PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Hideya Kaayi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Phil Mcracken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Mcracken's choice of entrance music: Onra - I Wanna Go Back. 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.

Kaayi
vs
Mcracken

182 cm
35
193 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

187 cm
40
187 lbs
26 - 14 - 0

Excellent MT
Insanely flexible

Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hideya Kaayi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Phil Mcracken!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice uppercut there from Kaayi.
Mcracken tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A jab from Kaayi finds it's way through Mcracken's defenses.
Kaayi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mcracken sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Mcracken misses with a head kick.
Mcracken just misses with a punch to the body.

Kaayi moves into range and clinches up with Mcracken.
Mcracken softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Mcracken lands with a short shot to the head.
Kaayi blocks an uppercut.
Mcracken throws a head punch that misses.
Kaayi throws a knee to the head but misses.

Kaayi manages to break the clinch.
Kaayi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mcracken misses with a head kick.
Mcracken throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Mcracken throws a head kick but Kaayi moves out of range.
Mcracken checks a low kick from Kaayi.
Mcracken plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Mcracken misses with a head kick.
Mcracken misses with a body shot.
Mcracken misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kaayi appears to be looking for a big counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaayi tries to clinch up but Mcracken circles away and keeps his distance.
Mcracken with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Kaayi doesn't manage to clinch there - Mcracken circles away.
Kaayi lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Kaayi tries to close the distance and clinch but Mcracken swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hideya Kaayi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kaayi pushes Mcracken up against the ropes in a clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kaayi.
Mcracken misses with some punches.
Mcracken avoiding damage as Kaayi throws knees to the body.
Kaayi with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Kaayi manages to break the clinch.
Kaayi throws a body shot but no joy.
Mcracken wants to counter the offense by Kaayi and move into the clinch position.
Kaayi scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Mcracken circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mcracken pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kaayi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mcracken swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mcracken pulls out of a head kick attempt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kaayi tries to clinch there but Mcracken circles away.

Kaayi rushes Mcracken and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Mcracken throws a punch but it's blocked by Kaayi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kaayi breaks the clinch.
Kaayi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Kaayi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mcracken was well out of range. Poor timing from Kaayi.
Mcracken raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Kaayi avoids the head kick by Mcracken.
Kaayi moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Kaayi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Mcracken at a distance.
Hideya Kaayi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mcracken tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kaayi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kaayi lands a nice shot to the body.
Mcracken tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kaayi lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kaayi misses with an uppercut. Mcracken saw that one coming.
A shot to the body from Kaayi misses

and Mcracken holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Kaayi pushes off an throws an elbow but Mcracken leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mcracken misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Mcracken fails to land.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Kaayi throws an elbow but misses.
A right hook to the body lands for Kaayi.
Mcracken misses with some punches.
Kaayi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Hideya Kaayi will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mcracken pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Kaayi staggers Mcracken with a jab and knocks him down with a follow up straight! Mcracken looks in trouble, will he beat the count?! The count has reached 5 and he's only back to 1 knee - it's going to be close! 6,7,8 - he's up! Just in time and the ref is going to let the fight continue!
Kaayi wants to clinch up but Mcracken keeps it at a distance.
Kaayi looks to score with a jab to the body but Mcracken is just out of range.
Mcracken needs to keep his hands up - Kaayi had a free shot at his head there.
Kaayi takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kaayi knocks out Mcracken with a massive right hand! The ref tackles Kaayi before he can follow up with any more strikes and that's it everyone. Kaayi picks up the big W with a huge KO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Hideya Kaayi!
Hideya Kaayi is the new light heavyweight champion!
Hideya Kaayi really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Kore Fight Nutrition [TG] logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.
The defeated Phil Mcracken had this to say: 'You were good in there... my butt hurts... and that's hard to do to a greek!'.