PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Kron McGregor (ranked 3549 p4p, 5456 weight class) and Stony Marciano (ranked 435 p4p, 479 weight class). Marciano has chosen IQ 98 as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

McGregor
vs
Marciano

179 cm
23
153
4 - 4 - 2

179 cm
23
167
6 - 7 - 1

Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 4 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kron McGregor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 1, fighting out of New York, Stony Marciano!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McGregor throws a head kick that misses.
Marciano throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
McGregor throws a series of strikes that have Marciano backpedaling.
Marciano misses with a leg kick
and McGregor counters with a nice leg kick.
Marciano with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A solid leg kick lands there for McGregor.

McGregor pushes Marciano up against the ropes in a clinch.
Marciano wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marciano tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

McGregor manages to break the clinch.
Marciano moves out of range as McGregor throws a body kick.
McGregor blocks a head kick by Marciano.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano dips to his left and cracks McGregor with an uppercut!
Marciano misses with a series of wild punches.
McGregor throws a shot to the body.
Marciano's coach down at 4 was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Marciano's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Marciano throws a big shot that misses.
A jab from Marciano misses.
A right-left combo lands from McGregor.
McGregor with a nice calf kick.
McGregor rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Marciano moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Donk. Marciano catches McGregor right on the button with a cross.
McGregor looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McGregor throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Marciano takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Marciano bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Marciano misses with a straight left.
Marciano scores with a kick to the body.
McGregor lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Marciano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
McGregor will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Marciano is looking to clinch.
Marciano lands with an overhand left.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kron McGregor dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Marciano moves out of range of the body kick.
McGregor jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Kron McGregor is winning the standup battle so far.
McGregor shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
McGregor looks to land a right hand but Marciano moved out of range.

McGregor clinches up against the ropes.
McGregor has Marciano pressed against the ropes, preventing Marciano from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Marciano wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A short uppercut from McGregor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McGregor keeps control of Marciano as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

McGregor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Marciano looking to land some kicks to the body here.
McGregor takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano throws out a powerful jab.
McGregor with the inside leg kick.
McGregor smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
McGregor throws a body kick that misses
enabling Marciano to counter with a crisp jab.
McGregor is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Marciano can do to turn this around?
Marciano lands with a hook. McGregor tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
McGregor throws a low kick but Marciano moves out of range easily.
A combination from McGregor does no damage.
McGregor misses with a head kick.
McGregor takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Marciano misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Marciano misses with a wild body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Marciano misses the target.
This has been an exciting period of action!
McGregor fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Marciano raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
McGregor connects with a single shot there.
Marciano has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Marciano there as he acknowledges the shot.
Marciano swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Marciano takes one on the chin but seems OK.
McGregor slips under a jab from Marciano.
Marciano with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Marciano tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
McGregor appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
McGregor misses with a low kick.
Marciano staying out of range there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kron McGregor dominated that second round.
That's time! McGregor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Marciano dodges the punch combination from McGregor.
Marciano uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by McGregor.
McGregor throws a head kick that half lands.
McGregor lands a really nice looking cross but Marciano seems unphased.
McGregor looks to land a right hand but Marciano moved out of range.
Marciano throws a lazy right hand but McGregor sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
McGregor went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
McGregor thumps Marciano with a low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marciano throws a body punch but McGregor moves out of range.
Kron McGregor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

McGregor gets a clinch.
Marciano tries to circle away but McGregor has him pinned against the ropes.
McGregor keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Marciano's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano is trying to break the clinch but McGregor is controlling him.

Marciano breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
McGregor lands a nice hook to Marciano's body. Marciano takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
McGregor scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
McGregor swats away the attempt to clinch by Marciano.
As Marciano looks to move away, McGregor throws a big counter combo but Marciano just gets out of the way.
Marciano ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Marciano misses with a hook. McGregor ducked under it nicely.
A nice inside leg kick there by McGregor. That's going to slow Marciano down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGregor lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
McGregor scores with a hook to the body. Marciano takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
McGregor misses with a two punch combination.
Marciano lands a glancing blow to the side of McGregor's head.
McGregor keeps the fight on the outside.
It looked like McGregor was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
McGregor on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Marciano. Marciano obviously looking to wear him down.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marciano lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Marciano misses with a wild combination.
McGregor looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Marciano fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. McGregor looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kron McGregor clearly takes that round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Marciano throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Marciano misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McGregor.
Marciano throws a low kick but McGregor avoids it.
McGregor misses the shot to the body.
Marciano throws out a counter right but McGregor avoids it with no problem.
McGregor misses with a two punch combination.
Marciano throws a low kick but McGregor moves out of range easily.
A punch combination from Marciano misses.
McGregor misses with a leg kick
and Marciano counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marciano checks a leg kick nicely.
McGregor lands a really nice looking cross but Marciano seems unphased.
Marciano fakes a jab and throws a low kick but McGregor checks it well.
Marciano looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by McGregor misses
and Marciano counters with a lovely straight right hand!
McGregor works over Marciano's head and body with a nice combination.
Marciano misses with a wild body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Marciano. McGregor does a little dance to reset his feet.
McGregor seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
McGregor misses with a series of wild punches.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

McGregor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marciano throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Marciano throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
McGregor wants to clinch up but Marciano keeps it at a distance.
McGregor avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
A big left from Marciano misses.
McGregor throws a series of punches but Marciano avoids them all with ease.
Kron McGregor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
McGregor looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Marciano is looking to land body kicks.
McGregor throws a shot to the body.
McGregor dodges the punch combination from Marciano.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kron McGregor.
Well McGregor 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 4 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 40:37
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 40:36
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 39:37

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kron McGregor!
After the fight, Kron McGregor 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.