PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Dinapoli (ranked 292 p4p, 890 weight class) and Leonzar Kennedy (ranked 51 p4p, 136 weight class). Joe Dinapoli has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dinapoli
vs
Kennedy

195 cm
21
207
8 - 0 - 0

188 cm
21
215
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

HELLBENT
Core Combat

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Joe Dinapoli!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leonzar Kennedy!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kennedy throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Dinapoli staying out of range there.
Kennedy swings for the body but Dinapoli moves out of range.
Kennedy misses with a hook
and Dinapoli counters with a one-two to the body.
Kennedy feints a jab promting Dinapoli to slip. Kennedy then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Dinapoli slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

It looks like Joe Dinapoli has been cut.
Dinapoli closes the distance but Kennedy moves to the side
and Kennedy counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Dinapoli dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kennedy throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Dinapoli swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Kennedy.

It looks like Leonzar Kennedy has been cut.
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!
Dinapoli connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kennedy's hands.
Dinapoli moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Kennedy is rocked!
Dinapoli connects with a body shot.
Kennedy is still on wobbly legs! Can Dinapoli finish him?
Some wild striking there from Dinapoli.
Kennedy seems to have recovered his senses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kennedy loads up on a big right hand but Dinapoli slips the punch.
Kennedy misses the shot to the body.
Dinapoli jabs Kennedy to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A shot to the body from Dinapoli misses
enabling Kennedy to counter with a crisp jab.
Kennedy throws a right and a left that Dinapoli avoids nicely.
Dinapoli scores with a leg kick.
Dinapoli buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Kennedy moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Dinapoli misses with a leg kick
and Kennedy connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Dinapoli uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Kennedy has time to react.
A low kick from Dinapoli misses
and Kennedy counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dinapoli swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Kennedy counters with a straight right hand.
Kennedy walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Kennedy staying out of range there.
Dinapoli moves away from the strike by Kennedy.
Kennedy on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Dinapoli moves into range and clinches up with Kennedy.
Dinapoli misses with a punch on the inside.
Dinapoli prevents Kennedy from breaking the clinch.
Dinapoli misses with some punches.
Kennedy misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Dinapoli.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kennedy.
Kennedy looking to stall.
Kennedy taking a breather.
Dinapoli goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Dinapoli tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A body shot lands from Kennedy.
Dinapoli pushes Kennedy back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Kennedy takes a shot to the head.
Dinapoli lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A left hand lands to the body for Dinapoli.
A short right from Dinapoli on the inside.
Dinapoli throws a head punch that misses.
Dinapoli lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kennedy blocks an uppercut.
A hook to the body from Dinapoli.
Dinapoli lands a shot to the body.
Kennedy looks winded!
Dinapoli lands an uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Dinapoli.
Dinapoli tries to throw a body punch but Kennedy avoids it by throwing Dinapoli back against the cage.

Kennedy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Dinapoli clinches with his opponent.
Kennedy fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Dinapoli scores with a shoulder strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dinapoli working aggressively here.
Kennedy is trying to break the clinch but Dinapoli is controlling him.
Kennedy unloads a knee to the mid-section. Dinapoli lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Kennedy with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Dinapoli scores with a nice hook to the head.
Dinapoli blocking some punches.
Kennedy tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dinapoli's elbow.
Kennedy misses with a knee to the head.
Dinapoli blocks an uppercut.
Kennedy misses with a hook to the ribs.
Dinapoli scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Dinapoli gets through Kennedy's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Dinapoli lands a body punch in the clinch.
Dinapoli lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Kennedy.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kennedy tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dinapoli throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kennedys head.
Kennedy lands a left hand that snaps the head of Dinapoli backwards.
Dinapoli blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Dinapoli cracks Kennedy with a nice body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Dinapoli dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A slapping leg kick lands for Dinapoli.
A slow jab from Kennedy misses its intended target.
Dinapoli lands a jab to Kennedy's midsection.
A shot to the body from Dinapoli misses
and Kennedy cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Good standup being displayed there by Dinapoli as he connects with a hook.
Kennedy scores with a nice strike.
Kennedy jabs Dinapoli right on the nose. Dinapoli blinks but takes it well.
Dinapoli lands a jab to the head.
Kennedy has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Dinapoli misses with a leg kick
and Kennedy counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Dinapoli is rocked!

Dinapoli forces Kennedy back against the cage and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kennedy lands a left hand that snaps the head of Dinapoli backwards.
Dinapoli throws a head punch that misses.
Dinapoli keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kennedy's efforts to push away.
Kennedy prevents a body shot from Dinapoli.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dinapoli scores with a shot to the side of Kennedy's head.
Kennedy misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kennedy trying to land knees to the body.
A short body shot lands from Dinapoli as the two fighters clinch.
Dinapoli fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kennedy scores with a hook to the body.
Dinapoli on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Dinapoli misses with a punch on the inside.
Kennedy wants to break the clinch but can't.
Good body shot from Dinapoli.
Dinapoli blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dinapoli working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Joe Dinapoli has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Dinapoli blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Kennedy tries to work over Dinapoli's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dinapoli digs a right hand underneath Kennedy's ribcage. Kennedy let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Kennedy misses with a knee to the head.
Dinapoli lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Kennedy.
Kennedy crunches a lovely knee into Dinapoli's ribcage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dinapoli misses with a punch on the inside.
A shot in the inside from Kennedy.
Kennedy putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Dinapoli in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Kennedy displaying some good clinch control by pressing Dinapoli up against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kennedy.
Kennedy pushes Dinapoli back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Dinapoli makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Dinapoli swings wildly with an uppercut but Kennedy uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dinapoli's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kennedy blocks an uppercut.
Dinapoli tries to throw a body punch but Kennedy avoids it by throwing Dinapoli back against the cage.
Kennedy misses with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dinapoli misses with a body punch.
Dinapoli lands with a left to the head.
Dinapoli misses with some punches.
A right hook to the body lands for Dinapoli.
Kennedy has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kennedy trying to land knees to the body.
Kennedy missing with knees to the body.
Dinapoli managing to block the knees to the body from Kennedy.

Kennedy breaks from the clinch.
Kennedy 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.
Dinapoli fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kennedy takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Dinapoli scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kennedy doesn't seem bothered though.
Kennedy throws a sloppy body shot
and Kennedy takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
It looks like Dinapoli has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Dinapoli throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Kennedy stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Kennedy needs to keep his hands up - Dinapoli had a free shot at his head there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy misses with a straight right.
Dinapoli takes a swing at Kennedy's ribcage but misses.
A countering left hand to the body from Kennedy misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kennedy keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dinapoli keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kennedy.
A slapping leg kick lands for Dinapoli.
Dinapoli digs a good hook to Kennedy's body.
Dinapoli with a jab.
Dinapoli punishes Kennedy's body with a nice straight punch.
Dinapoli cracks a nice hook into Kennedy's ribs.
Dinapoli scores with a nice strike.
Kennedy misses with a lunging right hand
and Dinapoli counters with a huge left! Kennedy is in big trouble! He's backing up but Dinapoli isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Kennedy from any more damage. A dominating finish by Dinapoli!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Joe Dinapoli!
Joe Dinapoli retains his light heavyweight title!
After winning the bout, Joe Dinapoli thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.