PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Li Xiaodong (ranked 289 p4p, 1676 weight class) and Richmond Belvedere (ranked 19 p4p, 183 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.

Xiaodong
vs
Belvedere

165 cm
24
135
11 - 3 - 0

168 cm
23
142
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Conquer
Conviction

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Li Xiaodong!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Richmond Belvedere!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Jorge Garcia and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xiaodong jabs Belvedere right on the nose. Belvedere blinks but takes it well.
Belvedere bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Belvedere missing with a left hand there. Xiaodong was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Xiaodong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Belvedere.
Xiaodong moves out of range as Belvedere strikes.
Xiaodong is looking for a counter combo.
Belvedere thows a left - swing and a miss!
Belvedere ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Xiaodong misses the shot to the body.
Belvedere throws out a counter right but Xiaodong avoids it with no problem.
Belvedere throws a lazy uppercut
and Xiaodong makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Belvedere has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Belvedere scores with a jab. Xiaodong acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
A slow jab from Xiaodong misses its intended target.
Belvedere gets cracked there but stands up to it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Xiaodong swings for the body but Belvedere moves out of range.
Belvedere throws out a counter right but Xiaodong avoids it with no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xiaodong throws a looping overhand right but Belvedere ducks down to avoid it.
Xiaodong takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Belvedere misses with a straight left.
Nice shot by Belvedere.
Belvedere scores with a nice strike.
Belvedere staying out of range there.
Belvedere looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Belvedere throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Xiaodong keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Belvedere listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Belvedere defending well as Xiaodong loads up on a big left hand.
Belvedere fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Xiaodong looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
A jab from Belvedere does it's job there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Belvedere misses its intended target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A shot to the liver by Belvedere. Beautiful body shot.
Belvedere throws a right hand that misses
enabling Xiaodong to counter with a crisp jab.
Belvedere lands a nice shot to the body.
Belvedere ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Belvedere lands with a nice body punch.
Nice shot by Belvedere.
Richmond Belvedere seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Belvedere throws a jab when Xiaodong was well out of range.
Belvedere misses with a body shot
enabling Xiaodong to counter with a crisp jab.

Belvedere is rocked!
Belvedere lands a nice looking body shot.
Xiaodong steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Belvedere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belvedere scores with a body shot.
Xiaodong takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Xiaodong uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Belvedere has time to react.
Belvedere is still on wobbly legs! Can Xiaodong finish him?
Nice straight punches there by Belvedere. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Belvedere.
Belvedere tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Xiaodong was well out of range. Poor timing from Belvedere.
A little feinted left hand from Xiaodong on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Belvedere seems to have recovered his senses.
A punch lands to the side of Xiaodong 's head but he takes it in his stride.
A telegraphed right hand from Belvedere misses the target.
A telegraphed right hand from Belvedere misses the target.
Belvedere misses with a left hand
letting Xiaodong counter with a right hand.
Belvedere scores with a body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Belvedere scores with a body shot.
Xiaodong is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Belvedere throws a left and a right that both miss
and Xiaodong counters with a nice body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belvedere with a hook.
A jab lands there for Belvedere.
Belvedere misses with a few strikes there.
Xiaodong ducks right into an uppercut from Belvedere.
Belvedere lands a slapping body shot.
Belvedere scores with a jab.
Xiaodong dodges the punch combination from Belvedere.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belvedere throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Xiaodong to counter with a crisp jab.
Xiaodong avoids the body shot from Belvedere.
Xiaodong throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Belvedere sees it coming and avoids it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Richmond Belvedere dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Xiaodong fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Xiaodong looks to land a combination but Belvedere avoids it well.
Belvedere with a nice cross.
Belvedere blocks a jab.
Xiaodong just misses with a punch to the body.
Belvedere bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Xiaodong cracks Belvedere with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Xiaodong walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Belvedere just misses with a punch to the body.
Xiaodong dodges the punch combination from Belvedere.
Belvedere has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Xiaodong looks to land a right hand but Belvedere moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Xiaodong finds it's way through Belvedere's defenses.
Belvedere misses the shot to the body.
A slow jab from Belvedere misses its intended target.

Xiaodong lands a big uppercut and Belvedere crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Belvedere looks OK. Xiaodong waves Belvedere back to his feet!
Xiaodong misses with an uppercut.
Belvedere throws the left hand but Xiaodong avoids the punch easily.
Belvedere misses with a right hand
and Xiaodong counters with a crisp right that sends Belvedere to the canvas! Xiaodong follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Li Xiaodong!
Li Xiaodong retains his bantamweight title!