PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Xarel Vaex (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Podesta (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?

Vaex
vs
Podesta

197 cm
19
245 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
245 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Basic striking
Good chin

Decent boxing
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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Xarel Vaex!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Podesta!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Alyssa Summers and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Podesta lands a right hook to the body.
Podesta works over Vaex's head and body with a nice combination.
Podesta swats away the attempt to clinch by Vaex.
Podesta fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Podesta lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Vaex has closed the distance and engaged Podesta in a clinch.
Podesta avoiding damage as Vaex throws knees to the body.

Vaex's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vaex wants to clinch but Podesta slips to the side
and Podesta counters with a two punch combo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Podesta lands with an overhand left.
Podesta circles away from the clinch attempt.
Vaex tries to clinch
and Podesta counters with a two punch combo.
Xarel Vaex seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Podesta keeps the fight on the outside.
Podesta swats away the attempt to clinch by Vaex.
As Vaex backs off Podesta throws a huge counter combo but Vaex manages to avoid it all.
Podesta lunges at Vaex with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Vaex's hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaex closes the distance but Podesta moves to the side
and Podesta counters with a left and a right that stings Vaex.
A nice combination there by Podesta.

Vaex is rocked!
Podesta is working the combinations to good effect here.
Vaex doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Vaex keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Vaex is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vaex slips a jab and a cross from Podesta.
Vaex wants to clinch up but Podesta keeps it at a distance.
Vaex wants to clinch up but Podesta keeps it at a distance.
Podesta tries to counter with a clinch but Vaex shakes him off and moves away.

Vaex has closed the distance and engaged Podesta in a clinch.
Podesta working hard to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Podesta's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vaex lands an elbow that stopped Podesta in his tracks for a moment.
Podesta is trying to break the clinch but Vaex is controlling him.
Vaex tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Vaex breaks from the clinch.
Podesta throws a series of punches but Vaex moves out of range.

Vaex pushes Podesta up against the ropes in a clinch.
Vaex comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Podesta working hard to break the clinch.
Vaex scores a nice knee to the body.
Vaex tries to land knees in the clinch but Podesta avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Podesta is looking to break free of the clinch but Vaex has double underhooks.
Podesta tries to break the clinch but Vaex is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Podesta dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

The fight stays on the outside here - Vaex looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Podesta's coach down at School of Hard Knocks was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Podesta's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Podesta avoids the body shot from Vaex.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Vaex checks a leg kick.
Podesta tries to bum rush Vaex with a series of wild strikes but Vaex uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Podesta avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Vaex moves into range and clinches up with Podesta.
Podesta has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Vaex unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Vaex prevents Podesta from breaking the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Podesta is trying to break the clinch but Vaex is controlling him.

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

Vaex closes the distance and pushes Podesta back into the ropes.
Vaex landing knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaex landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Xarel Vaex has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Podesta is breathing heavily.
Podesta wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Vaex landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Vaex lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like John Podesta has been cut.
Vaex connects with a nasty looking knee right to Podesta's face.

Vaex breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Podesta avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Xarel Vaex is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vaex tries to clinch up.
Vaex fails in his attempt to clinch.
Podesta throws a counter combo.
Vaex tries to close the distance and clinch but Podesta swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
John Podesta seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Podesta gets tackled into the ropes by Vaex. Vaex maintains the clinch.
Vaex keeps control of Podesta as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Vaex lands a good knee to the midsection. Podesta won't want to take too many of those.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Vaex.
A nice right hand lands inside from Vaex.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Vaex landing knees to the body.
Vaex lands a knee to the body.
Vaex lands a shoulder strike.
Vaex gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Vaex with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Vaex scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Vaex crunches a lovely knee into Podesta's ribcage.
Vaex landing knees to the head.

Vaex drops Podesta with a big knee! Will Podesta beat the count? Yep, he's up already and we're only at 3... let's see if he's just faking it or if he's actually OK.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Podesta swats away the attempt to clinch by Vaex.
Podesta swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xarel Vaex will take that round after scoring the only knockdown of the round.
The cut man is working on John Podesta's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Vaex is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vaex is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Podesta can do to turn this around?
Vaex closes the distance but Podesta moves to the side
and Podesta counters with a left and a right that stings Vaex.
The fight stays on the outside here - Podesta looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Podesta connects with a body shot that sends Vaex's belly button to the back.
Podesta looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Vaex is looking to counter punch.
Vaex wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vaex tries to close the distance and clinch up but Podesta swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Podesta throws a lazy head kick
and Vaex counters with a good, hard body kick but Podesta shrugs it off.
Vaex tries to clinch there but Podesta circles away.
Vaex tries to clinch up but Podesta circles away and keeps his distance.
Podesta takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vaex gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Vaex lands a nice knee to the body.
Vaex lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Vaex scores with a knee to the head.

That has opened up John Podesta's cut even more.
Vaex landing knees to the body.
Vaex landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Vaex gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Vaex lands a nice elbow.
Vaex comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

The cut above John Podesta's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Vaex with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vaex lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Vaex lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vaex has his opponent in a tight Thai clinch and unloads with a massive knee that drops Podesta to the canvas! Can Podesta beat the count? 3,4,5,6 and he's up... is he? Yes, he's up! The referee is taking a long look at him and he's going to allow it to continue!

John Podesta's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
The fight stays on the outside here - Vaex looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vaex fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vaex wants to clinch.
Podesta throws a counter combo.
Vaex tries to clinch up but Podesta circles away and keeps his distance.
Podesta misses with a wild body shot.
Vaex is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vaex is looking to clinch but Podesta is avoiding it.
John Podesta is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Vaex is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Podesta throws out a counter right but Vaex avoids it with no problem.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xarel Vaex showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Vaex has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:26
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:26
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xarel Vaex!
John Podesta spoke after the fight, saying 'STEROIDS!@!@ REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE'.