PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Tipene Rawhiti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dallas Rooney (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?

Rawhiti
vs
Rooney

186 cm
20
266 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

192 cm
21
240 lbs
0 - 11 - 0

Brawler
KO power

Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tipene Rawhiti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dallas Rooney!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, John Roberts and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rooney tries a head kick but it misses.
Rooney tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Rawhiti buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rooney looks winded!
Rawhiti lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Dallas Rooney has been cut.
Rawhiti really is a fat lump.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rawhiti lands a body shot.

Rawhiti gets a clinch.
Rooney being controlled against the ropes.

Rawhiti escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rawhiti fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rooney swats away the attempt to clinch by Rawhiti.
Both fighters circling a little - Rooney finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Rooney throws a sloppy head kick

and Rawhiti counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rawhiti breaks the clinch.
Rawhiti throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Rooney throws a nice looking combination but Rawhiti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rawhiti lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rooney backs up against the ropes.
Rooney throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rawhiti.
Rooney throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Rawhiti lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rawhiti throws a nice head kick!
Rawhiti tries to close the distance and clinch but Rooney swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dallas Rooney seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rooney tries a head kick but it misses.
Rawhiti tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rooney swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Rawhiti has Rooney up against the ropes in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rooney working hard to break the clinch.
Rawhiti trying to stall but Rooney improves his position.

Rawhiti breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rawhiti throws a series of punches but Rooney moves out of range.
Nice body punch from Rooney.
Rawhiti thows a body shot but no joy.
Dallas Rooney is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rooney scores with a kick to the midsection.
Rooney misses with a head kick.
Rooney tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rawhiti uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rooney.
Rooney pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooney tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rooney goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rooney circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rawhiti lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rooney backs up against the ropes.

Rawhiti closes the distance and pushes Rooney back into the ropes.
Rawhiti taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rooney wants to break the clinch but can't.

Rawhiti pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rooney lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rawhiti circles away quickly and effectively.
Rooney misses with a two punch combination.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rawhiti. Rooney does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rooney throws a hook but Rawhiti avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rooney.
Rooney doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Rooney throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rawhiti.
Rawhiti tries to clinch up.
Rawhiti throws a shot from downtown. Rooney moves away and avoids it.
Rooney looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Rawhiti wants to clinch.
Rawhiti moves out of range of the body kick from Rooney.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rooney throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rawhiti showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rooney.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rooney throws a combination that misses
and Rawhiti counters with a body kick.
Rawhiti tries to clinch but Rooney is having none of it.
Rooney takes one to the chin there.

That has opened up Dallas Rooney's cut even more.
Rooney fails to land with a series of punches.
Rooney throws a nice looking combination but Rawhiti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rawhiti looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rawhiti misses with a few strikes there.
Rooney misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rawhiti is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rooney can do to turn this around?
Rooney pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rawhiti tries to clinch but Rooney is having none of it.

Rawhiti has closed the distance and engaged Rooney in a clinch.
Rooney is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rawhiti lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rooney backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rooney is trying to break the clinch but Rawhiti has him pressed against the ropes.
Rawhiti lands a nice uppercut.
Rooney's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rawhiti managing to block the knees to the body from Rooney.

Rawhiti breaks from the clinch.

Rawhiti takes the fight into the clinch.

Rawhiti breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rooney slips a jab and a cross from Rawhiti.
Rawhiti tries to clinch there but Rooney circles away.
Rooney swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rawhiti counters with a big head kick but Rooney shrugs it off.
Rooney throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti scores with a spinning back kick!
Rooney misses the shot to the body.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Rawhiti - that will leave a mark!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rooney misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rooney swats away the attempt to clinch by Rawhiti.
Rawhiti lands a high kick!
Rooney misses with a few strikes there.
Sloppy strikes from Rooney. Those never looked like landing.
Rawhiti throws a sloppy head kick and Rooney moves out of range easily.
Rooney misses the shot to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Rawhiti. Those never looked like landing.
Rooney is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rawhiti rather than just go for the knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rooney has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
No joy there for Rooney, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rooney misses with a double jab
and Rawhiti counters with a slapping leg kick.

Rawhiti instigates a clinch.

Rawhiti pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rooney throws a nice looking combination but Rawhiti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rooney throws a head kick but Rawhiti moves out of range.
Rawhiti lands with a slapping head kick.
Rooney works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Rawhiti throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Rooney.

The cut above Dallas Rooney's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rooney pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rawhiti tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rooney swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rooney swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A head kick misses from Rooney.
Rawhiti looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Rooney moves out of range of the strikes.
Rooney throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rooney throws a combination that misses
and Rawhiti counters with a body kick that stops Rooney in his tracks momentarily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rawhiti lands a jab-cross combination.
Rooney swinging wildly here.
Rawhiti blocks a head kick by Rooney.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tipene Rawhiti dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dallas Rooney's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rawhiti lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Rawhiti lands with a kick to the ribs.
Rooney throws a head kick that misses.
Rooney throws a head kick that misses
and Rawhiti counters with a nice body kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rawhiti slowing the pace effectively.

Rawhiti's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rooney feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rawhiti's calf.
Rooney fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rawhiti manages to avoid it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rawhiti looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rooney looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rooney has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Rawhiti.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawhiti lands with a kick to the ribs.
Rawhiti lands with a slapping head kick.
Rawhiti tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Rooney manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rawhiti is looking to clinch.
Rooney scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Rawhiti avoids the head kick by Rooney.
Rooney looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sloppy strikes from Rawhiti. Those never looked like landing.
Rawhiti tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Rooney manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rawhiti takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Rooney will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti lands a head kick. Rooney smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rawhiti checks the leg kick.
Rawhiti is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Rooney.
Rooney misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rooney throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rooney throws a sloppy head kick and Rawhiti moves out of range easily.

Rawhiti clinches.

Rawhiti breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Rooney.
Rawhiti is looking to clinch but Rooney is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooney misses with a combination
and Rawhiti counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rawhiti scores with a jab to the body.
Rawhiti avoids the head kick by Rooney.
Rawhiti throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rooney tries to score with a low kick but Rawhiti moves his leg out of the way.
Rawhiti tries to clinch but Rooney moves away
and Rooney counters with a leg kick.
Rooney throws a low kick but it's checked well by Rawhiti.
Rooney circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rooney swings for the body but Rawhiti moves out of range.
Rawhiti moves out of range of the body kick from Rooney.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rawhiti drives through and clinches with Rooney against the ropes.
Rooney is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Rooney wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rawhiti effectively controlling the action here.
Rooney wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rawhiti has him pressed against the ropes.
Our sources have told us that Rawhiti has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rooney as Rawhiti tries to tie him up.
Rooney is looking to break free of the clinch but Rawhiti has double underhooks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rooney wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rawhiti has him pressed against the ropes.
Dallas Rooney has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tipene Rawhiti is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rawhiti avoiding damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tipene Rawhiti showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rawhiti 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tipene Rawhiti!