PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Taz Bandichoo (ranked 25147 p4p, 538 weight class) and Stipe Velasquez (ranked 3191 p4p, 302 weight class). Velasquez is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Gaining Momentum by MC Hammer. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bandichoo
vs
Velasquez

178 cm
30
240 lbs
19 - 25 - 0

187 cm
31
240 lbs
8 - 12 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Taz Bandichoo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Stipe Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Phil Schofield and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Velasquez tries to clinch but Bandichoo moves out of range.
Bandichoo with a hook.
Velasquez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Bandichoo swats away the attempt to clinch by Velasquez.

Velasquez has closed the distance and engaged Bandichoo in a clinch.
We've been informed that Velasquez has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Bandichoo gets through Velasquez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Velasquez creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Bandichoo's defenses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Bandichoo misses with a short punch on the inside.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Velasquez just misses with a elbow thrown towards Bandichoo's brow.

Bandichoo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bandichoo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Bandichoo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bandichoo tries a head kick but it misses.
Velasquez steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Bandichoo.
Bandichoo looks to land a body kick but Velasquez moved away.
A shot to the liver by Bandichoo. Beautiful body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bandichoo throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Bandichoo 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.
Velasquez tries to clinch but Bandichoo moves out of range.
Bandichoo lands a head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bandichoo throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Taz Bandichoo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Velasquez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bandichoo scores with a leg kick.
Bandichoo staying out of range there.
Bandichoo thinks about countering with a head kick.
Velasquez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bandichoo.
Velasquez darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Bandichoo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A cross from Bandichoo lands.
Velasquez doesn't manage to clinch there - Bandichoo circles away.

Velasquez darts in and clinches Bandichoo up against the ropes.
Bandichoo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Velasquez has him pressed against the ropes.
Nice body punch from Velasquez - that landed with a thud.
Bandichoo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Velasquezs head.
Bandichoo works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Bandichoo tries to break free but Velasquez pushes him back against the ropes.

Bandichoo manages to break the clinch.
Bandichoo misses with an attempted mid kick.
Velasquez steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Bandichoo.
Velasquez blocks a head kick by Bandichoo.
Bandichoo on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Velasquez cracks a nice hook into Bandichoo's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bandichoo tests Velasquez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Velasquez takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Velasquez wants to clinch up but Bandichoo keeps it at a distance.
Velasquez takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Velasquez avoids the head kick by Bandichoo.
A punch combination from Velasquez misses.
Velasquez takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Velasquez tries to clinch but Bandichoo is having none of it.
Velasquez throws a right hand that Bandichoo ducks under and follows up with a left that Bandichoo also avoids with ease.
Velasquez tries to clinch up but Bandichoo circles away and keeps his distance.
Velasquez takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Bandichoo misses with a low kick.
Bandichoo throws a sloppy head kick and Velasquez moves out of range easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bandichoo scores with a spinning back kick!
Bandichoo scores with a hook.
Bandichoo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Velasquez moves away.
Bandichoo's corner calls for a 1-2. Bandichoo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taz Bandichoo dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bandichoo misses with a low kick as Velasquez jumps back.
Bandichoo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Velasquez avoids the head kick by Bandichoo.
Bandichoo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Velasquez can do to turn this around?
Velasquez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bandichoo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Velasquez lands with a good body shot.
Bandichoo moves away from the strike by Velasquez.
Stipe Velasquez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bandichoo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Bandichoo fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Velasquez has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Bandichoo thows a body kick. Velasquez tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Velasquez moves away from the strike by Bandichoo.
Velasquez wants to counter with a clinch but Bandichoo pushes him away.
A slapping leg kick lands for Bandichoo.
Taz Bandichoo is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velasquez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Velasquez looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Velasquez tries to clinch but Bandichoo moves out of range.
Velasquez fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Bandichoo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Velasquez.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Velasquez is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bandichoo turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Bandichoo looks to land a body kick but Velasquez moved away.
Velasquez uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bandichoo.
Bandichoo throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Velasquez.
Bandichoo throws a big shot that misses.
Velasquez doesn't manage to clinch there - Bandichoo circles away.
Bandichoo pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Velasquez closes the distance and clinches.
Bandichoo gets through Velasquez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Bandichoo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Velasquez misses with a wild body shot.
Bandichoo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bandichoo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Velasquez.
Bandichoo throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Velasquez.
Velasquez scores with a hook.
Velasquez throws a series of punches but Bandichoo moves out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bandichoo is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Velasquez.
Velasquez is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Velasquez ducks under a wild hook from Bandichoo.
Bandichoo looks to land a combination. Velasquez sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bandichoo avoids the body shot from Velasquez.
Velasquez just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromBandichoo.
Velasquez wants to clinch up but Bandichoo keeps it at a distance.
Velasquez throws a nice looking combination but Bandichoo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bandichoo thuds his right hand into Velasquez's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Velasquez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bandichoo manages to avoid it.
Bandichoo throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Bandichoo lands a high kick!
Bandichoo takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Bandichoo lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bandichoo keeps the fight on the outside.
A leg kick checked by Velasquez.
Bandichoo misses with an uppercut. Velasquez saw that one coming.
A combination from Bandichoo does no damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bandichoo looks to land a body kick but Velasquez moved away.
Velasquez blocks a leg kick.
Bandichoo lands with a good body shot.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Bandichoo.
Velasquez is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Bandichoo rather than just go for the knockout.
Bandichoo thumps Velasquez with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taz Bandichoo dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Velasquez throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Velasquez tries to clinch up but Bandichoo circles away and keeps his distance.
Velasquez blocks a head kick by Bandichoo.
Velasquez steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Bandichoo.
Velasquez takes a swing at Bandichoo's ribcage but misses.
Bandichoo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Velasquez.
Bandichoo throws a half hearted mid kick.
Velasquez doesn't manage to clinch there - Bandichoo circles away.
Velasquez catches Bandichoo with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Velasquez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bandichoo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Bandichoo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
A nice inside leg kick there by Bandichoo. That's going to slow Velasquez down.
Bandichoo lands with an overhand left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velasquez is looking to clinch.
Velasquez throws a series of strikes that have Bandichoo backpedaling.
Bandichoo connects with a jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Velasquez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bandichoo was well out of range. Poor timing from Velasquez.
Velasquez blocks a head kick by Bandichoo.
A jab from Velasquez misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez fails to land with a series of punches.
Bandichoo lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Bandichoo thows a left - swing and a miss!
Velasquez tries to clinch up but Bandichoo circles away and keeps his distance.
Bandichoo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Velasquez on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Bandichoo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Velasquez tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Velasquez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bandichoo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bandichoo wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Bandichoo lands a nice looking body shot.
Velasquez throws a body shot but no joy.
Bandichoo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Velasquez.
Bandichoo digs a good body shot into Velasquez's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bandichoo is looking to slow Velasquez down with leg kicks.
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!
Velasquez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bandichoo.
A slapping body kick lands there for Bandichoo.
Bandichoo closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Velasquez jabs at Bandichoo's body.
Bandichoo tries a head kick but it misses.
Bandichoo works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Velasquez rushes Bandichoo and presses him up against the ropes.
Velasquez misses with an elbow over the top.
Velasquez is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Bandichoo lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Velasquez just misses with a elbow thrown towards Bandichoo's brow.
Stipe Velasquez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bandichoo lands a hook that snaps the head of Velasquez backwards.

Bandichoo breaks the clinch.
Velasquez's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Velasquez misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taz Bandichoo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bandichoo, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taz Bandichoo!
Taz Bandichoo managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Brooklyn Apothecary, into his post fight interview.