PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Skreba Reijonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toafa Shakur (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Reijonen
vs
Shakur

172 cm
18
142 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
143 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Solid Muay Thai
Very quick

Great elbows
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Skreba Reijonen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Toafa Shakur!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Reijonen has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Reijonen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Shakur blocks an uppercut.
Reijonen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Reijonen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Reijonen misses with a punch to the body.
Reijonen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Reijonen is trying to maintain a safe position but Shakur gets an underhook and turns Reijonen into the ropes.
Reijonen misses with a punch on the inside.
Shakur blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Shakur throws an elbow that misses.
Shakur creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Reijonen looking to slow down the pace here.
Reijonen dodges an elbow strike from Shakur.
Reijonen lands a body shot.
Reijonen throws a punch but it's blocked by Shakur.
Reijonen dodges an elbow strike from Shakur.
Reijonen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Reijonen blocks the elbow strike.
Reijonen misses with some punches.
Reijonen pressing his opponent against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reijonen misses with a punch to the body.
Reijonen avoids a wild elbow strike from Shakur.
Shakur pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Reijonen blocks an elbow strike.
Shakur pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Shakur looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Reijonen scores with a shoulder strike.
A hook to the body from Reijonen.
Shakur lands an elbow inside that Reijonen shrugs off.
Shakur throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Shakur looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Shakur is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Shakur throws an elbow that misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Reijonen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Reijonen misses with a punch to the body.
Shakur pushes off an throws an elbow but Reijonen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Reijonen blocks an elbow strike.
Reijonen avoids the elbow strike from Shakur, against the ropes.
Reijonen misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shakur misses with an elbow over the top.
Shakur gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Reijonen blocks an elbow strike from Shakur.
Reijonen lands a nice shot to the body.
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!
Reijonen dodges an elbow strike from Shakur.
Reijonen blocks an elbow strike from Shakur.
Shakur throws an elbow but it misses.
Shakur lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Shakur pushes off an throws an elbow but Reijonen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Reijonen blocks an elbow strike from Shakur.
Reijonen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Shakur just misses with a elbow thrown towards Reijonen's brow.
Reijonen dodges an elbow strike from Shakur.
Reijonen has a couple of punches blocked by Shakur.
Reijonen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Reijonen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Shakur's elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shakur.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Reijonen.
Shakur throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Reijonen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Skreba Reijonen dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Shakur tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Reijonen counters with a straight right hand.
The fighters circling - Reijonen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Reijonen throws a jab when Shakur was well out of range.
Reijonen scores with a jab. Shakur acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Reijonen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Reijonen throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Shakur stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Reijonen throws a looping overhand right but Shakur ducks down to avoid it.
Shakur wants to clinch.
Shakur darts in trying to clinch
and Reijonen counters with a series of strikes. Shakur will be more careful next time no doubt.
Nice shot by Reijonen.
Reijonen throws a hook to the side of Shakur's head but Shakur sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Reijonen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Shakur with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Reijonen to score with a decent uppercut.
Reijonen getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shakur tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Reijonen counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Shakur tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Reijonen paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reijonen misses with a hook. Shakur ducked under it nicely.
Reijonen looks to land a left hand but Shakur moved out of range nicely.
Shakur tries to clinch up.
Shakur bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Shakur tries to close the distance and clinch but Reijonen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Reijonen with a hook.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shakur looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Reijonen looks to throw the jab but Shakur is out of range.
Reijonen throws out a loose jab but Shakur uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shakur tries to clinch up.
Shakur is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Shakur throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Shakur fails with an attempt to clinch.
Shakur tries to close the distance and clinch but Reijonen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Reijonen keeps the fight on the outside.
Shakur tries to clinch up.
Shakur takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shakur tries to clinch up but Reijonen circles away and keeps his distance.
Shakur is looking to clinch.
Shakur fails with an attempt to clinch.
A jab from Reijonen misses.
Skreba Reijonen is winning the standup battle so far.
Shakur looks to score with a jab to the body but Reijonen is just out of range.
Shakur tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fighters circling - Reijonen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Reijonen is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Reijonen throws a jab when Shakur was well out of range.
Shakur just misses with a punch to the body.
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!
Shakur tries to clinch there but Reijonen circles away.
Reijonen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Shakur thows a body shot but no joy.
Reijonen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Shakur was well out of range. Poor timing from Reijonen.
Shakur tries to close the distance and clinch but Reijonen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shakur darts in trying to clinch
and Reijonen counters with a right hand to the body.
Shakur blocks a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Skreba Reijonen dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Shakur moves in looking to clinch but Reijonen pushes him off.
Shakur wants to clinch but Reijonen slips to the side
and Reijonen counters with a nice body shot.
Shakur tries to clinch but Reijonen moves out of range.
Shakur tries to clinch but Reijonen moves out of range.
Shakur walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Toafa Shakur seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Reijonen bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Shakur's head backwards.
Shakur has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Reijonen finds it's way round the side to connect with Shakur's head.
Shakur swings for the body but Reijonen moves out of range.
Reijonen throws a body punch but Shakur moves out of range.
Shakur tries to clinch
and Shakur takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Reijonen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Reijonen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Shakur.
Shakur dodges the punch combination from Reijonen.
Reijonen keeps the fight on the outside.
Reijonen misses with a body shot.
Reijonen keeps the fight on the outside.
Shakur fails with an attempt to clinch.
Shakur moves in looking to clinch but Reijonen pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reijonen throws a series of punches but Shakur avoids them all with ease.
Shakur uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Reijonen.
Shakur doesn't manage to clinch there - Reijonen circles away.
Shakur steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Reijonen.
Reijonen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Shakur fails in his attempt to clinch.
Reijonen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Shakur tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Reijonen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Shakur tries to clinch up.
A slow jab from Reijonen misses its intended target.
Reijonen digs a good hook to Shakur's body.
Shakur misses with a body shot.
Shakur misses the shot to the body.
Shakur displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Reijonen throws out the jab.
Shakur is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Reijonen rather than just go for the knockout.
Shakur tries to clinch there but Reijonen circles away.
Shakur displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Reijonen throws out the jab.
Shakur is looking to clinch but Reijonen is avoiding it.
Shakur is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reijonen swats away the attempt to clinch by Shakur.
Shakur is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Reijonen throws a shot to the body.
Shakur tries to clinch but Reijonen moves out of range.
Reijonen keeps the fight on the outside.

Shakur rushes Reijonen and presses him up against the ropes.
A short right from Reijonen.
Shakur throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Reijonen avoids a wild elbow strike from Shakur.
Shakur looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Shakur throws an elbow but it misses.
Reijonen lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Shakur backwards.
Skreba Reijonen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Shakur throws an elbow but misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shakur.
Toafa Shakur has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Reijonen blocks an elbow strike.
Shakur throws an elbow that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Toafa Shakur.
Well Reijonen 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Skreba Reijonen!
Skreba Reijonen decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.