PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rhys Mackenzie King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Durant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Mackenzie King
vs
Durant

186 cm
30
201 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
27
192 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rhys Mackenzie King!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kevin Durant!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Albert Achterberg and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
King works Durant's body with a nice hook.
Durant looks for a takedown but King sprawls well.
Durant throws a nice outside leg kick.
King misses the shot to the body.
A countering left hand to the body from Durant misses.
King throws a jab when Durant was well out of range.
King connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

King gets caught flat footed, as Durant shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
King is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Durant wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.
Durant looking to pass the guard.
Durant is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Durant is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King keeping moving, preventing Durant from controlling successfully.
Durant looking to pass the guard.

King has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Durant is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for King.
King regains half guard.

Durant is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
King tries to roll over but Durant keeps him under control.
King wants to get back to full guard but Durant has passed into side control.
You can see the frustration on King's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Durant off and has taken his back!
Durant manages to reverse the position and now he's in King's guard. Nice work there by Durant.
Durant pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. King is keeping the position for now.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Durant got a little sloppy there for a moment and King has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Durant has managed to get both his arms back between King's legs - danger averted.
King working a defensive guard but Durant passes into half guard.

King looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
King trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King wants to improve his position but Durant is controlling well.
Durant is keen to just control but King is a slippery customer.
Durant performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
It looks like Durant might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

Durant seems to be looking for submissions.
Durant throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

King actively working from the bottom here.
King wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Durant is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so King is just riding it out for now. Durant eventually gives up the hold.
King wants to control but Durant is keeping busy.
Durant seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but King does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

King looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Durant missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Durant is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Durant seems to be working for a kimura but King defends the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Durant dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Durant misses with a looping left.
King fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Durant checks it well.
King looks to score with a jab to the body but Durant is just out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Durant! But no joy.
Durant moves out of range of the strikes.
Durant just misses with a punch to the body.
King lands a nice looking body shot.
Durant jabs at King's body.
Durant throws a body shot but no joy.
King misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Durant misses with a looping left.
King throws a shot from downtown. Durant moves away and avoids it.
Durant keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durant uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by King.
A left lands for Durant.
Rhys Mackenzie King is winning the standup battle so far.
Durant fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King jabs Durant to the body, keeping him at a distance.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Durant is defended easily by King.

Durant closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Durant lands in his opponent's guard.
Durant trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Durant avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durant trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

King looking for a guillotine here but Durant defends easily.
Durant trying to control but King is working from the bottom.

King working for a triangle but Durant defends it easily.
Durant trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Durant avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
King looking for a sweep. Not yet King, not yet.
Durant trying to control but King is working from the bottom.
Durant throws a big right hand that misses.
Durant sitting in guard, not really doing much.
King looking for a sweep. Not yet King, not yet.

King throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Durant wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.

King has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Durant can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Durant looking to pass the guard.
Durant trying to control but King is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Durant scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
King has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Durant.
Durant swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by King.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kevin Durant will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Durant gets a double leg takedown into King's guard.
Durant stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. King swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Durant tries to stand but King is controlling from the bottom.

King has an active guard here but Durant has managed to pass into half guard.
Durant has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Durant is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
King wants to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King trying to control from the bottom.
Durant wants to lay and pray for a moment but King keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Durant is trying to work for a kimura but King is defending well.
King is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Durant's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Durant's back!
Durant rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Durant wants to improve his position but King is controlling well.
King is trying to control the action in half guard but Durant is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Durant looking for submissions off his back.
King drops an elbow to the side of Durant's head.
Rhys Mackenzie King has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Durant does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Durant wants to improve his position but King is controlling well.

King is looking for a kimura but Durant is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for King to get the leverage.
Durant trying to control but King postures up.
Durant gets back to full guard.

Durant is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. King is aware though and is defending well.
King working some strikes from top position.
King connects with a couple of short punches.
King trying to control the position from guard on top but Durant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
King lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

King got a little sloppy there for a moment and Durant has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, King has managed to get both his arms back between Durant's legs - danger averted.
King connects with a couple of short punches.
King slips nicely into half guard.

Durant actively working from the bottom here.
King seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Durant does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Durant taking some punishment here, with King in his half guard.
Durant is trying to stand.
Durant taking some punishment here, with King in his half guard.

King is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Durant is just riding it out for now. King eventually gives up the hold.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. King lands a nice short elbow.
Durant works his way to full guard. Good work.

Durant looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Durant working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. King doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. King manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
King working some strikes from top position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Durant looking for a guillotine here but King defends easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rhys Mackenzie King.
I think Durant has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Durant!
Kevin Durant bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.