PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joao Cajo Branca (ranked 850 p4p, 1165 weight class) and Keone Kapisi (ranked 103 p4p, 143 weight class). Branca comes to the cage accompanied by original score medley. Keone Kapisi acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Branca
vs
Kapisi

194 cm
26
267
13 - 9 - 0

190 cm
31
280
12 - 15 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hardcore Alchemy

Knock Out Clothing

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 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joao Cajo Branca!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 15 - 0, fighting out of London, Keone Kapisi!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kapisi misses with a hook.
It looked like Branca was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Kapisi.
Branca blocks a jab.
Good exchange - Branca coming out on top.
Kapisi needs to keep his hands up - Branca had a free shot at his head there.
Kapisi lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like Joao Cajo Branca has been cut.
Branca throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.

Kapisi clinches up with Branca and pushes him back against the cage.
Kapisi misses with a punch on the inside.
Branca avoiding damage as Kapisi throws knees to the body.
Kapisi lands an elbow just above Branca 's eye.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kapisi lands a nice elbow.

Joao Cajo Branca's cut is getting worse.
Kapisi blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Branca has a couple of punches blocked by Kapisi.
I was talking to Branca's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Branca lands a left hand.
Kapisi softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kapisi misses with some punches.
A knee to the head by Kapisi.
Kapisi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Joao Cajo Branca's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

Branca breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kapisi throws a combination that misses
and Branca counters with a good low kick that Kapisi was not able to check.

That's one minute gone in the round.
That kick from Branca tenderised Kapisi's leg. Kapisi is trying to keep his angry face on.
Kapisi misses with a looping left.
Kapisi turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Branca scores with a sloppy right hand. Kapisi should have avoided that one.
Kapisi throws the left hand but Branca avoids the punch easily.
Kapisi misses with a right hand
and Branca counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Branca throws a lazy right hand but Kapisi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Branca lands with a right hand.
Kapisi walks into a straight right hand from Branca.
A low kick from Kapisi is predictable there
and Branca finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
A good leg kick by Kapisi.
Kapisi misses with a hook to the body
and Branca counters with a right hand to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kapisi throws a series of punches but Branca avoids them all with ease.
Kapisi looks winded!
Kapisi tried to score with a low kick but Branca checks it.
As Kapisi tries to get set, Branca tries to push him back and clinch up but Kapisi manages to avoid the attempt.

Branca darts in and clinches Kapisi up against the cage.
Branca lands a right hand that snaps the head of Kapisi backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Branca lands a nice uppercut.
Kapisi is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A short left from Branca.
Kapisi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A right hand to the body from Branca.
Kapisi blocks a body shot from Branca.
Good body shot from Branca.
Kapisi swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Branca misses with a punch to the body.

Branca breaks from the clinch.
Kapisi lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kapisi swings widly with a right hand
and Branca counters with a left and a right that stings Kapisi.
Keone Kapisi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kapisi lands a really nice looking cross but Branca seems unphased.
Kapisi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Branca.
An inside leg kick lands from Branca.
Kapisi throws a body punch but Branca moves out of range.
A jab from Kapisi misses.
Kapisi throws a body punch but Branca moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kapisi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kapisi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Branca moves away.
Branca throwing a counter right hand but Kapisi manages to avoid it.
Kapisi tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Branca manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kapisi misses with an uppercut. Branca saw that one coming.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Kapisi!
Branca scores with a jab to the body.
Kapisi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Branca.
Branca uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kapisi.
Branca throws a leg kick which misses Kapisi's front leg but catches the back leg as Kapisi tries to avoid it.
Kapisi swings widly with a right hand
and Branca counters with an outside leg kick.
Branca throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kapisi throws an off balance right hand
and Branca counters with a nice body kick.
Branca's jab looks to have found its range, popping Kapisi under the eye.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Branca dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kapisi. That did some damage!
Branca lands a nice shot that snaps Kapisi's head back.
Branca drops Kapisi with a straight right hand, right on the button! Branca follows him down to the mat and pounds him out with hammerfists until the referee jumps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Joao Cajo Branca!
Joao Cajo Branca was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.