PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Holden James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kelemi Kakuno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

James
vs
Kakuno

178 cm
25
182 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

181 cm
23
165 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Hell's Balls Recovery

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Holden James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kelemi Kakuno!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Thiago Cunha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James misses with an uppercut.
James moves out of range of the body kick from Kakuno.
James throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Kakuno gets tackled into the cage by James. James maintains the clinch.
James working hard to break the clinch.
James misses with a hook from the clinch.
James lands an elbow just above Kakuno 's eye.

It looks like Kelemi Kakuno has been cut.
James missing with knees to the body.
James doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kakuno tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kakuno struggles to land a body shot inside as James controls his hands.
Kakuno dodges an elbow strike from James.
Kakuno tries a body shot but James blocks it.
James misses with a punch on the inside.
James swings away with an uppercut that misses.
James working Kakuno over with knees to the body.
James lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Kakuno prevents a body shot from James.
Kakuno tried to land a shot to the body but connects with James's elbow.
James struggles to land a body shot inside as Kakuno controls his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kakuno tried to land a shot to the body but connects with James's elbow.
James can't find room to land a body shot as Kakuno controls the action.
A nice left hand lands by James.

James's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kakuno fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but James avoids it really well and circles away.
No joy there for Kakuno, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
James lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That has opened up Kelemi Kakuno's cut even more.
James misses with a looping left.
Holden James seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kakuno defending well as James loads up on a big left hand.
James connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Kakuno throws a leg kick that misses.
Kakuno moves out of range of the body kick from James.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kakuno has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Kakuno there as he acknowledges the shot.
Kakuno connects with a high kick.
A slow jab from James misses its intended target.
James throws a jab but it's blocked by Kakuno.
Nice body punch from Kakuno.
James lands with a straight right. Kakuno didn't see that one coming.

The cut above Kelemi Kakuno's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Kakuno thows a body shot but no joy.
A good leg kick by Kakuno.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kakuno looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
James misses with a low kick.
James is looking to clinch but Kakuno is avoiding it.
Holden James is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
James throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kakuno looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
James tries a head kick but it misses.
Kakuno scores with a spinning back kick!
Kakuno connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Kakuno ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
James misses with a head kick.
James throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
James misses the jab.
Kakuno looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
James's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kakuno connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! James scrambles back to his feet.

James clinches up with Kakuno and pushes him back against the cage.
James pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
James tries to land knees in the clinch but Kakuno avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James blocks a body shot from Kakuno.
Kakuno misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kakuno lands with a left to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kakuno struggles to land a body shot inside as James controls his hands.
James wants to break free but Kakuno has control.
James has a couple of punches blocked by Kakuno.
James prevents a body shot from Kakuno.
James lands a hook that snaps the head of Kakuno backwards.
Kakuno blocking some punches.

James pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kakuno misses with a body kick.
Kakuno motions for James to come forward. Kakuno throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
James throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Kakuno swings for the body but James moves out of range.
Kakuno misses with a body kick.

Kakuno shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Kakuno was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holden James dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kelemi Kakuno's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

James fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kakuno looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
A head kick by James misses
and Kakuno cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
James is looking to land body kicks.
James swings and misses with a hook to the body.
James scores with a nice head shot.
James throws a jab when Kakuno was well out of range.
James misses with a straight left.
James looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
James throws a body kick that misses.
Kakuno swings for the body but James moves out of range.
Kakuno lands a jab to the nose.
Kakuno clobbers James with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kakuno gets cracked there but stands up to it.
James steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Kakuno. That one must have hurt.
A big left from James misses.
James tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
James misses with an uppercut. Kakuno saw that one coming.
Kakuno looks for the body kick but James saw that one coming.
James avoids the head kick by Kakuno.
James is looking to land body kicks.
Kakuno misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from James.
James jabs Kakuno to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Kakuno tries to clinch up but James circles away and keeps his distance.
James tries to clinch there but Kakuno circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kakuno throws a head kick but James moves out of range.
Kakuno throws a head kick that misses.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kakuno circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kakuno counters with a series of strikes. James will be more careful next time no doubt.
Kakuno avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kakuno takes one to the chin there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kakuno just misses with a punch to the body.
James looking to land some kicks to the body here.
James throws a right hand that Kakuno ducks under and follows up with a left that Kakuno also avoids with ease.
James cracks Kakuno with a good jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James loads up on a big right hand but Kakuno slips the punch.
James is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Kakuno.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
James looks for the body kick but Kakuno saw that one coming.
Kakuno throws a front kick aimed at James's knee but James avoids it well.
James tries to move into range but Kakuno moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A nice combination there by Kakuno.
James throws out a loose jab but Kakuno uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kakuno is looking to chop away at James's legs.
Kakuno throws a body kick that misses.
Kakuno takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Kakuno takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James tries to move into range but Kakuno moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Kakuno fails with a takedown attempt.
Kakuno throws a push kick but James slaps the foot to one side.
Kakuno walks into a jab.
Kakuno throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Jab, jab by James - just one landing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kakuno throws a low kick but James moves out of range easily.
James throws a big shot that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A solid body kick from James.
James throws a head kick that misses.
Holden James is winning the standup battle so far.
James misses with a hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holden James dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kelemi Kakuno's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Some bone on bone action there as James checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Kakuno works over James's head and body with a nice combination.
Kakuno looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? James is fending him off so far but Kakuno persists. Nope, James circles away and we're back to standing.
James misses with a straight left.
James throws a jab but it's blocked by Kakuno.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Kakuno lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and James has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from James and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
James fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kakuno keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
James tries to clinch up but Kakuno circles away and keeps his distance.
James misses with a straight left.
James is looking to clinch but Kakuno is avoiding it.
James will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kakuno throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
James pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
James throws a series of punches but Kakuno moves out of range.
Kakuno misses with a series of wild punches.
James tries to clinch up.
Kakuno fails with a takedown attempt.
A solid body kick from Kakuno.
Kakuno takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Kelemi Kakuno has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Holden James is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kakuno finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
James takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
James jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
An inside leg kick from Kakuno misses.
Kakuno displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as James throws out the jab.
James turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Kakuno blocks the leg kick.
Kakuno keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from James.
A shot to the liver by James. Beautiful body shot.
James takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
James moves in looking to clinch but Kakuno pushes him off.
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!
Kakuno fakes high and swings low for a body shot but James manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kakuno.
James pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kakuno tries to work over James's front leg with a kick but James checks it.
James tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kakuno manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
James will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
James cracks Kakuno with a good jab.
James moves forwards but Kakuno connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Kakuno looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
James scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Kakuno has closed the distance and engaged James in a clinch.
Kakuno avoiding damage as James throws knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Kakuno fails to land.
James pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kakuno.
Kakuno misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kakuno working some nice short punches in the clinch.
James misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kakuno misses with a punch to the body.
James is trying to break free.
Kakuno lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kakuno can't find room to land a body shot as James controls the action.
Kakuno struggles to land a body shot inside as James controls his hands.
James tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kakuno avoids it.
James lands an elbow inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kelemi Kakuno.
I think James 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Holden James!
Holden James decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.