PBP Commentary

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

Urabe
vs
Bruno

178 cm
26
150 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

176 cm
25
154 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Excellent MT
KO power

Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Koya Urabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Giacobbe Bruno!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Urabe wants to clinch.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bruno paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Urabe moves into the clinch.
Urabe misses with a knee to the head.
Urabe stalling in the clinch but Bruno improves position.
Bruno blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Bruno breaks from the clinch.

Bruno rushes Urabe and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Bruno escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bruno swats away the attempt to clinch by Urabe.

Urabe clinches up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Urabe takes a shot to the head.
Urabe managing to block the knees to the body from Bruno.
Urabe is looking to control Bruno's arms but Bruno gets an underhook and turns him. Now Urabe has his back to the cage.
Bruno leaning against his opponent.
Urabe stalling in the clinch but Bruno improves position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Bruno as Urabe tries to tie him up.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Urabe trying to stall but Bruno improves his position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Koya Urabe.
Urabe tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bruno manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bruno is looking for the big counter here.

Urabe closes the distance and clinches.
Bruno blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Urabe using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Urabe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Urabe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bruno avoids it.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Bruno escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Urabe tries to clinch but Bruno is having none of it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bruno blocks a body shot from Urabe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bruno escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bruno turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Bruno fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Urabe, pushing him back against the cage.
Bruno leaning his opponent against the cage.
Urabe lands an elbow that stopped Bruno in his tracks for a moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Urabe throws a knee to the head but misses.

Bruno breaks from the clinch.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bruno throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bruno keeps the fight on the outside.
Bruno throws a counter combo.
Urabe tries to clinch
and Bruno counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Urabe clinches up with Bruno and pushes him back against the cage.
Bruno wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Urabe scores with a shoulder strike.
Urabe working some nice short punches in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Giacobbe Bruno will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Urabe moves in looking to clinch but Bruno pushes him off.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bruno paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Urabe tries to clinch up.
Urabe tries to clinch but Bruno moves out of range.
Urabe doesn't manage to clinch there - Bruno circles away.
Bruno throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bruno lands a nice leg kick that just misses Urabe's sensitive parts.
Bruno tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bruno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Urabe tries to clinch up.

Urabe moves into the clinch successfully.

Bruno breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Urabe tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bruno manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Urabe closes the distance looking to clinch
and Bruno counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Urabe wants to clinch up but Bruno keeps it at a distance.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Bruno circles away and keeps his distance.
Bruno tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bruno closes the distance and clinches.
Koya Urabe has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Bruno escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Urabe is looking to clinch.
Urabe slips a straight right by Bruno.
Urabe moves in looking to clinch but Bruno pushes him off.
Bruno tries to counter with a clinch but Urabe shakes him off and moves away.
Urabe wants to clinch.
Bruno appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Bruno forces Urabe back against the cage and clinches.
Bruno has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

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

Bruno moves into range and clinches up with Urabe.
Bruno misses with an elbow over the top.

Bruno breaks the clinch.
Urabe tries to clinch up but Bruno circles away and keeps his distance.
Bruno swats away the attempt to clinch by Urabe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bruno swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bruno swats away the attempt to clinch by Urabe.

Urabe has Bruno up against the cage in a clinch.

Bruno breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Urabe tries to clinch up.
Urabe doesn't manage to clinch there - Bruno circles away.

Bruno fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Urabe, pushing him back against the cage.
Bruno wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Urabe takes a knee to the side of the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Urabe stalling in the clinch but Bruno improves position.
Bruno misses with a short punch on the inside.
Urabe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bruno avoids it.

Bruno breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bruno swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giacobbe Bruno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bruno misses with a two punch combination.
Bruno throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Bruno keeps the fight on the outside.
Urabe tries to clinch but Bruno moves out of range.
Bruno is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Urabe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Bruno gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Urabe looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Urabe lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Giacobbe Bruno has been cut.
Bruno prevents a body shot from Urabe.

Bruno breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bruno paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bruno pulls out of a head kick attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bruno tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Urabe was well out of range. Poor timing from Bruno.
Urabe moves in looking to clinch but Bruno pushes him off.
Bruno keeps the fight on the outside.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch but Bruno swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Urabe is looking to clinch but Bruno is avoiding it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruno circles away from the clinch attempt.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bruno paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Giacobbe Bruno seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bruno circles away from the clinch attempt.
Urabe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bruno paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Urabe tries to clinch
and Bruno counters with a stiff right hand.
Urabe tries to clinch up.
Bruno misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Urabe tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bruno manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bruno throws out a counter right but Urabe avoids it with no problem.

Urabe takes the fight into the clinch.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bruno is keeping busy.
Urabe is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Urabe works on Bruno's body with a couple of short punches.
Bruno prevents a body shot from Urabe.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Bruno manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruno is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Urabe.

Bruno has managed to clinch.
Bruno blocks a body shot from Urabe.
Urabe trying to land knees to the body.
Urabe is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Bruno.
Urabe trying to control the position but instead, Bruno has worked for underhooks and has pushed Urabe into the cage.
Bruno blocks an elbow strike.
Urabe throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Urabe unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bruno lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Bruno takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Urabe's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Giacobbe Bruno comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bruno winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Giacobbe Bruno!