PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Koya Urabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dawid Kalina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Urabe
vs
Kalina

178 cm
25
150 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

155 cm
24
145 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

Excellent MT
KO power

Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Koya Urabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dawid Kalina!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kalina darts in and clinches Urabe up against the ropes.
Kalina wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kalina tries to break free but Urabe pushes him back against the ropes.
Urabe lands a knee to the head.
Urabe misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kalina.
Urabe taking a breather.
Urabe looking to slow down the pace here.
Urabe taking a breather.
Urabe tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Urabe trying to stall but Kalina improves his position.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Koya Urabe.

Kalina clinches with his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Urabe trying to control the position but instead, Kalina has worked for underhooks and has pushed Urabe into the ropes.
Urabe tries a body shot but Kalina blocks it.
Urabe trying to land knees to the body.
Urabe trying to control the position but instead, Kalina has worked for underhooks and has pushed Urabe into the ropes.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urabe throws an elbow that misses.
Urabe is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kalina is defending well for now.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Urabe is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Urabe trying to stall but Kalina improves his position.
Urabe seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Kalina is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Koya Urabe.

Kalina moves into the clinch.
Kalina wants to break free but Urabe has control.
Urabe is trying to maintain a safe position but Kalina gets an underhook and turns Urabe into the ropes.
Urabe taking a breather.
Kalina misses with a knee to the head.
Urabe tries to work over Kalina's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kalina is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Urabe trying to land knees to the body.
Kalina wants to break the clinch but can't.
Urabe wants to stall.
Urabe looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urabe lands a shot to the body.
Kalina's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Kalina wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Urabe swings wildly with an uppercut but Kalina uses good head movement to avoid it.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Urabe blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kalina will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Urabe up against the ropes.
Kalina misses with an elbow strike.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Urabe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Urabe tries to stall but Kalina uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kalina taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Koya Urabe will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Kalina has Urabe up against the ropes in a clinch.
Urabe is looking to control Kalina's arms but Kalina gets an underhook and turns him. Now Urabe has his back to the ropes.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Urabe as Kalina tries to tie him up.
Kalina is trying to push Urabe away but Urabe has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
A head punch on the inside from Urabe fails to land.
Urabe misses with a punch on the inside.
Urabe trying to land knees to the body.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Urabe tries to stall but Kalina uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kalina blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Kalina is keeping busy.
Kalina dodges an elbow strike from Urabe.
Kalina wants to stall.
Urabe tries to stall but Kalina uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Koya Urabe has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urabe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kalina throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Urabes head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Urabe misses with a short punch on the inside.
Stalling in the clinch from Kalina.
Urabe misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kalina.
Kalina pushes off an throws an elbow but Urabe leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Kalina is keeping busy.
Urabe is looking to control Kalina's arms but Kalina gets an underhook and turns him. Now Urabe has his back to the ropes.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Koya Urabe.

Kalina fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Urabe, pushing him back against the ropes.
Urabe tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kalina is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Urabe misses with the head strike.
Urabe tries a body shot but Kalina blocks it.
Urabe stalling in the clinch but Kalina improves position.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Kalina is keeping busy.
Maybe Urabe would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Urabe is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kalina is defending well for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urabe prevents Kalina from breaking the clinch.
Kalina is trying to force a seperation but Urabe has the dominant position.
Urabe tries to stall but Kalina uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kalina blocks a body shot from Urabe.
Urabe throws an elbow but it misses.
Kalina stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Kalina just misses with a elbow thrown towards Urabe's brow.
Kalina is struggling to control the position.
Kalina lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Urabe or not.
Kalina is trying to maintain a safe position but Urabe gets an underhook and turns Kalina into the ropes.
Urabe tries a knee to the head but Kalina blocks it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kalina is trying to force a seperation but Urabe has the dominant position.
Urabe struggles to land a body shot inside as Kalina controls his hands.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kalina as Urabe tries to tie him up.
Urabe trying to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Koya Urabe will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kalina rushes Urabe and presses him up against the ropes.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Kalina managing to block the knees to the body from Urabe.
Urabe just leaning against Kalina, taking a breather.
Kalina wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Urabe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Urabe tries to stall but Kalina uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Urabe wants to stall.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Kalina is keeping busy.
Kalina wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kalina is struggling to control the position.
A frustrated look appears on Kalina's face as he tries to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kalina missing with knees to the body.
Kalina takes a shot to the head.
Urabe swings wildly with an uppercut but Kalina uses good head movement to avoid it.
Urabe taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalina working hard to break the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kalina as Urabe tries to tie him up.
Kalina missing with knees to the body.
Urabe misses with a punch to the body.
Urabe stalling the fight.
Urabe is trying to stall.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Koya Urabe.

Urabe pushes Kalina up against the ropes in a clinch.
Kalina lands with a right to the head.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kalina avoiding damage.
Kalina takes an elbow to the temple.
Urabe throws an elbow but it misses.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kalina as Urabe tries to tie him up.
Urabe is trying to maintain a safe position but Kalina gets an underhook and turns Urabe into the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalina is trying to break the clinch but Urabe has him pressed against the ropes.
Urabe misses with the head strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kalina blocks an uppercut.
Urabe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kalina avoids it.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Kalina lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Urabe backwards.
Kalina pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Urabe tries to stall but Kalina uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Urabe tries to stall but Kalina uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Dawid Kalina has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Koya Urabe.

Urabe gets a clinch.
Urabe blocks an elbow strike from Kalina.

And that's the end of the fight!
Koya Urabe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Urabe 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Koya Urabe!
An out of breath Koya Urabe thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.