PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Ao Kuang (ranked 20360 p4p, 691 weight class) and SaÃºl Tacoronte (ranked 740 p4p, 107 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kuang
vs
Tacoronte

197 cm
33
213
7 - 3 - 0

190 cm
34
208
17 - 11 - 2

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ao Kuang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 11 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, SaÃºl Tacoronte!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kuang looks to score with a jab to the body but Tacoronte is just out of range.
Ao Kuang seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tacoronte throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kuang 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.
Kuang has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Tacoronte.
Tacoronte takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Kuang takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Kuang throws a left and a right that both miss
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Kuang looks to score with a jab to the body but Tacoronte is just out of range.
Tacoronte swinging wildly here.
Kuang displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Tacoronte throws out the jab.
Kuang throws a right hand that misses

and Tacoronte moves into the clinch.
Kuang lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Tacoronte scores with a shoulder strike.
We've been informed that Tacoronte 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.
Tacoronte trying to stall but Kuang improves his position.
Kuang tries a body shot but Tacoronte blocks it.
Tacoronte blocks a punch to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head punch on the inside from Kuang fails to land.
A head punch on the inside from Kuang fails to land.
Kuang lands a left hand.
Tacoronte is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Tacoronte tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kuang's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Kuang.
Tacoronte misses with the head strike.
Kuang misses with some punches.
Kuang throws a head punch that misses.
Tacoronte blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kuang creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Tacoronte lands a left hand that snaps the head of Kuang backwards.
Kuang tries to throw a body punch but Tacoronte avoids it by throwing Kuang back against the cage.
Tacoronte has a couple of punches blocked by Kuang.
Kuang takes a shot to the head.
Kuang swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tacoronte looking to stall.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tacoronte.
Tacoronte lands a shot to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kuang.
Tacoronte blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Tacoronte lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kuang backwards.
Kuang lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kuang swings wildly with an uppercut but Tacoronte uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kuang lands a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tacoronte looking to slow down the pace here.
Tacoronte lands an uppercut.
Kuang misses with a punch on the inside.
Kuang lands a left hand.
Tacoronte lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Tacoronte misses with the head strike.
Tacoronte has a couple of punches blocked by Kuang.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Tacoronte.
Kuang has a couple of punches blocked by Tacoronte.
Kuang lands a hook that snaps the head of Tacoronte backwards.
Tacoronte tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tacoronte pressing his opponent against the cage.
Kuang lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Tacoronte scores with an uppercut up the middle.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kuang fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kuang working aggressively here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tacoronte.
Tacoronte misses with the head strike.
Kuang throws a punch but it's blocked by Tacoronte.
Kuang lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Tacoronte backwards.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ao Kuang will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kuang throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tacoronte throws a right hand that Kuang ducks under and follows up with a left that Kuang also avoids with ease.
Some wild striking there from Tacoronte.
Tacoronte throws a sloppy head kick and Kuang moves out of range easily.
Kuang takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tacoronte. Kuang does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tacoronte tries a head kick but it misses.
Kuang throws a wild body kick that Tacoronte sees coming a mile off.
Kuang fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tacoronte manages to avoid it.
Tacoronte throws a leg kick
and Kuang counters with a left and a right that stings Tacoronte.
Tacoronte misses with a straight left.
Tacoronte's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kuang connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Tacoronte scrambles back to his feet.
Kuang connects with a leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tacoronte throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Kuang stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Kuang swings and misses with a hook to the body.
SaÃºl Tacoronte seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A jab lands there for Kuang.
Tacoronte staying out of range there.
Tacoronte is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tacoronte cracks Kuang with a good jab.
Kuang is looking to wear down Tacoronte with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Tacoronte lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kuang works over Tacoronte's head and body with a nice combination.
Kuang with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A big right from Kuang misses.
Tacoronte looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tacoronte connects with a leg kick.
Kuang misses with a body shot.
Kuang looks to land a left hand but Tacoronte moved out of range nicely.
Tacoronte turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Kuang blocks a head kick by Tacoronte.
Kuang takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tacoronte throws a shot to the body.
Tacoronte misses with a wild combination.
Tacoronte connects with a body shot.
Tacoronte lands a glancing blow to the side of Kuang's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tacoronte lands the left hand.
Tacoronte fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tacoronte waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kuang.
As Tacoronte backs away, Kuang returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Kuang misses with a series of wild punches.
Tacoronte keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kuang avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kuang throws a body punch but Tacoronte moves out of range.
Kuang tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kuang takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Kuang looks to land a body kick but Tacoronte moved away.
Tacoronte looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tacoronte rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Kuang throws a solid leg kick but Tacoronte takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kuang.
Tacoronte connects with a jab.

Tacoronte clinches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but SaÃºl Tacoronte will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kuang walks forward, straight into a front kick from Tacoronte.

Tacoronte darts in and clinches Kuang up against the cage.
Kuang lands a body punch in the clinch.
Kuang lands a right hand.
Kuang blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Tacoronte struggles to land a body shot inside as Kuang controls his hands.
A short left from Kuang.
Kuang working aggressively here.
Tacoronte can't find room to land a body shot as Kuang controls the action.
Kuang lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tacoronte backwards.
Kuang throws a punch but it's blocked by Tacoronte.
Kuang misses with a hook from the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Tacoronte.
A shot in the inside from Kuang.
Kuang misses with a short punch on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tacoronte tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tacoronte prevents a body shot from Kuang.
Kuang is trying to break the clinch but Tacoronte is controlling him.
Tacoronte doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kuang can't find room to land a body shot as Tacoronte controls the action.
Tacoronte swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tacoronte lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kuang lands an uppercut.
Kuang swings wildly with an uppercut but Tacoronte uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tacoronte digs a right hand into Kuang's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Kuang's gas tank.
Kuang gets through Tacoronte's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Kuang lands an uppercut.
Tacoronte lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kuang cracks Tacoronte with a nice body shot.
Tacoronte throws a punch but it's blocked by Kuang.
Tacoronte wants to stall.
Tacoronte doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kuang lands a right hand that snaps the head of Tacoronte backwards.
A short right from Kuang on the inside.
Kuang fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tacoronte lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Tacoronte tries a body shot but Kuang blocks it.
Tacoronte misses with a punch to the body.

Kuang escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
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!
A big right from Kuang misses.
Tacoronte steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Kuang.
Tacoronte jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tacoronte cracks Kuang with an open hand slap.
Tacoronte steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kuang.
Tacoronte blocks a head kick by Kuang.
Tacoronte swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Kuang swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Tacoronte counters with a nice body shot.
Tacoronte loads up on a big right hand but Kuang slips the punch.
Kuang throws a body kick that misses
and Tacoronte counters with a three punch combo that has Kuang backing up. Kuang nods at Tacoronte to acknowledge the strikes.
Tacoronte avoids the body shot from Kuang.
Tacoronte tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Tacoronte throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tacoronte swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kuang was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Tacoronte throws a leg kick but Kuang sees it coming and moves out of range.
Tacoronte tries to land a body kick
and Kuang connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kuang just misses with a punch to the body.
Tacoronte throws a right hand that Kuang ducks under and follows up with a left that Kuang also avoids with ease.
Tacoronte buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kuang.
Tacoronte defending well as Kuang loads up on a big left hand.

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 Ao Kuang.
I think Kuang has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight for SaÃºl Tacoronte!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for SaÃºl Tacoronte!

SaÃºl Tacoronte wins by majority decision!
SaÃºl Tacoronte thanked the fans post fight for their support.