PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Kazuyuki Yamamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dirk Raeder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kazuyuki Yamamoto has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Yamamoto
vs
Raeder

175 cm
27
150 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
29
147 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

Dangerous knees
Cuts easily

Great elbows
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazuyuki Yamamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dirk Raeder!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Raeder closes the distance and clinches.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Raeder pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Yamamoto slips a jab and a cross from Raeder.
Raeder keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Yamamoto tries to keep at a distance but Raeder has taken the fight into the clinch.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Raeder avoids it.
Yamamoto on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Yamamoto avoiding damage as Raeder throws knees to the body.
Raeder is trying to push Yamamoto away but Yamamoto has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Yamamoto blocks the elbow strike.
Raeder tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Yamamoto avoids it.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Raeder avoids it.
Raeder has had enough of the clinch but Yamamoto keeps him there for the moment.
Yamamoto avoiding damage as Raeder throws knees to the body.
Yamamoto missing with knees to the body.
Yamamoto trying to land knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Yamamoto obliges.
A body shot lands from Raeder.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Raeder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raeder comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Kazuyuki Yamamoto has been cut.
Raeder tries to land a knee to the head but Yamamoto blocks with his arms.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Raeder throws an elbow but misses.
Yamamoto unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Yamamoto trying to land knees to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Raeder.
Yamamoto trying to land knees to the body.
Raeder wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Yamamoto has him pressed against the ropes.
Yamamoto using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Yamamoto wants to stall.
Yamamoto misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Raeder.
Yamamoto takes an elbow to the temple.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Raeder avoids it.
Raeder misses with a punch to the body.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Raeder just misses with a elbow thrown towards Yamamoto's brow.
Yamamoto is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Raeder is defending well for now.
Yamamoto looking to stall.
Yamamoto missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Raeder.
Raeder trying to control the position but instead, Yamamoto has worked for underhooks and has pushed Raeder into the ropes.
A short left from Raeder.

Raeder pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Yamamoto takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
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!
Raeder throws a lazy head kick

and Yamamoto holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Yamamoto unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the head but Raeder blocks with his arms.
Yamamoto throws a knee to the head but misses.
Yamamoto utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Raeder throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Raeder lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the head but Raeder blocks with his arms.
Yamamoto tries to land knees in the clinch but Raeder avoids the damage to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dirk Raeder will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kazuyuki Yamamoto's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Raeder fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Yamamoto, pushing him back against the ropes.
Yamamoto connects with a nasty looking knee right to Raeder's face.
Raeder throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Raeder breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Raeder forces Yamamoto back against the ropes and clinches.
Raeder lands a body shot.
Raeder is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Yamamoto is defending well for now.
Raeder tries to land knees in the clinch but Yamamoto avoids the damage to the body.
Yamamoto trying to land knees to the body.
Raeder trying to land knees to the body.
Raeder throws an elbow but it misses.
Raeder pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Raeder lands a body punch in the clinch.
Yamamoto with a knee to the head.
Yamamoto prevents Raeder from breaking the clinch.
Raeder scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Raeder fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Raeder breaks from the clinch.
Yamamoto throws a leg kick but Raeder checks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yamamoto clinches up against the ropes.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Raeder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Raeder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Dirk Raeder seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Yamamoto missing with knees to the body.
Raeder lands a damaging elbow.
Yamamoto is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Raeder is keeping busy.
Yamamoto misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Raeder.
Yamamoto misses with a knee strike.
Raeder is trying to break the clinch but Yamamoto has him pressed against the ropes.
Raeder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Raeder trying to land knees to the body.

Raeder breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Raeder throws a right hand that Yamamoto ducks under and follows up with a left that Yamamoto also avoids with ease.
Dirk Raeder is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yamamoto looks to throw the jab but Raeder is out of range.

Raeder takes the fight into the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Raeder obliges.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto lands a good knee to the midsection. Raeder won't want to take too many of those.
Raeder lands an elbow inside.
Yamamoto tries to land knees in the clinch but Raeder avoids the damage to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Raeder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Raeder breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Raeder pushes Yamamoto up against the ropes in a clinch.
Yamamoto misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Raeder.
Yamamoto with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Yamamoto avoids the elbow strike from Raeder, against the ropes.
Yamamoto misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Raeder.
Raeder tries to land knees in the clinch but Yamamoto avoids the damage to the body.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Raeder avoids it.
Yamamoto avoids a wild elbow strike from Raeder.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the head but Raeder blocks with his arms.
Raeder misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Raeder has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Yamamoto trying to land knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Raeder showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kazuyuki Yamamoto's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Yamamoto looks for the body kick but Raeder saw that one coming.

Yamamoto tries to keep at a distance but Raeder has taken the fight into the clinch.
Raeder landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Raeder avoiding damage as Yamamoto throws knees to the body.
Yamamoto missing with knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Raeder lands a damaging elbow.
Raeder creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Yamamoto's defenses.
Raeder is looking to control Yamamoto's arms but Yamamoto gets an underhook and turns him. Now Raeder has his back to the ropes.
Raeder putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Yamamoto in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Yamamoto on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Raeder creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short uppercut from Raeder.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the head but Raeder blocks with his arms.
Raeder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yamamoto missing with knees to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Raeder.
Raeder avoiding damage as Yamamoto throws knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Raeder throws an elbow but misses.
Raeder lands a damaging elbow.
Yamamoto takes a shot to the head.
Raeder throws an elbow but it misses.
Yamamoto throws a knee to the head but misses.
Raeder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Raeder is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Raeder avoids it.
Raeder is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Raeder avoids it.
Raeder has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Raeder throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Yamamoto blocks it with crossed arms.
Yamamoto landing knees to the body.
Raeder misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yamamoto misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Raeder.
Yamamoto's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raeder wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Yamamoto blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Yamamoto lands a good knee to the midsection. Raeder won't want to take too many of those.
Raeder looking to stall.
Raeder managing to block the knees to the body from Yamamoto.
Raeder lands a damaging elbow.
Yamamoto landing knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yamamoto missing with knees to the body.
Raeder lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Raeder avoiding damage as Yamamoto throws knees to the body.
Raeder dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.
Raeder trying to land knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Raeder throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Raeder managing to block the knees to the body from Yamamoto.
Raeder looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Raeder really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kazuyuki Yamamoto's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Yamamoto clinches up against the ropes.
Raeder avoiding damage as Yamamoto throws knees to the body.
Yamamoto is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Raeder is defending well for now.
Yamamoto unloads a knee to the mid-section. Raeder lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Yamamoto tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Raeder avoids it.
Raeder is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Raeder managing to block the knees to the body from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto looking to stall.
Knees in the clinch landing for Yamamoto.
Raeder pushes off an throws an elbow but Yamamoto leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Yamamoto tries to land knees in the clinch but Raeder avoids the damage to the body.
Raeder managing to block the knees to the body from Yamamoto.
Raeder working Yamamoto over with knees to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Raeder creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Yamamoto trying to land knees to the body.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Raeder tries to land knees in the clinch but Yamamoto avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Raeder pushes off an throws an elbow but Yamamoto leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raeder misses with a short punch on the inside.
Raeder lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Yamamoto lands a nice knee to the body.
Yamamoto avoids a wild elbow strike from Raeder.
Yamamoto on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Yamamoto takes an elbow to the temple.
Raeder can't break the clinch.
Raeder lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Yamamoto is rocked!

Raeder breaks the clinch.
Oh Yamamoto is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Raeder takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Raeder scores with a big combo that sends Yamamoto crashing to the mat! He's still conscious but the referee has seen enough as Yamamoto flops around uncontrollably and he's called an end to the fight! Raeder jumps onto the ropes and throws his mouthpiece into the crowd. Gross.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dirk Raeder!
Dirk Raeder decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.