PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Mario Maci (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yukihiro Yamamoto Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Maci
vs
Yamamoto Jr

195 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
148 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good kicks
KO power

Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mario Maci!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yukihiro Yamamoto Jr!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yukihiro Shimada and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yamamoto Jr keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Yamamoto Jr avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Maci throws a chopping leg kick but Yamamoto Jr manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Maci throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Maci misses with a double jab
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a thumping low kick.
The fighters circle momentarily. Yamamoto Jr darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Yamamoto Jr feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Maci's calf.
Maci swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Maci has Yamamoto Jr up against the ropes in a clinch.
Yamamoto Jr misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yamamoto Jr misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Yamamoto Jr doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Maci trying to land knees to the body.
Maci wants to break the clinch but can't.
Maci is trying to break free.
Yamamoto Jr tries to stall but Maci uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Maci escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yamamoto Jr fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maci throws a half hearted mid kick.
Maci throws a leg kick that is checked
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a nice uppercut.
Yamamoto Jr with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nice shot by Yamamoto Jr.
Yamamoto Jr lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Yamamoto Jr is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Maci.
Maci throws a nice outside leg kick.
Mario Maci seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A low kick from Maci is predictable there
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a nice low kick that buckles Maci's knee momentarily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Maci.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Yamamoto Jr checks a leg kick.
Yamamoto Jr lands a leg kick that knocks Maci off balance momentarily.
A good leg kick by Maci.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maci tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Yamamoto Jr manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Maci connects with a solid leg kick.

Maci rushes Yamamoto Jr and presses him up against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto Jr lands a nice uppercut.
Yamamoto Jr has a couple of punches blocked by Maci.
Maci landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Maci breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Maci throws a solid leg kick but Yamamoto Jr takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Maci.
Yamamoto Jr throws a leg kick but Maci sees it coming and moves out of range.
Maci takes a swing at Yamamoto Jr's ribcage but misses.
Maci tries to clinch up.
Yamamoto Jr lands with an uppercut that bounces Maci off the ropes and back into range.
Maci stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Yamamoto Jr.
Yamamoto Jr scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Yamamoto Jr throws a chopping leg kick but Maci manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Maci moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Maci really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Maci misses with a few strikes there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maci tries to clinch but Yamamoto Jr moves out of range.
Yamamoto Jr throws a leg kick but Maci sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Maci walks into a jab.
Yamamoto Jr scores with a jab.
Maci cracks the inside of Yamamoto Jr's front leg.
Maci checks a low kick from Yamamoto Jr.
Yamamoto Jr avoids the head kick by Maci.
Yamamoto Jr lands a nice leg kick that just misses Maci's sensitive parts.
Maci throws a leg kick that is checked
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a stiff right hand.
Maci is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maci takes a jab right on the kisser.
Maci will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Maci throws out a leg kick but Yamamoto Jr moves out of range and Maci only half commits.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maci misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yamamoto Jr is looking to chop away at Maci's legs.
Yamamoto Jr is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Maci had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Maci throws a leg kick
and Yamamoto Jr counters with an outside leg kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Yamamoto Jr crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Maci - the referee stops the clock and Yamamoto Jr gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Maci. Yamamoto Jr manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Maci looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Yamamoto Jr connects with a jab.
Maci ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Yamamoto Jr blocks the body kick.
Maci takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maci tries to work over Yamamoto Jr's front leg with a kick but Yamamoto Jr checks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Maci rushes Yamamoto Jr and presses him up against the ropes.
Maci wants to break the clinch but can't.
Yamamoto Jr has a couple of punches blocked by Maci.
Yamamoto Jr lands a left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Maci dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Yamamoto Jr keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maci throws a leg kick that is checked
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a three punch combo that has Maci backing up. Maci nods at Yamamoto Jr to acknowledge the strikes.
Maci gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Maci moves out of range of the leg kick from Yamamoto Jr.
Mario Maci is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maci throws a leg kick
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a stiff right hand.
Yamamoto Jr looks to land a combination but Maci avoids it well.
Maci misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yamamoto Jr tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Yamamoto Jr scores with a sloppy right hand. Maci should have avoided that one.
Maci is looking to clinch but Yamamoto Jr is avoiding it.
Maci misses with a low kick.
Maci cracks the inside of Yamamoto Jr's front leg.
Yamamoto Jr lands a leg kick that knocks Maci off balance momentarily.
Maci takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Maci is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maci thows a leg kick but Yamamoto Jr checks it
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Yamamoto Jr wants to slow Maci down by chopping away at his legs.
Maci fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Yamamoto Jr is out of range.
Maci uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Yamamoto Jr.
Maci swinging wildly here.
Maci throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Yamamoto Jr.

Yamamoto Jr tries to keep at a distance but Maci has taken the fight into the clinch.

Maci breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Yamamoto Jr shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Maci eats them both and turns towards Yamamoto Jr to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
A good leg kick by Maci.
Maci on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Maci throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Yamamoto Jr counters with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maci misses with a combination
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a nice uppercut.
Maci throws a leg kick but Yamamoto Jr moved away.
Maci throws a head kick but Yamamoto Jr moves out of range.
Yamamoto Jr checks a leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yamamoto Jr on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Maci fails in his attempt to clinch.
Maci throws a leg kick
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a low kick, right behind Maci 's knee.
Maci looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Yamamoto Jr on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Maci. Maci obviously looking to wear him down.
Maci throws a sloppy head kick and Yamamoto Jr moves out of range easily.
Maci looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Maci drives through and clinches with Yamamoto Jr against the ropes.
Yamamoto Jr misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto Jr goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Maci wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Maci blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Maci breaks the clinch.
Yamamoto Jr throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Maci.
Maci will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Maci lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Good leg kick by Yamamoto Jr there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
A left lands for Yamamoto Jr.
Maci tries to clinch up but Yamamoto Jr circles away and keeps his distance.
Yamamoto Jr scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Yamamoto Jr lands with a thumping leg kick.
Maci throws a low kick but Yamamoto Jr avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Yamamoto Jr.
Yamamoto Jr circles away from the clinch attempt.
Yamamoto Jr jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Maci checks the leg kick nicely there.
Some bone on bone action there as Yamamoto Jr checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Maci thows a leg kick but Yamamoto Jr checks it
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a good low kick that Maci was not able to check.
Maci tries to close the distance and clinch up but Yamamoto Jr swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Yamamoto Jr, as that shot connected.
A leg kick checked by Yamamoto Jr.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yamamoto Jr turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maci misses with a two punch combination.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Maci.
Maci slips a jab from Yamamoto Jr.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Yamamoto Jr, right into the meat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Maci dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Maci misses with a leg kick
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a nice uppercut.
Maci on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Yamamoto Jr cracks Maci with an open hand slap.
A low kick from Maci is predictable there
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a nice uppercut.
Maci misses with a low kick.
Mario Maci is winning the standup battle so far.

Maci clinches up with Yamamoto Jr and pushes him back against the ropes.

Maci breaks from the clinch.
Maci misses with a combination
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a thumping low kick.
Maci walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Yamamoto Jr checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Maci uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Yamamoto Jr.
Yamamoto Jr throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Yamamoto Jr tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Maci is able to avoid easily.
Maci misses with a combination
and Maci takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maci throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Maci drops his hands momentarily and Yamamoto Jr takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Maci checks the leg kick.
Yamamoto Jr swats away the attempt to clinch by Maci.
A low kick from Maci misses
and Yamamoto Jr counters with an outside leg kick.
Yamamoto Jr throws the left hand but Maci avoids the punch easily.
Yamamoto Jr is looking to score with low kicks.
Maci thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Yamamoto Jr if he has to take too many more of those.
A big right from Yamamoto Jr misses.
Maci throws a lazy head kick
enabling Yamamoto Jr to counter with a crisp jab.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Yamamoto Jr, as that shot connected.
Yamamoto Jr tries to land a front kick but Maci steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Maci will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yamamoto Jr checks a leg kick.
Yamamoto Jr has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Maci.
Maci checks a low kick from Yamamoto Jr.
Maci lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maci goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Maci ducks under a wild hook from Yamamoto Jr.
Maci throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maci throws a leg kick that is checked
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Yamamoto Jr throws a hook but Maci blocks it.
Yamamoto Jr moves into range and connects with a jab.
Maci throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Yamamoto Jr takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Yamamoto Jr throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Maci wants to land a leg kick but Yamamoto Jr is out of range.
Yamamoto Jr takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A combination from Maci does no damage.
Mario Maci is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maci takes a jab right on the kisser.
Maci is looking to score with low kicks.
Yamamoto Jr throws a shot from downtown. Maci moves away and avoids it.
Yamamoto Jr throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Maci sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Maci throws a leg kick but Yamamoto Jr checks it.
Yamamoto Jr misses with a low kick.
Maci takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Yamamoto Jr throws out a leg kick but Maci moves out of range and Yamamoto Jr only half commits.
Yamamoto Jr connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maci keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

Maci closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Maci breaks the clinch.
Maci throws a leg kick but Yamamoto Jr sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Yukihiro Yamamoto Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yamamoto Jr checks a leg kick nicely.
Maci works over Yamamoto Jr's head and body with a nice combination.
A good leg kick by Yamamoto Jr.
Good leg kick by Yamamoto Jr there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Yamamoto Jr misses with a hook.
Maci throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yamamoto Jr.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maci looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maci throws a sloppy head kick
and Yamamoto Jr counters with a two punch combo.
Yamamoto Jr lands a leg kick that knocks Maci off balance momentarily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mario Maci showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maci has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mario Maci!