PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Marcus Santiago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masaya Shibya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Santiago
vs
Shibya

190 cm
25
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

188 cm
19
215 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Excellent MT
Very strong

Excellent boxer
Solid 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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Marcus Santiago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Masaya Shibya!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Paul Gruel and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santiago misses with a wild body shot.
Shibya tries to clinch but Santiago moves out of range.
Shibya defending well as Santiago loads up on a big left hand.
Santiago looks to land a right hand but Shibya moved out of range.

Shibya moves into the clinch.
Santiago misses with the head strike.
Shibya is trying to push Santiago away but Santiago has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Santiago tries to throw a body punch but Shibya avoids it by throwing Santiago back against the ropes.
Santiago tries to work over Shibya's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Shibya tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Santiago definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Santiago misses with the head strike.

Shibya breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Santiago loads up on a big right hand but Shibya slips the punch.
The fighters circling - Santiago throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shibya doesn't manage to clinch there - Santiago circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Santiago. Shibya does a little dance to reset his feet.

Shibya has Santiago up against the ropes in a clinch.
Santiago misses with a short punch on the inside.
Santiago misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A frustrated look appears on Shibya's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santiago swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Shibya prevents a body shot from Santiago.
Santiago tries to throw a body punch but Shibya avoids it by throwing Santiago back against the ropes.
Santiago has Shibya pressed against the ropes, preventing Shibya from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Santiago misses with a hook to the ribs.
Good body shot from Santiago.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Santiago.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Santiago.

It looks like Masaya Shibya has been cut.
Santiago misses with a body punch.
Santiago softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Santiago stalling against the ropes.
Santiago misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Santiago scores with a shoulder strike.
Shibya looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Shibya blocks a body shot from Santiago.
Shibya swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Santiago doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Santiago prevents Shibya from breaking the clinch.
Santiago has Shibya pressed against the ropes, preventing Shibya from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Shibya looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago scores with a nice hook to the head.

Shibya pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Santiago throws a poor cross that misses
and Shibya counters with a three punch combo that has Santiago backing up. Santiago nods at Shibya to acknowledge the strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Santiago just misses with a punch to the body.
Shibya closes the distance looking to clinch
and Santiago counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Santiago thows a left - swing and a miss!
Santiago connects with a body shot that sends Shibya's belly button to the back.
Shibya takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Shibya looks winded!

Santiago rushes Shibya and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Santiago keeps control of Shibya as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Shibya is trying to push Santiago away but Santiago has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Santiago scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Santiago tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Santiago scores with a shot to the side of Shibya's head.
Santiago has a couple of punches blocked by Shibya.
Santiago doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Santiago dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Masaya Shibya's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Santiago circles away from the clinch attempt.
Shibya uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Santiago.
Shibya doesn't manage to clinch there - Santiago circles away.
Santiago fails to land with a series of punches.

Shibya fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Santiago, pushing him back against the ropes.
Marcus Santiago has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Santiago prevents Shibya from breaking the clinch.
Shibya wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Santiago misses with some punches.
Shibya wants to get back to striking at distance but Santiago won't allow it.
Santiago swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Santiago has Shibya pressed against the ropes, preventing Shibya from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Shibya wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Santiago has him pressed against the ropes.
Shibya blocking some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santiago misses with some punches.
Santiago has Shibya pressed against the ropes, preventing Shibya from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Shibya wants to get back to striking at distance but Santiago won't allow it.
Santiago tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Shibya escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Santiago lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Shibya's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Shibya can't break the clinch.
Santiago fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shibya blocks an uppercut.
Santiago swings wildly with an uppercut but Shibya uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shibya blocks a body shot from Santiago.
Santiago is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shibya can do to turn this around?
Shibya wants to get back to striking at distance but Santiago won't allow it.
Shibya is trying to break the clinch but Santiago has him pressed against the ropes.
Santiago tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Santiago misses with the head strike.
Shibya is looking to break free of the clinch but Santiago has double underhooks.
Shibya tries to circle away but Santiago has him pinned against the ropes.
Santiago misses with a body punch.
A short right from Shibya.
Shibya is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Shibya wants to break the clinch but can't.
Santiago lands with a right to the head.
Santiago tries a body shot but Shibya blocks it.
Shibya misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santiago prevents Shibya from breaking the clinch.
Santiago keeps control of Shibya as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Santiago misses with a punch on the inside.
Santiago can't find room to land a body shot as Shibya controls the action.
Santiago throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Shibyas head.
Santiago tries a body shot but Shibya blocks it.
Shibya wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Santiago keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Shibya's efforts to push away.
Santiago cracks Shibya with a nice body shot.
Santiago tries to work over Shibya's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Shibya blocks an uppercut.
Shibya trying to stall but Santiago improves his position.
Shibya looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Santiago lands a body punch in the clinch.
Shibya is breathing heavily.
Santiago fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Santiago throws a punch but it's blocked by Shibya.
Santiago stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Santiago softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Santiago lands a right hand that snaps the head of Shibya backwards.
Santiago swings wildly with an uppercut but Shibya uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Santiago dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Masaya Shibya's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Santiago moves into the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Santiago.
Shibya is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Santiago misses with the head strike.
Santiago doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Shibya has had enough of the clinch but Santiago keeps him there for the moment.
Santiago pushes Shibya back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Santiago lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Santiago creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Shibya is rocked!
Still in the clinch, Santiago scores with a nice short uppercut.
Shibya is still on wobbly legs! Can Santiago finish him?
Santiago creates a bit of space for himself and unleashed what can only be described as a tiger uppercut, straight out of Street Fighter! Shibya crashes to the mat! Can he make it back to his feet in time? 3,4,5,6... it doesn't look like he's going to make it! Shibya face plants back to the mat and the referee calls off the fight! Santiago takes it with a brutal technical knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punch). Marcus Santiago!