PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Kyoto Costa (ranked 4766 p4p, 4865 weight class) and Israel Adesanya (ranked 503 p4p, 511 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Costa
vs
Adesanya

188 cm
18
200
0 - 1 - 0

194 cm
18
196
0 - 1 - 0

Excellent boxer
Self confident

Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kyoto Costa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Israel Adesanya!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Jonathan Paton and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Costa scores with a punch to the head.
Costa throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Adesanya sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Costa misses with an uppercut. Adesanya saw that one coming.
Adesanya steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Costa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Costa feints a jab promting Adesanya to slip. Costa then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Adesanya slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

It looks like Israel Adesanya has been cut.
Costa throws an off balance right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Nice body punch from Costa.
Costa looks to land a left hand but Adesanya moved out of range nicely.
Adesanya ducks under a wild hook from Costa.
Adesanya only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Kyoto Costa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Costa rushes Adesanya and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Adesanya is looking to break free of the clinch but Costa has double underhooks.
Costa stalling.

Costa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Costa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Adesanya thinks about the counter body kick.
Costa misses with a left hand
and Adesanya makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Costa really felt that one!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Costa connects with a single shot there.
Costa misses with an uppercut. Adesanya saw that one coming.
A left and a right from Costa both land. Nice combination.
Adesanya ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Adesanya shapes to counter with a head kick.

Costa clinches up with Adesanya and pushes him back against the ropes.
Costa scores with a hook to the body.
Costa is working Adesanya over against the ropes.
Adesanya is trying to break the clinch but Costa is controlling him.
A frustrated look appears on Adesanya's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Costa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A lazy left from Costa finds it's target.
Adesanya tries to move into range but Costa moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Costa throws a hook but Adesanya blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa misses with a hook. Adesanya ducked under it nicely.
Adesanya follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Adesanya moves out of range as Costa strikes.
Adesanya throws a big counter head kick but Costa avoids it with no problem.
Costa misses the jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Costa misses the target.
Adesanya slips under a jab.
Adesanya is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Costa.

That has opened up Israel Adesanya's cut even more.
Adesanya defending well as Costa loads up on a big left hand.
Adesanya was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Adesanya staying out of range there.

Costa clinches with his opponent.
Adesanya has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Adesanya is trying to force a seperation but Costa has the dominant position.
Costa stalling in the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Adesanya tries to circle away but Costa has him pinned against the ropes.
A short left from Costa.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kyoto Costa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Israel Adesanya's cut.
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.

Adesanya takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Costa looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Costa has closed the distance and engaged Adesanya in a clinch.
Adesanya can't break the clinch.
Costa keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Adesanya's efforts to push away.
Costa manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Costa working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Adesanya wants to get back to striking at distance but Costa won't allow it.
Costa scores with a hook to the body.
Costa lands a body shot.
Costa avoiding damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Costa digs a right hand underneath Adesanya's ribcage. Adesanya let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Costa avoiding damage.
Costa lands a body punch in the clinch.
Costa stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Costa controlling the action here for a moment.
Adesanya is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Costa.
Adesanya wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Costa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Costa throws a shot to the body.
Costa stuns Adesanya with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Costa throws a jab when Adesanya was well out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Costa misses the target.
Adesanya only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Costa misses the jab.
We've been informed that Adesanya has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Costa throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Adesanya sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Adesanya follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Costa looks to land a right hand but Adesanya moved out of range.

Costa has Adesanya up against the ropes in a clinch.
Costa lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Adesanya or not.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa pushes Adesanya back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Costa lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Adesanya backwards.
Costa lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Costa digs a right hand underneath Adesanya's ribcage. Adesanya let out a lung full of air as it connected.
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!
Costa lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Costa.
Costa taking a breather.
Costa is leaning against Adesanya and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Costa works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Costa stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Costa scores with a shoulder strike.
Costa lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Costa lands with a right to the head.
Costa lands a body punch.
Costa pushes Adesanya back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Costa lands a body shot.
Costa slowing the pace effectively.
Costa lands a body punch in the clinch.
Costa digs a right hand into Adesanya's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Adesanya's gas tank.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kyoto Costa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Israel Adesanya's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Costa has managed to clinch.
Costa keeps control of Adesanya as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Costa lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Adesanya is trying to break the clinch but Costa has him pressed against the ropes.
Costa lands a nice shot to the body.
Costa lands with a light punch inside.
Good body shot from Costa.
Stalling in the clinch from Costa.
Kyoto Costa has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Costa lands a nice shot to the body.
Costa avoiding damage.
Costa lands a left hand that snaps the head of Adesanya backwards.
Costa lands with a short shot to the head.
Adesanya is trying to break the clinch but Costa has him pressed against the ropes.
Adesanya takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Costa digs a right hand into Adesanya's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Adesanya's gas tank.
Costa lands a body punch in the clinch.
Costa lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Costa.
A short body shot lands from Costa as the two fighters clinch.
Costa makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Costa lands a body shot in the clinch.
Costa pushes Adesanya back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
A short body shot lands from Costa as the two fighters clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Costa.
Costa lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Adesanya or not.
Costa lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Costa lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Adesanya.
Costa makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A right hand to the body from Costa.
A left hand lands to the body for Costa.
Costa effectively controlling the action here.
A short uppercut from Costa.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Adesanya being controlled against the ropes.
Costa stalling against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Costa - that landed with a thud.
Adesanya can't break the clinch.
A hook to the body from Costa.
Costa digs a right hand into Adesanya's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Adesanya's gas tank.
Costa digs a right hand underneath Adesanya's ribcage. Adesanya let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Good body shot from Costa.
Costa presses Adesanya against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Good body shot from Costa.
Costa slowing the pace effectively.
Israel Adesanya has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A right hand to the body from Costa.

Costa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Costa throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Adesanya sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Costa closes the distance and clinches.

Costa breaks from the clinch.
Adesanya moves out of range as Costa strikes.

Costa fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Adesanya, pushing him back against the ropes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kyoto Costa showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Costa has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:24
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:24
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kyoto Costa!