PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Koya Urabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mercedes Benz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mercedes Benz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Urabe
vs
Benz

178 cm
26
150 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

155 cm
25
147 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Excellent MT
KO power

Solid Muay Thai
Solid 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 5 - 4 - 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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mercedes Benz!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Urabe moves in looking to clinch but Benz pushes him off.

Benz clinches with his opponent.
Urabe misses with an elbow strike.
Urabe throws a punch but it's blocked by Benz.
Benz trying to control the position but instead, Urabe has worked for underhooks and has pushed Benz into the ropes.
Urabe lands a body punch.

Benz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Benz gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Urabe swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Benz tries to break free but Urabe pushes him back against the ropes.

Benz manages to break the clinch.
Benz should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Urabe is looking to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Urabe drives through and clinches with Benz against the ropes.
Urabe slows down the pace here.
Urabe looks to throw an elbow but misses.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urabe fails in his attempt to clinch.
Benz wants to counter the offense by Urabe and move into the clinch position.
Urabe avoids the head kick by Benz.
Urabe wants to clinch.
Urabe is looking to clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Benz! But no joy.
Urabe tries to clinch there but Benz circles away.
Benz is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Urabe with a body shot.
Urabe fails in his attempt to clinch.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Urabe gets tackled into the ropes by Benz. Benz maintains the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Benz manages to break the clinch.
Urabe wants to clinch.

Urabe takes the fight into the clinch.

Benz breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urabe doesn't manage to clinch there - Benz circles away.
Urabe doesn't manage to clinch there - Benz circles away.
Urabe is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Urabe wants to clinch.

Urabe gets tackled into the ropes by Benz. Benz maintains the clinch.
Benz blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Urabe scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Urabe tries to stall but Benz uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Urabe trying to control the position but instead, Benz has worked for underhooks and has pushed Urabe into the ropes.
Urabe lands a hook that snaps the head of Benz backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urabe is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Urabe stalling in the clinch but Benz improves position.

Benz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Urabe wants to clinch.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Urabe is looking to clinch.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Benz circles away and keeps his distance.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Benz circles away and keeps his distance.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Urabe fails with an attempt to clinch.
Benz lands a nice leg kick that just misses Urabe's sensitive parts.
Benz misses with a kick to the body.

Benz has closed the distance and engaged Urabe in a clinch.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Benz is keeping busy.
Urabe with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benz on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Urabe tries to land knees in the clinch but Benz avoids the damage to the body.
Benz lands a left hand.

Benz breaks from the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Urabe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Benz tries to counter with a clinch but Urabe shakes him off and moves away.
Urabe wants to clinch up but Benz keeps it at a distance.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Benz circles away and keeps his distance.
Urabe tries to clinch but Benz moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Urabe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Urabe is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Benz gets a clinch.
Benz is trying to break free.
Benz working hard to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Benz misses with a head kick.
Benz tries a low kick but Urabe avoids it.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Benz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Benz steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Urabe.
Benz throws a right and a left that Urabe avoids nicely.
Benz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Urabe is looking to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Benz as Urabe tries to tie him up.
Urabe is trying to maintain a safe position but Benz gets an underhook and turns Urabe into the ropes.
Urabe tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Benz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Benz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Urabe is looking to clinch.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Benz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mercedes Benz seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Benz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Benz is struggling to control the position.
Nice elbow from Urabe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benz avoids the elbow strike from Urabe, against the ropes.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Urabe is trying to stall.
Urabe with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Urabe goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Urabe tries a body shot but Benz blocks it.
Benz prevents a body shot from Urabe.
Urabe misses with an elbow strike.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Benz trying to control the position but instead, Urabe has worked for underhooks and has pushed Benz into the ropes.

Benz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Benz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Urabe wants to clinch.
Benz is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Benz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Koya Urabe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Urabe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Koya Urabe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Benz keeps the fight on the outside.
Urabe moves in looking to clinch but Benz pushes him off.
Benz throws out a counter right but Urabe avoids it with no problem.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Urabe is looking to clinch.
Urabe avoids the body shot from Benz.
Benz throws a head kick but Urabe moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Urabe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Urabe wants to clinch up but Benz keeps it at a distance.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Benz has eaten all the pies!

Benz takes the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urabe stalling in the clinch but Benz improves position.
Benz is pushing Urabe up against the ropes, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Urabe looking to stall.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Urabe landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Benz is breathing heavily.

Benz breaks from the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Urabe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Benz moves into the clinch successfully.
Urabe stalling in the clinch but Benz improves position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Urabe is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Koya Urabe.
Urabe tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Benz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Urabe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Benz lands with a good body shot.
Koya Urabe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Benz moves into range and clinches up with Urabe.
Urabe misses with a body punch.
Urabe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Benz wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Koya Urabe has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Urabe misses with a hook from the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Urabe lands an elbow inside that Benz shrugs off.
Urabe tries to work over Benz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Benz wants to break free but Urabe has control.
Benz misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Urabe.
Urabe trying to land knees to the body.

Benz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mercedes Benz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Benz throws a right and a left that Urabe avoids nicely.
Benz swats away the attempt to clinch by Urabe.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Benz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Urabe tries to clinch but Benz moves away
and Benz cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Benz throws a solid leg kick but Urabe takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Benz.
Urabe tries to clinch but Benz is having none of it.
Benz fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Benz pushes Urabe up against the ropes in a clinch.

Benz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch but Benz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Benz circles away and keeps his distance.
Benz throws a sloppy head kick and Urabe moves out of range easily.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Benz circles away and keeps his distance.

Benz takes the fight into the clinch.
Benz lands a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Urabe is looking to control Benz's arms but Benz gets an underhook and turns him. Now Urabe has his back to the ropes.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Benz.
Urabe makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Benz manages to break the clinch.
Benz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Urabe is looking to clinch but Benz is avoiding it.
Urabe moves in looking to clinch but Benz pushes him off.
It seemed like Benz was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Benz circles away and keeps his distance.
Benz only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Benz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Urabe wants to clinch up but Benz keeps it at a distance.
Benz swats away the attempt to clinch by Urabe.
Benz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Urabe tries to clinch but Benz moves out of range.
Benz is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Urabe moves in looking to clinch but Benz pushes him off.
Benz lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Urabe circles away quickly and effectively.
Benz throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Benz circles away and keeps his distance.
Urabe is looking to clinch but Benz is avoiding it.
Urabe tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Benz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Benz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Benz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Urabe tries to clinch but Benz is having none of it.
Benz keeps the fight on the outside.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Urabe moves in looking to clinch but Benz pushes him off.

Benz rushes Urabe and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Urabe looking to stall.
Benz is trying to break the clinch but Urabe is controlling him.
Benz has had enough of the clinch but Urabe keeps him there for the moment.
Benz avoids a wild elbow strike from Urabe.
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!
Urabe looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Benz looking to slow down the pace here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urabe looking to stall.
Urabe trying to stall but Benz improves his position.
Urabe seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Benz is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Urabe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Urabe gets through Benz's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Benz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sloppy strikes from Benz. Those never looked like landing.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Benz circles away and keeps his distance.
Urabe tries to clinch there but Benz circles away.
Urabe tries to clinch up.
Urabe is looking to clinch but Benz is avoiding it.
Urabe tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Benz manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Benz steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Urabe.
Urabe tries to clinch but Benz moves out of range.
Benz avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Benz clinches up against the ropes.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Benz as Urabe tries to tie him up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benz misses with a punch on the inside.
Benz can't break the clinch.
Benz blocks an uppercut.
Urabe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Benz lands a damaging elbow.
A hook to the body from Urabe.
Urabe trying to stall but Benz improves his position.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Urabe wants to stall.
Urabe is trying to stall.
Urabe can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Urabe can't find room to land a body shot as Benz controls the action.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Urabe as Benz tries to tie him up.
Koya Urabe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mercedes Benz is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Urabe throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mercedes Benz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Benz has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mercedes Benz!