PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Ikki Minami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sakke Somali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Minami kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is I'm Turning Japanese by The Vapors. Somali has chosen Sakke - Oonhan Suomalainen as his entrance music. Ikki Minami has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Minami
vs
Somali

170 cm
32
183 lbs
15 - 12 - 1

183 cm
28
180 lbs
19 - 8 - 1

World class boxer
Cardio machine

World class MT
Good gas tank

[CBK] LEGAL HIGHS « SFL ↑ 5x160Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Ikki Minami!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Sakke Somali!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Fujiwara and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Minami moves into the clinch.
Minami dodges an elbow strike from Somali.
Minami is trying to push Somali away but Somali has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Somali tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Minami looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Somali lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Minami.
Somali prevents Minami from breaking the clinch.
Minami is looking to break free of the clinch but Somali has double underhooks.
Somali lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Good body shot from Minami.
The referee calls for Somali to work.
Somali tries to work over Minami's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Nice elbow from Somali.
Minami is trying to break the clinch but Somali has him pressed against the ropes.
Come on Minami - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Somali tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Minami tries to break the clinch but Somali is controlling the position.
Minami has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minami tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Minami's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Minami misses the jab.
A combination from Minami does no damage.

Minami has Somali up against the ropes in a clinch.
Somali throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Somali throws an elbow but it misses.
Somali lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Ikki Minami has been cut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Somali.
Minami wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Somali keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Minami's efforts to push away.
Minami is trying to break the clinch but Somali is controlling him.
Somali lands a knee to the body.
Somali gets through Minami's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Minami takes an elbow to the forehead.
Somali is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Somali.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Minami takes a shot to the head.
Minami can't break the clinch.
Somali lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Minami.
Somali works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Somali with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Minami has a couple of punches blocked by Somali.
Somali tries to land knees in the clinch but Minami avoids the damage to the body.
Somali makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Somali content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Minami is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Somali scores with a nice hook to the head.
Somali is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Minami is trying to break the clinch but Somali is controlling him.
Minami tries to throw a body punch but Somali avoids it by throwing Minami back against the ropes.
Somali lands a good knee to the midsection. Minami won't want to take too many of those.
Minami blocks an elbow strike from Somali.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sakke Somali dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ikki Minami's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Minami avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Ikki Minami is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Minami misses with a wild body shot.
Minami walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Minami throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Minami jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Somali pushes Minami up against the ropes in a clinch.
Somali misses with a body punch.
Sakke Somali seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Somali gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Somali with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Somali unloads a knee to the mid-section.

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

Somali forces Minami back against the ropes and clinches.
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!
Minami looking to slow down the pace here.
Minami tries to break the clinch but Somali is controlling the position.
Minami tries to break the clinch but Somali is controlling the position.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Somali creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Somali effectively controlling the action here.
Minami working hard to break the clinch.

Minami pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Minami avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Minami is looking to land body kicks.
Somali lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Minami fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Somali lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Somali connects with an inside leg kick.
Somali tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Minami throws a right hand that Somali ducks under and follows up with a left that Somali also avoids with ease.
Somali throws a sloppy head kick and Minami moves out of range easily.
Minami looks to score with a jab to the body but Somali is just out of range.
Minami misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Somali connects with a leg kick. Minami looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Minami fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Somali fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Minami, pushing him back against the ropes.
A nice right hand lands inside from Somali.

Minami breaks from the clinch.
Minami misses with an attempted mid kick.
Minami throws a half hearted mid kick.

Minami clinches.
Somali dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.
Somali tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Minami avoids it.
Nice elbow from Somali.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Somali tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Somali goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Somali prevents Minami from breaking the clinch.
Somali missing with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sakke Somali showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ikki Minami's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Somali moves out of range as Minami throws a body kick.
Somali turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Some wild striking there from Minami.
Ikki Minami seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Minami moves into the clinch.
Minami tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Minami misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Somali.
The referee calls for Somali to work.
Minami comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Minami looking to stall.
Minami wants to break free but Somali has control.

Minami manages to break the clinch.
Somali looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Minami throws a head kick that misses.
Somali attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minami takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Somali uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Minami.
Somali cracks Minami with an open hand slap.

Somali gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Somali throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Minami blocks it with crossed arms.
Minami is looking to break free of the clinch but Somali has double underhooks.
Minami looking to stall.
Minami wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Somali dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.
Somali throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Somali scores with a hook to the body.
Somali misses with an elbow strike.
Minami can't break the clinch.
Somali softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Somali.

Minami is rocked!
Somali cracks Minami on the bridge of the nose with a nasty looking elbow! Minami crumples to the floor in pain, holding his face! It doesn't look like he's going to beat the count - he's out of it! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:14 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Elbows). Sakke Somali!
In his post fight interview, Sakke Somali started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.