PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Pharoah The First Chai (ranked 23695 p4p, 3216 weight class) and Gordon Masten (ranked 392 p4p, 253 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Chai
vs
Masten

179 cm
24
159
5 - 3 - 0

171 cm
31
144
11 - 1 - 0

World class MT
Cardio machine

Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Sakura Style

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Pharoah The First Chai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gordon Masten!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Masten fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Chai has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Masten moves into the clinch.
Masten misses with a punch on the inside.
Masten lands a body shot.
A nice right hand lands inside from Chai.
Masten tries to throw a body punch but Chai avoids it by throwing Masten back against the ropes.
Chai lands a good knee to the midsection. Masten won't want to take too many of those.
Masten blocks an uppercut.
Masten lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Chai or not.
Masten lands with a right to the head.
Chai lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Masten avoiding damage as Chai throws knees to the body.
Masten misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Chai.
Chai lands with a short shot to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Chai takes a knee to the side of the body.
Chai tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Masten avoids it.
Masten lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Chai scores with a nice hook to the head.
Our sources have told us that Chai has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Masten misses with the head strike.
Masten looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Chai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Chai chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Masten can pounce on him.
Masten lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masten throws a quick inside leg kick.
Chai stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Masten.
Masten swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Chai misses the jab.
Masten pushes Chai away with a front kick.
Chai checks a low kick from Masten.
Chai with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Chai 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.
Chai lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Chai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Masten fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Chai has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Masten throws a nice outside leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Masten.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masten throws a nice inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Chai throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Masten throws a leg kick but Chai checks it.
Chai tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Masten manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Chai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Masten was well out of range. Poor timing from Chai.
Masten thumps Chai with a low kick.
Masten turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Chai.
Chai takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Chai lands a lovely overhand right.
Masten throws a nice outside leg kick.
Chai lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gordon Masten dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Masten misses with a leg kick.
Chai is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
A low kick from Masten is predictable there
and Chai counters with a nice leg kick.
Masten misses with a leg kick
and Chai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Masten throws a leg kick that misses.
It looked like Chai wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Masten connects with a leg kick.
Chai connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Masten's hands.
Gordon Masten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chai throws a jab when Masten was well out of range.
Masten is looking to clinch.
Gordon Masten seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Chai throws a push kick but Masten slaps the foot to one side.
Masten appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Chai checks a leg kick.
Chai stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Masten.
An inside leg kick lands from Masten.
A chopping leg kick lands by Masten.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chai loads up on a big right hand but Masten slips the punch.
Chai chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Masten can pounce on him.
Masten thumps Chai with a low kick.
Masten is looking to slow Chai down with leg kicks.
A bone on bone clash there as Chai blocks the leg kick.
Masten throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Chai counters with an outside leg kick.
Chai lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Chai misses with a double jab.
Masten tries to clinch but Chai moves out of range.
Masten thuds his shin into the meat of Chai's side.
Masten fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A low kick lands for Masten.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chai throws a nice outside leg kick.
Chai is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Chai scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A bone on bone clash there as Chai blocks the leg kick.
Masten goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A little feinted left hand from Chai on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Chai lands with a slapping head kick.
Masten throws a quick inside leg kick.
Masten misses with a leg kick.
Chai bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Masten's head backwards.
Masten with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Chai misses with a straight right.
Masten lands a nice leg kick that just misses Chai's sensitive parts.
Chai misses with a head kick.
Chai misses with an uppercut. Masten saw that one coming.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Pharoah The First Chai will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Chai throws a nice head kick!
Masten connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Masten buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Chai throws a head kick that misses.
Masten scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Chai moves out of range of the body kick.
Masten connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Chai is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Masten throws a quick inside leg kick.
Chai stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Masten.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chai takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Chai's legs have taken a beating and he's really slowing down as a result.
Masten keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Masten tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Chai is able to avoid easily.
Masten misses with a low kick as Chai jumps back.
It looked like Chai wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masten shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Masten chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Chai ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Masten dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Chai. That did some damage!
A good leg kick by Chai.
Chai lands with a hook. Masten tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Masten connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Masten tries to move into range but Chai moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A nice leg kick lands there from Masten.
That kick from Masten tenderised Chai's leg. Chai is trying to keep his angry face on.
Chai waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Masten.
Chai tries to bum rush Masten with a series of wild strikes but Masten uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Masten looks for the body kick but Chai saw that one coming.
Masten attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Chai takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Chai digs a good body shot into Masten's ribs.
Chai throws a one two combo.
Masten fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Chai is out of range.
Masten moves away from the strike by Chai.
Masten tries to clinch there but Chai circles away.
Good leg kick by Masten.
A lazy body kick from Masten
and Chai counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Masten lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Good work by Chai as he checks the leg kick.
It looked like Chai wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Gordon Masten.
I think Masten 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Gordon Masten!
After the fight, Gordon Masten was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.