right on the nose. Stefanovic blinks but takes it well.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Caria stalling in the clinch but Stefanovic improves position.
Stefanovic creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Caria tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Stefanovic's elbow.
Caria is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Stefanovic is keeping busy.
Caria lands with a right to the head.
Stefanovic throws an elbow but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Caria is looking to break free of the clinch but Stefanovic has double underhooks.
Caria doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Stefanovic throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Carias head.
Caria has Stefanovic pressed against the ropes.
A head punch on the inside from Stefanovic fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stefanovic lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Caria is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Stefanovic is keeping busy.
Stefanovic gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Caria misses with a body punch.
Caria blocks an uppercut.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Stefanovic as Caria tries to tie him up.
I was talking to Caria's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Caria blocks an elbow strike from Stefanovic.
Caria goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Stefanovic lands a nice elbow.
Stefanovic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Caria lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Caria manages to break the clinch.
Stefanovic does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Caria scores with a kick to the body.
Caria lands a nice leg kick that just misses Stefanovic's sensitive parts.
A good leg kick by Stefanovic.
Stefanovic keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Stefanovic staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stefanovic tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Caria manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Good exchange - Stefanovic coming out on top.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Caria looks to land a body kick but Stefanovic moved away.
Caria throws a half hearted mid kick.
Stefanovic throws a right and a left that both miss.
An attempted straight right counter from Caria misses the target.
A big right from Caria misses.
Stefanovic displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Caria throws out the jab.
Caria misses the jab.
Caria keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Caria misses with a right hand
and Stefanovic counters with a straight right hand.
Stefanovic is looking to score with low kicks.
Stefanovic just misses with a punch to the body.
Caria is looking to counter punch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Caria.

Stefanovic drives through and clinches with Caria against the ropes.
Caria blocking some punches.
Stefanovic scores with a shoulder strike.
Caria blocks an uppercut.
Stefanovic lands an uppercut.
A hook to the body from Caria.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Stefanovic comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Stefanovic 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Alex Stefanovic!