PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov (ranked 4804 p4p, 425 weight class) and Takeru Ishii (ranked 24210 p4p, 579 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nurmagomedov
vs
Ishii

179 cm
22
155 lbs
9 - 11 - 0

170 cm
29
127 lbs
13 - 15 - 2

Solid boxing
Good chin

Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Dr Zoidberg Office

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Khabib Nurmagomedov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 15 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Takeru Ishii!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nurmagomedov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ishii manages to avoid it.
Nurmagomedov lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ishii circles away quickly and effectively.
Nurmagomedov lands a really nice looking cross but Ishii seems unphased.
Nurmagomedov swings for the body but Ishii moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Nurmagomedov.
Ishii misses with a wild body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Nurmagomedov misses the target.
Ishii misses with a hook. Nurmagomedov ducked under it nicely.
Ishii attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Ishii lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ishii takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Nurmagomedov works Ishii's body with a nice hook.
Nurmagomedov looks to score with a jab to the body but Ishii is just out of range.
Nurmagomedov takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Ishii scores with a body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nurmagomedov misses the shot to the body.
Ishii is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Nurmagomedov moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Nurmagomedov just misses with a punch to the body.
Ishii lands a leg kick that knocks Nurmagomedov off balance momentarily.
Ishii showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nurmagomedov.
Ishii let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov misses the jab.
Good leg kick by Ishii there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ishii works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Nurmagomedov tests Ishii's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ishii lands with a good body shot.
A good leg kick by Ishii.
The fighters circle momentarily. Ishii darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Nurmagomedov swinging wildly here.
Nurmagomedov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Ishii! But no joy.
Ishii avoids the body shot from Nurmagomedov.
Ishii misses with a leg kick.
Ishii lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Nurmagomedov on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ishii. Ishii obviously looking to wear him down.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nurmagomedov throws a left and a right that both miss
and Ishii counters with a leg kick.
Ishii tries to close the distance and clinch but Nurmagomedov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ishii throws a hook but Nurmagomedov avoids it easily.
A quick step to the side and Nurmagomedov tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ishii keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ishii wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nurmagomedov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ishii manages to avoid it.
Ishii displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Nurmagomedov throws out the jab.
Ishii misses with a double jab.
Nurmagomedov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ishii tries to clinch up.
Ishii throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Nurmagomedov stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Ishii throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Nurmagomedov throws a body shot but no joy.
Nurmagomedov misses with a right hand
and Ishii counters with a thumping low kick.
Nurmagomedov looks to score with a jab to the body but Ishii is just out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Good work by Nurmagomedov as he checks the leg kick.
A combination from Ishii does no damage.
A counter left hand to the body from Nurmagomedov misses its target.
Ishii is looking to score with low kicks.
Ishii dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nurmagomedov throws a lazy right hand but Ishii sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nurmagomedov swats away the attempt to clinch by Ishii.
Nurmagomedov throws a jab but it's blocked by Ishii.
Nurmagomedov misses with a hook. Ishii ducked under it nicely.
Nurmagomedov lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Ishii backs up against the ropes.
Nurmagomedov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Takeru Ishii seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nurmagomedov throws an overhand right that lands on Ishii's shoulder, as Ishii tries to avoid the shot.
Ishii pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
It looked like Nurmagomedov was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Ishii.
Ishii misses with a hook. Nurmagomedov ducked under it nicely.
Ishii staying out of range there.
Ishii steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Nurmagomedov.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ishii fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Nice shot lands for Ishii.
Donk. Ishii catches Nurmagomedov right on the button with a cross.
Nurmagomedov keeps the fight on the outside.
Nurmagomedov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ishii cracks Nurmagomedov with a good jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishii throws a chopping leg kick but Nurmagomedov manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Ishii avoids the body shot from Nurmagomedov.
Ishii lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Nurmagomedov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ishii was well out of range. Poor timing from Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ishii.
Ishii moves in looking to clinch but Nurmagomedov pushes him off.
Nurmagomedov keeps the fight on the outside.
Nurmagomedov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ishii.
Ishii looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Ishii connects with a nice looking jab.
Ishii bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Nice uppercut lands for Nurmagomedov. That snapped Ishii's head back.
Ishii lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A big left from Ishii misses.
A counter left hand to the body from Nurmagomedov misses its target.
Ishii tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nurmagomedov was well out of range. Poor timing from Ishii.
Takeru Ishii is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nurmagomedov throws a body punch but Ishii moves out of range.
Nurmagomedov is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Nurmagomedov gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Ishii.
Nurmagomedov on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ishii manages to avoid it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ishii finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Nurmagomedov takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ishii tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ishii misses with a low kick as Nurmagomedov jumps back.
A jab from Nurmagomedov misses.
Ishii misses with a wild body shot.
Ishii lands a body shot.
Nurmagomedov throws a body punch but Ishii moves out of range.
Ishii will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Nurmagomedov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ishii throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ishii misses with a looping right.
Ishii lands a right hook to the body.
Nurmagomedov is looking to wear down Ishii with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Nurmagomedov throws a lazy right hand but Ishii sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ishii uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nurmagomedov.
Ishii throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takeru Ishii showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Nurmagomedov misses the shot to the body.
Nurmagomedov on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Ishii is looking to clinch.
It looked like Nurmagomedov wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Ishii dodges the punch combination from Nurmagomedov.
Ishii uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nurmagomedov.
Ishii is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Ishii takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Ishii swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nurmagomedov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ishii moves away.
Ishii is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nurmagomedov scores with a nice strike.
The fighters circling - Nurmagomedov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ishii rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nurmagomedov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ishii scores with a nice strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nurmagomedov throws a hook to the side of Ishii's head but Ishii sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Ishii moves forwards but Nurmagomedov connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Nurmagomedov drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Nurmagomedov throws a body shot but no joy.
Ishii wants to counter with a clinch but Nurmagomedov pushes him away.
Nurmagomedov uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nurmagomedov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ishii.
Nurmagomedov takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Ishii has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ishii misses with a low kick.
A counter left hand to the body from Nurmagomedov misses its target.
Nurmagomedov checks a leg kick nicely.
Ishii fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nurmagomedov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ishii takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Ishii tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ishii connects with a single shot there.
Nurmagomedov takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ishii lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Nurmagomedov throws the left hand but Ishii avoids the punch easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ishii throws a big shot that misses.
Ishii misses with a straight right.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ishii, right into the meat.
Nurmagomedov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Ishii tries to clinch but Nurmagomedov moves out of range.
As Ishii looks to move away, Nurmagomedov throws a big counter combo but Ishii just gets out of the way.
An inside leg kick from Ishii misses.
Ishii just misses with a punch to the body.
Nurmagomedov throws a body shot but no joy.
Ishii swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Ishii misses with an uppercut.
Nurmagomedov thuds a left hand into Ishii's body.
Nurmagomedov swats away the attempt to clinch by Ishii.
Nurmagomedov just misses with a punch to the body.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Ishii! But no joy.
Ishii uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov checks a low kick from Ishii.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takeru Ishii is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Ishii uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nurmagomedov.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Well Ishii 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takeru Ishii!