PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Ryu Takemura (ranked 22917 p4p, 523 weight class) and Zlatan Zirkov (ranked 4355 p4p, 405 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Zlatan Zirkov was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Takemura
vs
Zirkov

170 cm
29
150 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

172 cm
27
160 lbs
2 - 11 - 0

Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ryu Takemura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zlatan Zirkov!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takemura is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Zirkov.
Zirkov lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Takemura avoids the body shot from Zirkov.
Takemura lands with a straight right. Zirkov didn't see that one coming.
Zirkov just misses with a punch to the body.
Takemura swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Zirkov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Takemura throws out the jab.
Zirkov fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Zirkov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Takemura digs a good body shot into Zirkov's ribs.
Takemura throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Zirkov looks for the body kick but Takemura saw that one coming.
Takemura throwing a counter right hand but Zirkov manages to avoid it.
Zirkov wants to clinch but Takemura slips to the side
and Takemura counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
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!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Zirkov, right into the meat.
Nice defenses there by Zirkov.
Zirkov throws a lazy uppercut
and Takemura counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zirkov looks to land a left hand but Takemura moved out of range nicely.
Takemura misses with a wild body shot.
Takemura takes a kick to the side of the head.
Takemura jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Zirkov pivots, looking for a leg kick but Takemura is out of range and Zirkov settles back down.
As Zirkov looks to move away, Takemura throws a big counter combo but Zirkov just gets out of the way.
Takemura swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Takemura connects with a right hand. Zirkov shakes it off.
Zirkov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A looping hook to the body misses from Zirkov. Takemura does a little dance to reset his feet.
Zirkov throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Takemura counter with a right hand.
Zirkov tries a head kick but it misses.
Takemura is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

Takemura closes the distance and scores with a big combo that sends Zirkov crashing to the mat! Zirkov uses the ropes to get back to his feet and beat the count. The referee looks concerned but he's going to allow it to continue!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The fighters circling - Zirkov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A lazy left from Takemura finds it's target.

Zirkov is rocked!
Takemura cracks Zirkov with a perfect right hand that drops him to the mat! Zirkov is sitting up but I can't see if he's OK from my position. The referee's count has reached 5,6,7 and Zirkov is still not up. Can he make it? 8,9,10! He's out! Zirkov could not beat the count!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:05 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punch). Ryu Takemura!
An intense looking Ryu Takemura took to the microphone post fight and gave a little speech: 'I'd kill him if the referee let me..'.