PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hans Machiels (ranked 2254 p4p, 2910 weight class) and Menes Kai (ranked 262 p4p, 316 weight class). Machiels comes to the cage accompanied by Rampage Anthem. Kai has chosen The Astronaut - Jin as his entrance music. Menes Kai is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Machiels
vs
Kai

172 cm
24
157
3 - 3 - 0

175 cm
25
162
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
World class MT
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hans Machiels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Menes Kai!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, William Peck and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Machiels wants to clinch up but Kai keeps it at a distance.

Machiels has Kai up against the cage in a clinch.
Machiels misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kai.

Kai breaks from the clinch.
Kai misses with a body shot.

Machiels gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Machiels pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Kai takes a knee to the side of the body.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Machiels just misses with a elbow thrown towards Kai's brow.
Machiels with a knee to the head.
Machiels lands an elbow just above Kai 's eye.
Kai takes a knee to the side of the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Machiels.
Machiels looking to throw knees to the head but Kai is blocking nicely.
Machiels blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kai on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Machiels lands an elbow that stopped Kai in his tracks for a moment.
Machiels lands a knee to the body.
Machiels tries a knee to the head but Kai blocks it.
Kai managing to block the knees to the body from Machiels.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Machiels putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kai in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Kai lands a right hand that snaps the head of Machiels backwards.
Kai avoiding damage as Machiels throws knees to the body.

Kai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Machiels drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Machiels clinches up against the cage.
Machiels keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kai's efforts to push away.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Machiels using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kai has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kai struggles to land a body shot inside as Machiels controls his hands.
Kai wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Machiels has him pressed against the cage.
Kai on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Machiels lands an elbow inside that Kai shrugs off.

It looks like Menes Kai has been cut.

Kai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Machiels avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Kai lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Kai throws a sloppy head kick and Machiels moves out of range easily.

Machiels closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!

Kai escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Machiels tries to clinch but Kai moves out of range.
Menes Kai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kai thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kai's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Kai duly obliges.
Machiels wants to clinch up but Kai keeps it at a distance.
Machiels gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Kai.
Kai waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Machiels.
Machiels tries to counter by clinching up but Kai breaks away and moves out of range.
Machiels avoids the head kick by Kai.
Machiels on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Machiels doesn't manage to clinch there - Kai circles away.
Kai throws a series of punches but Machiels avoids them all with ease.

Machiels moves into the clinch successfully.

Kai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kai staying out of range there.
Machiels steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kai.
Kai misses with a looping right.
Machiels is looking to counter the offense by Kai and move into the clinch.
Machiels fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kai fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Machiels manages to avoid it.
A big left from Kai misses.
Machiels half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Machiels throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kai looks to score with a jab to the body but Machiels is just out of range.
Machiels is looking to clinch but Kai is avoiding it.

Machiels forces Kai back against the cage and clinches.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kai obliges.
I was talking to Machiels's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Kai throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Kai managing to block the knees to the body from Machiels.
Machiels throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kai makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Kai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice uppercut there from Kai.

Machiels gets a clinch.
Kai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Machiels creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Machiels tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kai avoids the elbow strike from Machiels, against the cage.
Machiels keeps control of Kai as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Kai breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kai throws a head kick but Machiels moves out of range.
Kai stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Machiels throws a solid leg kick but Kai takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Machiels.
Machiels throws a chopping leg kick but Kai manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Machiels moves into the clinch.
Machiels with a knee to the head.
Machiels lands an elbow that stopped Kai in his tracks for a moment.

Kai breaks from the clinch.
Machiels tries to clinch but Kai is having none of it.
Machiels waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kai.
Kai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kai swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Machiels swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kai tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Machiels clinches with his opponent.
Kai is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Kai wants to break the clinch but can't.
Machiels displaying some good clinch control by pressing Kai up against the cage.
Kai dodges an elbow strike from Machiels.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Hans Machiels will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Menes Kai's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Machiels throws a leg kick that misses.
Machiels slips a straight right by Kai.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch but Kai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Machiels tries to clinch but Kai is having none of it.
Kai swats away the attempt to clinch by Machiels.
A telegraphed right hand from Kai misses the target.
Kai attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Kai with a jab.
Machiels tries to clinch there but Kai circles away.
Machiels fails in his attempt to clinch.
Machiels wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kai throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A punch combination from Kai misses.
A head kick from Kai lands but Machiels takes it in his stride.
Kai circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Machiels wants to clinch.
Kai looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kai misses with a straight left.
Machiels seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Kai throws a hook to the side of Machiels's head but Machiels sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch but Kai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kai misses the shot to the body.
Machiels wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Kai keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch but Kai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kai lands with an uppercut that bounces Machiels off the cage and back into range.
Kai scores with a jab to the body.
Machiels avoids a punch combination nicely.
Machiels drops down looking for a counter takedown but Kai sprawls and moves away.
Machiels takes one on the button.
Machiels on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Kai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kai keeps the fight on the outside.
It seemed like Kai was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Machiels fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kai throws a fast counter high kick but Machiels manages to duck under it in time.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch but Kai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kai with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Machiels moves away.
Kai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
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!

Machiels has managed to clinch.
Hans Machiels has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Kai dodges an elbow strike from Machiels.
Machiels lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Machiels as Kai tries to tie him up.
Kai lands a nice elbow.
Machiels lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Machiels landing knees to the head.

Kai manages to break the clinch.
Machiels tries to clinch there but Kai circles away.
Machiels is looking to clinch but Kai is avoiding it.
Kai tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Machiels closes the distance and clinches.
Machiels tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kai avoids it.
Kai blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Machiels pushes off an throws an elbow but Kai leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kai's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kai swinging wildly here.
Machiels is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Kai tries to keep at a distance but Machiels has taken the fight into the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kai.
Machiels tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kai avoids it.
Machiels missing with knees to the body.
Machiels's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Machiels lands an elbow inside.
A knee to the head by Machiels.
Kai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Machiels.
Machiels throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kai blocks it with crossed arms.
Machiels is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kai managing to block the knees to the body from Machiels.

Kai manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kai throws a right and a left that Machiels avoids nicely.
Machiels seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Kai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Machiels moves away.
Kai connects with a crisp jab.
Machiels wants to clinch up but Kai keeps it at a distance.
Kai dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kai plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Machiels tries to clinch but Kai moves out of range.
Menes Kai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A head kick misses from Kai.
Kai looks to score with a jab to the body but Machiels is just out of range.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kai paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Machiels clinches.
Machiels throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kai working aggressively here.
Kai is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Machiels missing with knees to the body.
Machiels crunches a lovely knee into Kai's ribcage.
Kai is breathing heavily.
Kai avoiding damage as Machiels throws knees to the body.
Kai avoiding damage as Machiels throws knees to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Menes Kai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Menes Kai's cut.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Machiels ducks under a wild hook from Kai.
Machiels avoids the head kick by Kai.
Machiels is looking to clinch but Kai is avoiding it.
Kai avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Machiels doesn't manage to clinch there - Kai circles away.
Kai works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Machiels wants to clinch.
Kai misses with a looping right.
Machiels is looking to clinch but Kai is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Machiels looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Machiels tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kai manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kai misses with a hook. Machiels ducked under it nicely.
Kai lands with an uppercut that bounces Machiels off the cage and back into range.
Kai circles away from the clinch attempt.
Machiels tries to clinch up but Kai circles away and keeps his distance.
Kai comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Kai.
Machiels tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kai tries a head kick but it misses.
Machiels doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Kai lands a nice shot that snaps Machiels's head back.
Kai swats away the attempt to clinch by Machiels.
Machiels doesn't manage to clinch there - Kai circles away.
Machiels tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kai manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Machiels tries to clinch up but Kai circles away and keeps his distance.
Kai scores with a jab to the head.
Kai ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Machiels moves away.
Kai swings for the body but Machiels moves out of range.
Kai misses the shot to the body.
Kai misses with an uppercut

and Machiels counters by clinching up.

Kai manages to break the clinch.
Machiels wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Machiels.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kai paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kai swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Machiels is looking to clinch but Kai is avoiding it.
Kai lands a jab to the head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Machiels looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Machiels wants to clinch up but Kai keeps it at a distance.
Machiels takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Kai moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Machiels looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kai looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Machiels takes one to the chin there.
Kai throws a body punch but Machiels moves out of range.
Machiels wants to clinch up but Kai keeps it at a distance.
Kai swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Kai.
Kai tries a head kick but it misses.
Kai plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Machiels tries to clinch up but Kai circles away and keeps his distance.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kai swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Machiels moves in looking to clinch but Kai pushes him off.
A little jabbing left from Kai on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Machiels is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Machiels tries to close the distance and clinch but Kai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Machiels wants to clinch.

Kai gets tackled into the cage by Machiels. Machiels maintains the clinch.
Machiels misses with an elbow strike.
Kai tries to stall but Machiels uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Machiels tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Machiels is looking to control Kai's arms but Kai gets an underhook and turns him. Now Machiels has his back to the cage.
Kai managing to block the knees to the body from Machiels.
Kai looking to slow down the pace here.
Machiels with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Machiels with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Kai avoiding damage as Machiels throws knees to the body.

Kai breaks from the clinch.
The fighters circling - Kai throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Kai lands a head shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kai tests Machiels's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Machiels takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Machiels uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kai.
Machiels walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Kai works the jab nicely.
Hans Machiels has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Menes Kai is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kai looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Menes Kai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kai 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight for Menes Kai!
Judge William Peck scores the fight for Menes Kai!
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight for Menes Kai!

Menes Kai wins by unanimous decision!
Menes Kai decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.