PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Juan Direction (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benjamin Koppinen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Koppinen has chosen Groin kick - Pain time as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Direction
vs
Koppinen

165 cm
20
143 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

174 cm
22
155 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

Excellent boxer
KO power

Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Instinct

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Juan Direction!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Benjamin Koppinen!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Richard Clark and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Direction keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Koppinen.
Direction staying out of range there.
Direction is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Juan Direction seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Direction takes a swing at Koppinen's ribcage but misses.
Koppinen misses with a hook.
Direction looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Direction fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Koppinen looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Koppinen moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Direction swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A nice leg kick lands there from Direction.
Koppinen throws a body shot but no joy.

Direction moves into range and clinches up with Koppinen.
Direction pushes Koppinen back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Koppinen fails to land.
Koppinen prevents Direction from breaking the clinch.
Koppinen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Koppinen tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koppinen tries to work over Direction's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Koppinen lands a shot to the body.
Direction blocks the elbow strike.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Direction takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Direction misses with a punch on the inside.
Koppinen slowing the pace effectively.
A short left from Direction.
Koppinen lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Juan Direction has been cut.
Koppinen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Koppinen tries to work over Direction's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Koppinen unloads a knee to the mid-section. Direction lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Koppinen lands an uppercut.
Koppinen lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koppinen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Koppinen lands a right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Koppinen just misses with a elbow thrown towards Direction's brow.
A head punch on the inside from Koppinen fails to land.
Direction blocks the elbow strike.
Koppinen has a couple of punches blocked by Direction.
Direction prevents a body shot from Koppinen.
Koppinen lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Direction blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Direction on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Koppinen struggles to land a body shot inside as Direction controls his hands.
Koppinen manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Koppinen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Direction's elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koppinen misses with a punch to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Koppinen.
Koppinen misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Koppinen has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Direction seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Koppinen can turn it around.
Koppinen tries to work over Direction's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Koppinen just leaning against Direction, taking a breather.
Koppinen slows down the pace here.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Direction breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Direction slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Koppinen motions for Direction to come forward. Koppinen throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Koppinen walks into a left hand.
Koppinen throws the kick towards the body but Direction avoids it.
Direction tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Koppinen was well out of range. Poor timing from Direction.
Direction connects with a right hand. Koppinen shakes it off.
Direction throws a jab but it's blocked by Koppinen.
Koppinen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Direction throws out the jab.
Koppinen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Direction throws out the jab.
A jab from Koppinen misses.
Direction with a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Koppinen lands a glancing blow to the side of Direction's head.
Direction throws a leg kick that misses.
Koppinen avoids the body shot from Direction.
Koppinen walks into a left hand.
Direction's jab looks to have found its range, popping Koppinen under the eye.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Benjamin Koppinen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Juan Direction's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Koppinen on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Koppinen tries to land a front kick but Direction steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A jab lands there for Direction.
Direction misses with a straight left.
Koppinen fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Direction throws a jab but it's blocked by Koppinen.
Koppinen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Direction moves away.
Koppinen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Direction throws a hook but Koppinen blocks it.
Koppinen thumps Direction with a low kick.
Koppinen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Direction manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Koppinen lands a nice looking body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koppinen throws a leg kick but Direction checks it.
Direction seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Koppinen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Direction fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Koppinen manages to avoid it.
Koppinen swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Direction throws a hook but Koppinen blocks it.
Koppinen now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koppinen throws a head kick that misses.
Koppinen uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Direction.
Direction looks to land a left hand but Koppinen moved out of range nicely.
Direction misses with a few strikes there.
A big left from Koppinen misses.
Direction fires out a quick counter leg kick but Koppinen just manages to avoid it.
Koppinen moves away from the strike by Direction.
Direction throws a body shot but no joy.
Direction dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Direction works over Koppinen's head and body with a nice combination.
Koppinen scores with a nice body kick.
Direction moves out of range of the strikes.
Direction jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A jab lands there for Koppinen.
Koppinen throws a good cross that connects.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Koppinen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Direction is rocked!
Ohhhhhhhhhh, brutal head kick from Koppinen! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Benjamin Koppinen!
Benjamin Koppinen decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.