PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Vasily Grossman (ranked 1152 p4p, 823 weight class) and Hokuto Akira (ranked 155 p4p, 107 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Grossman
vs
Akira

169 cm
29
158
16 - 4 - 0

176 cm
31
158
13 - 5 - 1

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Hardcore Alchemy

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 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vasily Grossman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Hokuto Akira!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Edson Gomes and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grossman throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Akira sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Grossman has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Grossman there as he acknowledges the shot.
Akira is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Grossman.
Grossman throwing a counter right hand but Akira manages to avoid it.
A jab from Akira misses.
Akira is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Grossman getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Akira cracks Grossman with a right hand to the side of the head.
Grossman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grossman uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Akira.
Akira looks to throw the jab but Grossman is out of range.
Grossman looks to score with a jab to the body but Akira is just out of range.

Akira moves into range and clinches up with Grossman.
Akira lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grossman doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Grossman.
Grossman works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Akira lands an uppercut.
A left hand lands to the body for Akira.
Akira is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Grossman is keeping busy.
Akira working aggressively here.
Grossman throws a punch but it's blocked by Akira.
Grossman blocks an uppercut.
Akira tries a body shot but Grossman blocks it.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Akira lands a left hand that snaps the head of Grossman backwards.
Akira blocks an uppercut.
Grossman prevents a body shot from Akira.
Akira misses with a hook from the clinch.
Grossman misses with a punch on the inside.
Akira lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Grossman makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Grossman misses with some punches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Grossman.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Grossman tries a body shot but Akira blocks it.
Akira misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grossman tries a body shot but Akira blocks it.
Akira has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Grossman seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Akira can turn it around.
Grossman pushes Akira back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Grossman blocking some punches.
Grossman throws a punch but it's blocked by Akira.
Akira struggles to land a body shot inside as Grossman controls his hands.
Akira lands a shoulder strike.
Akira working aggressively here.
Akira gets through Grossman's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Grossman throws a head punch that misses.
Grossman swings wildly with an uppercut but Akira uses good head movement to avoid it.
Akira leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Akira blocks a body shot from Grossman.
Akira doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch on the inside from Grossman fails to land.
I was talking to Grossman's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A head punch on the inside from Grossman fails to land.
Grossman misses with a hook from the clinch.
Grossman swings wildly with an uppercut but Akira uses good head movement to avoid it.
Akira swings away with an uppercut that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hokuto Akira dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Akira throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Akira closes the distance and clinches.
Grossman blocks an uppercut.
Grossman tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Akira breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Grossman jabs at Akira's body.
Akira scores with a nice right hand.
Akira misses with a wild combination.
Nice uppercut lands for Akira. That snapped Grossman's head back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akira misses the shot to the body.
Akira throws a nice looking combination but Grossman bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Akira misses with a hook
and Grossman cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Akira digs a good body shot into Grossman's ribs.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The fighters circling - Akira throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A little feinted left hand from Grossman on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akira steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Grossman.
Akira throws a jab but it's blocked by Grossman.
Grossman throws a looping overhand right but Akira ducks down to avoid it.
Akira misses with a lunging right hand
and Grossman counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Akira takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Grossman staying out of range there.
Akira misses with the combination.
Akira throws a jab when Grossman was well out of range.
Akira thuds his right hand into Grossman's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Akira ducks under a wild hook from Grossman.
Akira throws a jab when Grossman was well out of range.
Good standup being displayed there by Akira as he connects with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Grossman misses its intended target.
Akira closes the distance and lands a one-two.
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!
Grossman uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Akira.
It looked like Grossman wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Grossman gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Akira.
Akira throws a lazy uppercut
and Grossman counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Grossman walks into a stiff left hand from Akira.
Grossman catches Akira with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Grossman takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Grossman throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Grossman throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Grossman throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Akira.
Akira looks to throw the jab but Grossman is out of range.
Grossman swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Akira has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Akira tries to clinch
and Grossman cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Akira fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Grossman, pushing him back against the ropes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hokuto Akira showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Akira doesn't manage to clinch there - Grossman circles away.
Grossman is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Akira.
Vasily Grossman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hokuto Akira seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Akira instigates a clinch.
Grossman pushes Akira back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Akira swings wildly with an uppercut but Grossman uses good head movement to avoid it.
Akira swings wildly with an uppercut but Grossman uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Grossman.
A nice left hand lands by Grossman.
Akira misses with a hook from the clinch.
Akira lands with a light punch inside.
Akira trying to stall but Grossman improves his position.
A short left from Akira.
Akira lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Grossman backwards.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Grossman as Akira tries to tie him up.
Grossman throws a head punch that misses.
Akira is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Grossman is keeping busy.
Grossman throws a punch but it's blocked by Akira.
Akira working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Grossman.
Akira blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Akira lands a nice uppercut.
Grossman lands a body punch.
Akira lands a body shot in the clinch.
Grossman fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Akira breaks the clinch.

Akira instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Grossman fails to land.
Akira lands a left hand.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Akira.
Grossman prevents a body shot from Akira.
Grossman working aggressively here.
Akira doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Grossman makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Akira taking a breather.
Grossman lands a left hand that snaps the head of Akira backwards.
Grossman lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Grossman is leaning against Akira and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Akira blocking some punches.
Akira blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grossman scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Grossman throws a punch but it's blocked by Akira.
Akira tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Akira.
Akira's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Akira softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Akira is trying to stall.
Grossman swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Grossman.
Akira scores with a shot to the side of Grossman's head.
Grossman swings wildly with an uppercut but Akira uses good head movement to avoid it.
Grossman working aggressively here.
Grossman lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Akira or not.
A right hook to the body lands for Grossman.
Grossman gets through Akira's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Akira's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A head punch on the inside from Grossman fails to land.
Grossman tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Akira presses Grossman against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vasily Grossman showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Akira 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight for Hokuto Akira!
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight for Hokuto Akira!
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight for Hokuto Akira!

Hokuto Akira wins by unanimous decision!
An out of breath Hokuto Akira thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.