PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Marcus Herado (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryuk Mizugaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Herado
vs
Mizugaki

175 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

195 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

Great elbows
Good chin

Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marcus Herado!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryuk Mizugaki!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mizugaki plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Herado uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mizugaki.
Mizugaki scores with the left hand. Herado knows he should have avoided that one.
Mizugaki tries a head kick but it misses.
Mizugaki lands with a thumping leg kick.
Herado throws a jab but it's blocked by Mizugaki.
Mizugaki avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Herado throws a right hand that Mizugaki ducks under and follows up with a left that Mizugaki also avoids with ease.

Mizugaki gets tackled into the ropes by Herado. Herado maintains the clinch.
Mizugaki is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Mizugaki looking to slow down the pace here.
Mizugaki is trying to break the clinch but Herado is controlling him.
Mizugaki taking a breather.
Mizugaki is trying to break the clinch but Herado has him pressed against the ropes.
Herado lands an elbow inside.
Herado lands a nice elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Mizugaki's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Herado trying to stall but Mizugaki improves his position.
Herado is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Herado lands an elbow inside that Mizugaki shrugs off.

It looks like Ryuk Mizugaki has been cut.
Mizugaki is trying to break free.
Mizugaki is trying to break the clinch but Herado is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Herado throws an elbow but misses.
Herado tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mizugaki avoids it.
Mizugaki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Mizugaki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Herado tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mizugaki avoids it.
Herado on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Mizugaki is trying to break the clinch but Herado is controlling him.
Herado comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Herado tries to land knees in the clinch but Mizugaki avoids the damage to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mizugaki breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mizugaki is looking to clinch.

Mizugaki clinches with his opponent.
Herado missing with knees to the body.
Mizugaki wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mizugaki blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Herado lands an elbow inside.
Mizugaki tries to land knees in the clinch but Herado avoids the damage to the body.
Mizugaki tries a knee to the head but Herado blocks it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Herado creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Mizugaki has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mizugaki avoiding damage as Herado throws knees to the body.
Herado lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Mizugaki has had enough of the clinch but Herado keeps him there for the moment.
Mizugaki can't break the clinch.
Herado keeps control of Mizugaki as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herado trying to control the position but instead, Mizugaki has worked for underhooks and has pushed Herado into the ropes.

Mizugaki escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A punch combination from Mizugaki misses.
Mizugaki moves in looking to clinch but Herado pushes him off.
Mizugaki tries to clinch there but Herado circles away.
Mizugaki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Herado.
Mizugaki throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Herado.

Mizugaki rushes Herado and presses him up against the ropes.
Herado gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Mizugaki working hard to break the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Herado just misses with a elbow thrown towards Mizugaki's brow.
Mizugaki trying to stall but Herado improves his position.
Herado trying to land knees to the body.
Herado creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mizugaki's defenses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mizugaki avoiding damage as Herado throws knees to the body.
Mizugaki looking to stall.
Mizugaki is persisting with his attempts to control the action in the clinch, rather than do any real damage.
Herado comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Mizugaki manages to break the clinch.
Mizugaki dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Mizugaki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Herado swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mizugaki misses with a head kick.
Herado showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mizugaki.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Herado tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Mizugaki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Herado misses with a jab, cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryuk Mizugaki dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ryuk Mizugaki's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A head kick misses from Mizugaki.
Mizugaki will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mizugaki looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A telegraphed right hand from Mizugaki misses the target.
Ryuk Mizugaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mizugaki bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Mizugaki looks for the body kick but Herado saw that one coming.
Herado swats away the attempt to clinch by Mizugaki.

Herado darts in and clinches Mizugaki up against the ropes.
Herado tries to stall but Mizugaki uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Mizugaki breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Herado tries to clinch there but Mizugaki circles away.
Herado circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herado tries to close the distance and clinch but Mizugaki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mizugaki throws a series of punches but Herado avoids them all with ease.
Mizugaki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Herado swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mizugaki throws an overhand right that lands on Herado's shoulder, as Herado tries to avoid the shot.
Herado tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mizugaki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mizugaki fails to land with a series of punches.
Mizugaki pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Herado instigates a clinch.
Mizugaki avoids the elbow strike from Herado, against the ropes.
Herado missing with knees to the body.
Mizugaki blocks an elbow strike.
Mizugaki tries to break free but Herado pushes him back against the ropes.
Herado is trying to maintain a safe position but Mizugaki gets an underhook and turns Herado into the ropes.
Mizugaki is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Mizugaki has had enough of the clinch but Herado keeps him there for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mizugaki breaks from the clinch.
Mizugaki misses with a wild combination.

Herado gets tackled into the ropes by Mizugaki. Mizugaki maintains the clinch.
Herado lands an elbow that stopped Mizugaki in his tracks for a moment.
Mizugaki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Mizugaki misses with a short punch on the inside.
Herado lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Mizugaki is trying to break the clinch but Herado has him pressed against the ropes.
Herado lands an elbow just above Mizugaki 's eye.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mizugaki avoids a wild elbow strike from Herado.
Mizugaki avoids a wild elbow strike from Herado.
Mizugaki is trying to push Herado away but Herado has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Mizugaki with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Herado leaning against his opponent.
Herado missing with knees to the body.
Herado looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herado managing to block the knees to the body from Mizugaki.

Mizugaki breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mizugaki misses with an uppercut
and Herado counters with a two punch combo.
Herado swats away the attempt to clinch by Mizugaki.
Herado lands a really nice looking cross but Mizugaki seems unphased.
Mizugaki lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Mizugaki looks to score with a jab to the body but Herado is just out of range.
Mizugaki lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Herado circles away quickly and effectively.
Mizugaki is breathing heavily.
Mizugaki swats away the attempt to clinch by Herado.
Mizugaki lands a jab.
Mizugaki cracks Herado with a right hand to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Mizugaki. Those never looked like landing.
Herado ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Herado fails to land with a series of punches.
Mizugaki wants to clinch.
Herado fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Herado tries to close the distance and clinch but Mizugaki swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Herado circles away from the clinch attempt.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Herado is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mizugaki.
Mizugaki misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Herado.
Herado swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ryuk Mizugaki will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ryuk Mizugaki's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Herado throws the left hand but Mizugaki avoids the punch easily.
Herado throws a right hand that Mizugaki ducks under and follows up with a left that Mizugaki also avoids with ease.
Mizugaki is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Herado is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mizugaki throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Marcus Herado is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mizugaki swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Herado.
Mizugaki tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A combination from Herado does no damage.
Mizugaki thows a body shot but no joy.
Mizugaki wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Ryuk Mizugaki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mizugaki tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Mizugaki closes the distance and pushes Herado back into the ropes.
Herado misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mizugaki.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mizugaki is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Herado is defending well for now.
Mizugaki trying to stall but Herado improves his position.
Herado throws an elbow but it misses.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Herado just misses with a elbow thrown towards Mizugaki's brow.
Mizugaki working hard to break the clinch.
Marcus Herado has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Mizugaki stalling in the clinch but Herado improves position.
Herado lands an elbow inside.

Mizugaki breaks from the clinch.

Herado darts in and clinches Mizugaki up against the ropes.
Herado throws an elbow that misses.
Herado trying to control the position but instead, Mizugaki has worked for underhooks and has pushed Herado into the ropes.
Maybe Herado would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Mizugaki is trying to break the clinch but Herado has him pressed against the ropes.
Mizugaki is trying to break the clinch but Herado is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mizugaki looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Herado on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Herado trying to land knees to the body.
Mizugaki is looking to break free of the clinch but Herado has double underhooks.
Herado tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Mizugaki avoids it.

Mizugaki's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Herado is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Mizugaki's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Herado tries to clinch up but Mizugaki circles away and keeps his distance.
Mizugaki connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Herado misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Herado wants to clinch up but Mizugaki keeps it at a distance.
Mizugaki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Herado thows a left - swing and a miss!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mizugaki looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mizugaki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mizugaki wants to clinch.

Herado forces Mizugaki back against the ropes and clinches.
Mizugaki lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Mizugaki has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Herado creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Mizugaki's defenses.
Herado takes a knee to the side of the body.
Herado misses with an elbow strike.
Mizugaki blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Herado is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mizugaki is defending well for now.
Mizugaki taking a breather.
Mizugaki wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Herado has him pressed against the ropes.
Mizugaki dodges an elbow strike from Herado.

Mizugaki breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Marcus Herado has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ryuk Mizugaki is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herado tries to clinch but Mizugaki is having none of it.
Mizugaki takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Mizugaki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Herado drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Herado blocks the body kick.
Mizugaki swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Herado holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Herado lands a nice elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mizugaki blocks the elbow strike.
Herado missing with knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Herado.

That has opened up Ryuk Mizugaki's cut even more.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Herado.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Herado stalling.
Mizugaki avoids a wild elbow strike from Herado.
Mizugaki blocks the elbow strike.
Herado misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mizugaki.

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 Marcus Herado.
I think Mizugaki has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryuk Mizugaki!