PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marley King (ranked 4112 p4p, 5056 weight class) and Saint Arai (ranked 248 p4p, 285 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

King
vs
Arai

177 cm
18
145
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
148
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Marley King!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Saint Arai!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yuuki Gou and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
King takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Arai cracks King with an open hand slap.
Arai's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Arai duly obliges.
Arai is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by King.
King misses with a hook
and Arai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
King tests Arai's chin there with a solid looking shot.
King misses the shot to the body.
King throws a poor cross that misses
and Arai counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
King definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
A looping hook to the body misses from King. Arai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Arai fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
King throws an overhand right that lands on Arai's shoulder, as Arai tries to avoid the shot.
King misses with an uppercut
and Arai counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Arai moves out of range as King strikes.
King throws a lazy right hand but Arai sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A countering left hand to the body from Arai misses.
King misses with a body shot.
Arai bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Arai lands a body shot.
Arai scores with a shot to the body.
Arai dips to his left and cracks King with an uppercut!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arai sizes up King with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A big left from King misses.
King throws a looping overhand right but Arai ducks down to avoid it.
Arai takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Arai misses the shot to the body.
King misses with a hook. Arai ducked under it nicely.
Arai missing with a left hand there. King was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
King throws a poor cross that misses
and King takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
King connects with a looping right hand.
A telegraphed right hand from King misses the target.
Danga de danga de dang - Arai scores with a four punch combination!
King misses with an uppercut. Arai saw that one coming.
King looks to throw the jab but Arai is out of range.
Arai lands a slapping body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Arai tests King's chin there with a solid looking shot.
King fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Arai manages to avoid it.
King misses the body punch
and Arai counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arai keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from King.
Arai is looking for the big counter here.
Arai throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A jab from King misses.
King misses with a left hand
and King takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Arai misses with an uppercut. King saw that one coming.
King misses with a looping left.
King defending well as Arai loads up on a big left hand.
King is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Arai.
King takes a body punch but keeps moving.
King lands with a straight right. Arai didn't see that one coming.
King uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Arai.
King throws a jab when Arai was well out of range.
A nice side step and Arai releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Marley King seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
King misses with an uppercut
and Arai counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
King dips to his left and cracks Arai with an uppercut!
A shot to the liver by King. Beautiful body shot.
King closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Arai slips under a jab from King.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arai misses with a hook.
It looked like King was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Arai.
King just misses with a punch to the body.
Arai let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
King lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
King throws a hook to the side of Arai's head but Arai sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
King avoids a punch combination nicely.
King throws a looping overhand right but Arai ducks down to avoid it.
Arai throws an overhand right that lands on King's shoulder, as King tries to avoid the shot.
King throws a right hand that misses
and Arai counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
King throws an off balance right hand
and Arai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
King tries to move into range but Arai moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
King misses with a right hand
and Arai counters with a stiff right hand.
Arai looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
King keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Arai.
Decent striking displayed by King there.
Arai is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! King had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
King misses with a left hand
and Arai counters with a straight right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Arai slips a straight right by King.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King connects with a crisp jab.
King throws a hook but Arai blocks it.
A nice side step and Arai releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Arai listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
King looks to throw the jab but Arai is out of range.
King is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Arai misses with an uppercut. King saw that one coming.
King swings widly with a right hand
and Arai counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Arai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but King was well out of range. Poor timing from Arai.
Arai throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent King stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
King loads up on a big right hand but Arai slips the punch.
Arai looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Arai looks to land a right hand but King moved out of range.
King throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Arai misses the target.
King throws an overhand right that lands on Arai's shoulder, as Arai tries to avoid the shot.
Arai listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Arai with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling King to score with a decent uppercut.
Arai uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from King.
Despite the aggression on Arai's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Arai works King's body with a nice hook.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Arai.
A looping hook to the body misses from King. Arai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Arai looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
King cracks Arai with a right hand to the side of the head.
Arai works King's body with a nice hook.
King scores with a nice right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from King. Arai does a little dance to reset his feet.
King misses with an uppercut.
A countering left hand to the body from Arai misses.
King swings widly with a right hand
and Arai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Arai is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by King.
King throws a lazy uppercut
and Arai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Arai loads up on a big right hand but King slips the punch.
King throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Arai scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
This has been an exciting period of action!
King connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Arai's hands.
King misses with a straight left.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
King misses with a hook
and Arai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Arai slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
King throws a body shot but no joy.
King just misses with a punch to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Arai.
King throws a jab when Arai was well out of range.
Arai swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Arai takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Arai lands a nice hook to King's body. King takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Arai defending well as King loads up on a big left hand.
King doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
King looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Arai uses good head movement to avoid the hook from King.
King lands a jab to the head.
Good shot there by King.
King uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Arai.
King throws a jab when Arai was well out of range.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Arai keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from King.
Arai throws out a counter right but King avoids it with no problem.
King throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Arai scores with a body shot.
King ducks right into an uppercut from Arai.
King tries to clinch up.
Arai lands a right hook to the body.
King misses with an uppercut. Arai saw that one coming.
Arai scores with a body shot.
Arai waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract King.
King connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Arai lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
King throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Arai to counter with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Arai connects with a body shot.
King swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Arai counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Arai throws out a powerful jab.
King tries to clinch there but Arai circles away.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Arai.
Arai slips a straight right by King.
King digs a good body shot into Arai's ribs.
Arai connects with a looping right hand.
King misses with a hook
and Arai counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
King takes a swing at Arai's ribcage but misses.
Arai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
King throws a hook but Arai avoids it easily.
King throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A jab from Arai does it's job there.
Arai misses with a straight left.
King loads up on a big right hand but Arai slips the punch.
Arai keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from King.
King misses with a body shot
and Arai counters with a series of strikes. King will be more careful next time no doubt.
King takes a shot right to the bread basket.
King needs to keep his hands up - Arai had a free shot at his head there.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Arai scores with a jab to the body.
King misses with an uppercut
and Arai counters with a three punch combo that has King backing up. King nods at Arai to acknowledge the strikes.
Arai dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Arai swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by King.
King misses with a looping right.
King throws a right hand that misses
and Arai counters with a right hand to the body.
King throws a looping overhand right but Arai ducks down to avoid it.
Arai throws a shot from downtown. King moves away and avoids it.
Arai lands a right hook to the body.
Arai thuds a left hand into King's body.
King thows a left - swing and a miss!
King takes a swing at Arai's ribcage but misses.
Arai looks like he wants to counter punch here.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
King loads up on a big right hand but Arai slips the punch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Arai digs a good body shot into King's ribs.
The crowd cheers as Arai lands an impressive looking overhand right. King doesn't seem phased though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Saint Arai dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

King misses with a right hand
and Arai counters with a lovely straight right hand!
King waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Arai.
Arai digs a good body shot into King's ribs.
A big right from Arai misses.
King takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
King throws a right hand that misses
and Arai counters with a lovely straight right hand!
King moves forwards but Arai connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Arai displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as King throws out the jab.
King takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
King throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Arai counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
King throws a lazy right hand but Arai sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
King throws a body punch but Arai moves out of range.
King ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Arai moves away.
King catches Arai with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Arai thows a left - swing and a miss!

King takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arai is looking to break free of the clinch but King has double underhooks.
King leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Arai wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Arai wants to get back to striking at distance but King won't allow it.
King lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Arai backwards.
King prevents Arai from breaking the clinch.
King misses with the head strike.
King has Arai pressed against the ropes, preventing Arai from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Arai blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A right hook to the body lands for Arai.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Arai as King tries to tie him up.
Arai can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arai is trying to break free.
A frustrated look appears on Arai's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Arai is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Arai wants to break the clinch but can't.
Arai has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A frustrated look appears on Arai's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Arai has had enough of the clinch but King keeps him there for the moment.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from King.
Arai is trying to break the clinch but King is controlling him.
Arai is trying to break the clinch but King is controlling him.
Arai is trying to break the clinch but King is controlling him.
King keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Arai's efforts to push away.
Arai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
King prevents Arai from breaking the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Arai up against the ropes.
King lands a left hand that snaps the head of Arai backwards.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Arai as King tries to tie him up.
Arai is trying to break the clinch but King is controlling him.
Arai wants to break the clinch but can't.
Arai takes a shot to the head.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
King swings wildly with an uppercut but Arai uses good head movement to avoid it.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King swings wildly with an uppercut but Arai uses good head movement to avoid it.
King has a couple of punches blocked by Arai.
Arai wants to break the clinch but can't.
King looking to slow down the pace here.
Arai is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Arai working hard to break the clinch.
Arai tries to break the clinch but King is controlling the position.
Arai misses with a short punch on the inside.
King keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Arai's efforts to push away.
Arai is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Marley King has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's five minutes gone in the round.
King has a couple of punches blocked by Arai.
Arai can't break the clinch.
Arai is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Arai blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Arai tries to break the clinch but King is controlling the position.
Arai is trying to break the clinch but King has him pressed against the ropes.
Arai has had enough of the clinch but King keeps him there for the moment.
Arai blocks the elbow strike.
Arai is trying to force a seperation but King has the dominant position.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Arai.
King is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Arai is keeping busy.
A quick uppercut on the inside from King.
Arai tries to break the clinch but King is controlling the position.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
King misses with some punches.
Arai is trying to push King away but King has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
King slows down the pace here.
Arai wants to break the clinch but can't.
King is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Arai is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Arai is trying to break the clinch but King has him pressed against the ropes.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
King keeps control of Arai as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Arai wants to get back to striking at distance but King won't allow it.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Arai is trying to break the clinch but King has him pressed against the ropes.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
King has a couple of punches blocked by Arai.
Arai wants to break free but King has control.
Arai tries to break the clinch but King is controlling the position.
Arai is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Arai blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Arai tries to break the clinch but King is controlling the position.
Arai is trying to break the clinch but King has him pressed against the ropes.
King tries to throw a body punch but Arai avoids it by throwing King back against the ropes.
Arai wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but King has him pressed against the ropes.
King is trying to stall.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
A frustrated look appears on Arai's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Arai can't break the clinch.
Arai wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
King lands a left hand.
King trying to control the position but instead, Arai has worked for underhooks and has pushed King into the ropes.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Saint Arai is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A shot in the inside from Arai.
King throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Arais head.
Marley King has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Arai is looking to break free of the clinch but King has double underhooks.
King lands a right hand that snaps the head of Arai backwards.
King lands with a left to the head.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Arai tries to break the clinch but King is controlling the position.
King is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Arai is keeping busy.
Arai wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
King throws a punch but it's blocked by Arai.
King misses with a hook from the clinch.
King misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for King.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Arai.
King prevents Arai from breaking the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
King misses with some punches.
King misses with a short punch on the inside.
King wants to stall.
King misses with a punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marley King showed his dominance in that final round.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Saint Arai!
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight for Saint Arai!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Saint Arai!

Saint Arai wins by unanimous decision!