PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Kojiro Tatsumoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Blubber Ball (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tatsumoto's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, A.RA.SHI. Ball is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Murder was the case. Blubber Ball told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Tatsumoto
vs
Ball

190 cm
21
202 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
23
199 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

World class MT
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kojiro Tatsumoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Blubber Ball!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donk. Tatsumoto catches Ball right on the button with a cross.
Ball keeps the fight on the outside.
Tatsumoto throws a big shot that misses.
Ball throws a chopping leg kick but Tatsumoto manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Tatsumoto looks to score with a jab to the body but Ball is just out of range.
Tatsumoto tries a head kick but it misses.
Ball misses with a straight right.
Tatsumoto throws a sloppy head kick
letting Ball counter with a right hand.
Tatsumoto lands with a nice body punch.
Tatsumoto loads up on a big right hand but Ball slips the punch.
A head kick misses from Tatsumoto.
Tatsumoto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tatsumoto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ball swats away the attempt to clinch by Tatsumoto.
Tatsumoto fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tatsumoto misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ball throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tatsumoto moves into the clinch.
Tatsumoto tries a body shot but Ball blocks it.
Ball has a couple of punches blocked by Tatsumoto.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tatsumoto.
Ball throws a punch but it's blocked by Tatsumoto.
Ball misses with a punch to the body.
Ball misses with some punches.
Tatsumoto prevents a body shot from Ball.
Ball lands a nice shot to the body.
Good body shot from Tatsumoto.

Ball breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ball fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Tatsumoto connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Ball momentarily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ball feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Tatsumoto's calf.
Ball swats away the attempt to clinch by Tatsumoto.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tatsumoto goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ball wants to break the clinch but can't.
Tatsumoto stalling against the ropes.
Tatsumoto tries to land a knee to the head but Ball blocks with his arms.
A short body shot lands from Tatsumoto as the two fighters clinch.
Tatsumoto digs a right hand into Ball's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Ball's gas tank.
Tatsumoto stalling in the clinch.
Tatsumoto tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ball's elbow.
Tatsumoto lands a hook that snaps the head of Ball backwards.
A short left from Tatsumoto.
Tatsumoto lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Nice body punch from Tatsumoto.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Tatsumoto creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ball on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ball is trying to break the clinch but Tatsumoto has him pressed against the ropes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tatsumoto dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.
A short right from Tatsumoto on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kojiro Tatsumoto dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A left lands for Tatsumoto.

Tatsumoto pushes Ball up against the ropes in a clinch.
Ball working aggressively here.
Tatsumoto misses with a punch to the body.
Tatsumoto throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Balls head.
Ball tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tatsumoto lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Tatsumoto lands a shoulder strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tatsumoto.
Tatsumoto misses with a knee strike.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Tatsumoto.
Ball lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Tatsumoto stalls.
Ball lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tatsumoto backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tatsumoto.
Ball tries to circle away but Tatsumoto has him pinned against the ropes.
Tatsumoto misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ball misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatsumoto scores with a nice hook to the head.
Ball wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Tatsumoto presses Ball against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Tatsumoto is pushing Ball up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Tatsumoto tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ball's elbow.
Ball prevents a body shot from Tatsumoto.
Ball misses with a punch on the inside.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
Ball throws a head punch that misses.
Tatsumoto lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Ball or not.
Ball misses with the head strike.
Ball takes a knee right on the jaw!
Ball misses with a hook from the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tatsumoto blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Tatsumoto lands a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ball lands with a light punch inside.
Ball misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tatsumoto misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tatsumoto digs a right hand underneath Ball's ribcage. Ball let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tatsumoto working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Tatsumoto lands a left hand.
Tatsumoto looking to throw knees to the head but Ball is blocking nicely.
Tatsumoto lands a good knee to the midsection. Ball won't want to take too many of those.
Ball is breathing heavily.
Tatsumoto struggles to land a body shot inside as Ball controls his hands.
Tatsumoto is working Ball over against the ropes.
Tatsumoto with a knee to the head.
Tatsumoto landing knees to the body.
Tatsumoto presses Ball against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Tatsumoto avoiding damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tatsumoto scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Tatsumoto stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Tatsumoto with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Ball working hard to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kojiro Tatsumoto dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Tatsumoto lands with a kick to the temple. Ball shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Blubber Ball has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tatsumoto misses with a jab to the body
and Ball counters with a good low kick that Tatsumoto was not able to check.
Ball tries to land a front kick but Tatsumoto steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Ball avoids the head kick by Tatsumoto.
Tatsumoto throws a lazy head kick
and Ball counters with a nice low kick that buckles Tatsumoto's knee momentarily.
Tatsumoto wants to clinch.
Tatsumoto tries to clinch but Ball moves out of range.
Tatsumoto blocks the body kick.
A jab from Tatsumoto finds it's way through Ball's defenses.
Ball looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ball.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ball, right into the meat.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ball.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ball lands with a thumping leg kick.
Blubber Ball seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ball buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ball moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

It looks like Kojiro Tatsumoto has been cut.
Ball throws a solid leg kick but Tatsumoto takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Ball.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ball.
Kojiro Tatsumoto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tatsumoto takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Tatsumoto keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Ball looks to score with a jab to the body but Tatsumoto is just out of range.
Tatsumoto avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Tatsumoto is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Ball throws an overhand right that lands on Tatsumoto's shoulder, as Tatsumoto tries to avoid the shot.
Tatsumoto lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Tatsumoto checks the leg kick.
Ball slips under a jab from Tatsumoto.
Ball attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatsumoto is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tatsumoto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tatsumoto ducks under a wild hook from Ball.
Ball misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tatsumoto.
Ball tries a head kick but it misses.
Tatsumoto connects with a jab.
Tatsumoto takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Tatsumoto fails with an attempt to clinch.
A jab lands there for Tatsumoto.
Ball circles away from the clinch attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A head kick misses from Tatsumoto.
Ball takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ball throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Blubber Ball comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tatsumoto has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kojiro Tatsumoto!
In his post fight interview, Kojiro Tatsumoto started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.