PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Kenny Smith (ranked 734 p4p, 2060 weight class) and Iaspero Yalixqua (ranked 100 p4p, 265 weight class). Smith's entrance music is IS THIS LOVE. A fine choice. Yalixqua has chosen Stop This Flame as his entrance music. Iaspero Yalixqua is staring across the ring at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Smith
vs
Yalixqua

181 cm
38
187
33 - 13 - 1

183 cm
36
184
39 - 22 - 2

World class boxer
Granite chin

World class MT
Granite chin

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kenny Smith!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 39 - 22 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Iaspero Yalixqua!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Luis Engracia and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Yalixqua on the side of the head.

It looks like Iaspero Yalixqua has been cut.
Smith throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Smith dodges the punch combination from Yalixqua.
Yalixqua has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Smith lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Good standup being displayed there by Yalixqua as he connects with a hook.
Yalixqua connects with a solid leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith looks to throw the jab but Yalixqua is out of range.
Yalixqua uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Smith.
Yalixqua thinks about the counter body kick.
Yalixqua slips a jab and a cross from Smith.
Yalixqua is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Smith with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throws the left hand but Yalixqua avoids the punch easily.
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Smith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Smith went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
The fighters circling - Smith throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Smith moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Yalixqua.
A punch lands to the side of Smith 's head but he takes it in his stride.

It looks like Kenny Smith has been cut.
Smith scores with a jab.
Smith staying out of range there.
Smith swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Yalixqua blocks a jab.
Yalixqua throws out a counter right but Smith avoids it with no problem.
Smith looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Yalixqua dodges the punch combination from Smith.
Smith keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yalixqua.
Yalixqua checks the leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith misses with a few strikes there.
Yalixqua takes a shot right to the bread basket.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kenny Smith dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Yalixqua lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Smith blocks the body kick.
Smith scores with a leg kick.
Smith misses the shot to the body.
Smith stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Yalixqua misses the jab.
It looked like Smith was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Yalixqua.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yalixqua takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Smith's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Yalixqua connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Smith scrambles back to his feet.
Smith throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith thows a left - swing and a miss!
Smith tries to land a front kick but Yalixqua steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Smith uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Yalixqua has time to react.
Kenny Smith is winning the standup battle so far.
Yalixqua looks to land a right hand but Smith moved out of range.
Yalixqua throws a hook to the side of Smith's head but Smith sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Smith jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Smith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yalixqua was well out of range. Poor timing from Smith.
Yalixqua appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Kenny Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith misses with an uppercut.
The fighters circling - Smith throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a low kick.
Yalixqua looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Yalixqua misses with a straight right.
Smith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yalixqua manages to avoid it.
Smith moves into range and connects with a jab.

That has opened up Iaspero Yalixqua's cut even more.
Smith lands with a kick to the temple. Yalixqua shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Smith throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yalixqua sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Yalixqua lets loose with a powerful body kick. Smith will feel that in the morning.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yalixqua looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Some bone on bone action there as Yalixqua checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kenny Smith dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action!

Yalixqua loads up on a big right hand but Smith slips the punch.
Smith defending well as Yalixqua loads up on a big left hand.
Yalixqua lands with a right hand.
Smith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yalixqua was well out of range. Poor timing from Smith.
Smith backing away here, and Yalixqua unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Smith wants to clinch
and Yalixqua counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big left from Yalixqua misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Smith misses the target.
A leg kick checked by Smith.
Yalixqua throws a lazy uppercut
and Smith counters with a nice body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throws a leg kick but Yalixqua checks it.
Yalixqua throws a hook to the side of Smith's head but Smith sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Smith swings widly with a right hand
and Yalixqua counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Smith lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Yalixqua avoids the body shot from Smith.
Smith throws a body shot but no joy.
A nice inside leg kick there by Yalixqua. That's going to slow Smith down.
Yalixqua connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Yalixqua buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith throws a hook to the side of Yalixqua's head but Yalixqua sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Yalixqua ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Smith waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Yalixqua.
Smith scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Yalixqua doesn't seem bothered though.
Yalixqua digs a good body shot into Smith's ribs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A lazy left from Smith finds it's target.
Smith throws a big shot that misses.
Yalixqua avoids a kick to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Iaspero Yalixqua just about did enough to take it.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Smith's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Jab from Yalixqua.
A slow jab from Yalixqua misses its intended target.
Yalixqua lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Kenny Smith's cut is getting worse.
Smith throws a shot from downtown. Yalixqua moves away and avoids it.
Smith cracks Yalixqua with a right hand to the side of the head.
Yalixqua throws a jab but it's blocked by Smith.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yalixqua was well out of range. Poor timing from Smith.
Yalixqua misses with a hook.
Smith throwing a counter right hand but Yalixqua manages to avoid it.
Yalixqua on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Smith. Smith obviously looking to wear him down.
Iaspero Yalixqua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circle momentarily. Smith darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Smith is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Yalixqua.
Yalixqua misses the jab.
Yalixqua throws a poor cross that misses
and Smith counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nice jab there from Smith.
Smith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Yalixqua with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Smith is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yalixqua can do to turn this around?
Smith slips under a jab from Yalixqua.
Smith was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Smith throws a body kick that misses.
Yalixqua looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith lands an overhand right.
Yalixqua blocks a head kick by Smith.
Smith just misses with a punch to the body.
Yalixqua throws a low kick but it's checked well by Smith.
Smith swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Yalixqua looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Smith throws a low kick but Yalixqua avoids it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith checks the leg kick nicely there.
Smith is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Yalixqua.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kenny Smith had his way with Iaspero Yalixqua in that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Yalixqua throws a low kick but Smith avoids it.
A solid body kick from Yalixqua.

Smith closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
A head punch on the inside from Smith fails to land.
Yalixqua swings wildly with an uppercut but Smith uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yalixqua lands a nice uppercut.
Yalixqua is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Smith is keeping busy.
Smith tries a knee to the head but Yalixqua blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yalixqua scores a nice knee to the body.
Smith scores with a nice hook to the head.
Yalixqua tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Smith misses with a knee to the head.
Yalixqua blocks a body shot from Smith.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Smith landing knees to the head.
Smith blocks a body shot from Yalixqua.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Yalixqua controls his hands.
Yalixqua presses Smith against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Yalixqua prevents a body shot from Smith.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.
Yalixqua can't find room to land a body shot as Smith controls the action.
Yalixqua stalling the fight.
Smith misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yalixqua stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Smith throws a punch but it's blocked by Yalixqua.
Yalixqua is leaning against Smith and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Yalixqua tries to throw a body punch but Smith avoids it by throwing Yalixqua back against the ropes.
Yalixqua lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Smith misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Smith fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Yalixqua blocks a body shot from Smith.
Smith throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Yalixquas head.
Yalixqua tries to work over Smith's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Yalixqua tries to throw a body punch but Smith avoids it by throwing Yalixqua back against the ropes.
Smith's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kenny Smith has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Yalixqua misses with a punch to the body.
Yalixqua goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Smith tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yalixqua pushes Smith back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Yalixqua is trying to maintain a safe position but Smith gets an underhook and turns Yalixqua into the ropes.
Yalixqua missing with knees to the body.
Yalixqua blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Yalixqua blocks an uppercut.
Yalixqua is trying to maintain a safe position but Smith gets an underhook and turns Yalixqua into the ropes.
Yalixqua prevents a body shot from Smith.
Smith blocks an uppercut.
Smith doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Yalixqua lands a nice uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Iaspero Yalixqua.
I think Smith 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 48:47
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 48:47
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 48:47

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenny Smith!
Kenny Smith retains his welterweight title!
During a confident post fight interview, Kenny Smith thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.