PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Ebrahim Azhari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arthur Pinto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Azhari comes to the ring accompanied by Jedi Mind Tricks - Blood in Blood out. Arthur Pinto told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Azhari
vs
Pinto

171 cm
41
174 lbs
39 - 20 - 3

175 cm
30
170 lbs
22 - 2 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Granite chin

Sully's Bar & Grill
Aspire Clothing

Sully's Bar & Grill

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 39 - 20 - 3, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ebrahim Azhari!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Arthur Pinto!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Colin Fray and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Azhari throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Azhari cracks the inside of Pinto's front leg.
Azhari throws the left hand but Pinto avoids the punch easily.
Pinto keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Pinto misses with a hook to the body
and Azhari counters with a thumping low kick.
Pinto defending well as Azhari loads up on a big left hand.
Azhari avoids the body shot from Pinto.
Azhari ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Donk. Pinto catches Azhari right on the button with a cross.
Azhari tries to score with a low kick but Pinto moves his leg out of the way.
Azhari throws a leg kick but Pinto sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Pinto checks the leg kick nicely there.
Azhari walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Pinto checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Pinto has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Pinto there as he acknowledges the shot.
Pinto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Azhari.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pinto keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

Pinto takes the fight into the clinch.
Azhari lands a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinto swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Azhari breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pinto just misses with a punch to the body.
Azhari misses with a double jab.
Azhari throws a big shot that misses.
Azhari tried to score with a low kick but Pinto checks it.
Pinto misses with a looping left.
A slow jab from Azhari misses its intended target.
Azhari waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pinto.
Pinto checks a low kick from Azhari.
Azhari throws a low kick but Pinto avoids it.
Pinto swings for the body but Azhari moves out of range.
Azhari takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
A leg kick checked by Pinto.
Pinto swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Azhari swats away the attempt to clinch by Pinto.
Pinto lands with a nice body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azhari throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Pinto flicks out a counter leg kick but Azhari steps away.

Pinto has Azhari up against the ropes in a clinch.
Pinto lands a shot to the body.
Pinto lands a left hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Azhari misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pinto avoids a wild elbow strike from Azhari.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pinto.
Pinto blocks an elbow strike from Azhari.
Our sources have told us that Azhari has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Azhari misses with some punches.

Azhari pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pinto takes one on the button.
Azhari misses with a kick to the body.
Pinto feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Azharis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Pinto thuds a left hand into Azhari's body.
Azhari throws a lazy uppercut
and Pinto counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pinto throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Azhari on the side of the head.
Pinto throws a leg kick but Azhari moved away.
Pinto punishes Azhari's body with a nice straight punch.
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 Ebrahim Azhari will probably get the nod.
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.

Pinto with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A jab from Pinto does it's job there.
Azhari scores with a decent looking hook.

It looks like Arthur Pinto has been cut.
Pinto connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Azhari momentarily.

Pinto rushes Azhari and presses him up against the ropes.
Azhari misses with a hook to the ribs.

Pinto pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Azhari scores with a jab to the jaw.
Azhari will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Pinto is looking to clinch but Azhari is avoiding it.
Pinto has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Pinto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Azhari.
Pinto throws a front kick aimed at Azhari's knee but Azhari avoids it well.
Pinto misses with a straight right.
Pinto throws the left hand but Azhari avoids the punch easily.
Azhari lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Azhari throws a big shot that misses.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Pinto! But no joy.
Azhari throws a hook to the side of Pinto's head but Pinto sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Azhari ducks under a wild hook from Pinto.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azhari on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Pinto takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
A low kick from Azhari is predictable there
and Pinto counters with a left and a right that stings Azhari.
Pinto rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Azhari counters with a nice low kick that buckles Pinto's knee momentarily.
Pinto scores with a shot to the body.
Azhari stalks Pinto and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Pinto's face. Pinto staggers backwards, shaken.
Azhari with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Azhari thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Pinto if he has to take too many more of those.
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!
Pinto cracks Azhari with a good jab.
Pinto throws a lazy right hand but Azhari sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Pinto throws a body punch but Azhari moves out of range.
Azhari was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Pinto needs to keep his hands up - Azhari had a free shot at his head there.
A nice inside leg kick there by Azhari. That's going to slow Pinto down.
Azhari connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Pinto lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Azhari has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Azhari and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Pinto misses with a straight left.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pinto. Azhari does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azhari connects with a nice looking jab.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Azhari.
Azhari throws a series of punches but Pinto moves out of range.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Azhari, right into the meat.
Azhari on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Azhari misses with a low kick.
Ebrahim Azhari is winning the standup battle so far.
Pinto lunges at Azhari with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Azhari's hand.
Azhari moves out of range as Pinto strikes.
A shot to the liver by Pinto. Beautiful body shot.
Azhari uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pinto.
A swing and a miss from Azhari.
Pinto is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Azhari.
Pinto throws a hook to the side of Azhari's head but Azhari sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Azhari misses with an uppercut. Pinto saw that one coming.
Azhari throws a leg kick but Pinto sees it coming and moves out of range.
Pinto throws a looping overhand right but Azhari ducks down to avoid it.
Pinto wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ebrahim Azhari will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Arthur Pinto's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pinto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Azhari.
Pinto dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Azhari. That did some damage!
Pinto with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Good exchange - Azhari coming out on top.
Azhari shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Pinto throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Azhari connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Pinto takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pinto. Azhari does a little dance to reset his feet.
Azhari throws a nice inside leg kick.
Azhari throws the left hand but Pinto avoids the punch easily.
Pinto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Azhari tries to bum rush Pinto with a series of wild strikes but Pinto uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Pinto looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Pinto wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Pinto misses with an uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pinto attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Azhari appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Azhari misses with a kick to the body.
Azhari thumps Pinto with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good shot there by Azhari.
Pinto throws a body punch but Azhari moves out of range.
Azhari fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Pinto checks it well.
Azhari dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Pinto. That did some damage!
Azhari uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pinto.
Pinto takes one to the chin there.
Pinto lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A jab from Pinto misses.
Azhari stuns Pinto with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
That kick from Azhari tenderised Pinto's leg. Pinto is trying to keep his angry face on.
Pinto pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Azhari misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pinto cracks Azhari with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Pinto ducks under a wild hook from Azhari.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Azhari avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Azhari misses with a low kick.
Pinto steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Azhari.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azhari misses with an attempted mid kick.
Azhari slips under a jab from Pinto.
Azhari is looking to chop away at Pinto's legs.
Pinto misses with a low kick.
A slow jab from Pinto misses its intended target.
A swing and a miss from Azhari.
Azhari scores with a jab to the jaw.

Pinto clinches with his opponent.
Pinto gets through Azhari's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Pinto swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pinto throws a head punch that misses.
Azhari lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
A head punch on the inside from Pinto fails to land.

Pinto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Azhari throws the kick towards the body but Pinto avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pinto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pinto thumps Azhari with a low kick.
Pinto scores with a hook to the body. Azhari takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Ebrahim Azhari did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The cut man is working on Arthur Pinto's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Azhari tries to score with a low kick but Pinto moves his leg out of the way.
Pinto throws an overhand right that lands on Azhari's shoulder, as Azhari tries to avoid the shot.
Pinto swings widly with a right hand
and Azhari counters with a body kick.
Pinto lands a jab to Azhari's midsection.
Azhari pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Pinto! But no joy.
A big left from Pinto misses.
Azhari is looking for a counter combo.
Azhari uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pinto.
Pinto's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Pinto checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Azhari throws a leg kick
and Pinto counters with a low kick, right behind Azhari 's knee.
Azhari looks to land a left hand but Pinto moved out of range nicely.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Pinto.
Azhari displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pinto throws out the jab.
It looked like Azhari wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Azhari tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Azhari misses with a double jab.
Pinto misses with a combination
and Azhari counters with a right hand to the body.
Pinto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Azhari manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinto misses with a wild body shot.
Pinto bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Azhari's head.
Pinto rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Azhari counters with a stiff right hand.
Pinto throws out a loose jab but Azhari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pinto ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Pinto throws a hook but Azhari avoids it easily.
Azhari lands with a cross.
Azhari slips a straight right by Pinto.
Azhari walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Pinto throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Azhari.
Pinto scores with a sloppy right hand. Azhari should have avoided that one.
Azhari checks a leg kick.
Pinto ducks under a wild hook from Azhari.
Azhari displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pinto throws out the jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A big left from Pinto misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azhari throws a hook to the side of Pinto's head but Pinto sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pinto. Azhari does a little dance to reset his feet.
A shot to the liver by Pinto. Beautiful body shot.
Azhari loads up on a big right hand but Pinto slips the punch.
Azhari scores with a jab to the body.
Azhari swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Pinto misses with a hook. Azhari ducked under it nicely.
Pinto misses with a hook.
Pinto wants to clinch.
Azhari was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Jab by Pinto.
Pinto cracks Azhari with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Pinto tries to land a leg kick but Azhari saw it coming and moves away.
Azhari takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close fourth round but Arthur Pinto will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Arthur Pinto's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Azhari ducks under a wild hook from Pinto.
Pinto with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Azhari to score with a decent uppercut.
Good work by Pinto as he checks the leg kick.
Pinto scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Azhari on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Azhari tries to land a leg kick but Pinto saw it coming and moves away.
Pinto misses with a wild body shot.
Pinto slips under a jab.
Pinto connects with a body shot that sends Azhari's belly button to the back.
Azhari missing with a left hand there. Pinto was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pinto throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Azhari scores with a nice head shot.
Pinto throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Azhari half committed to a counter leg kick.
Azhari swats away the attempt to clinch by Pinto.
Pinto wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinto moves away from the strike by Azhari.
Arthur Pinto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Azhari slips under a jab from Pinto.
Azhari appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Pinto tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Azhari was well out of range. Poor timing from Pinto.
Pinto misses with a body shot.
Azhari avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Azhari takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Pinto throws an off balance right hand
letting Azhari counter with a right hand.
Ebrahim Azhari is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A slapping leg kick lands for Pinto.
Azhari misses with a two punch combination.
Azhari lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Pinto at a distance.
Azhari uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pinto.
Azhari connects with a leg kick. Pinto looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Pinto throws out a loose jab but Azhari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Azhari misses with a hook.
A slow jab from Pinto misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Azhari finds it's target.
Azhari misses with a hook. Pinto ducked under it nicely.
Azhari lands a body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pinto jabs Azhari to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Pinto with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Azhari to score with a decent uppercut.
Pinto throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Azhari keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pinto throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Azhari throws a shot from downtown. Pinto moves away and avoids it.
Pinto scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A chopping leg kick lands by Azhari.
Pinto looks to score with a jab to the body but Azhari is just out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Azhari. That snapped Pinto's head back.
Azhari displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Pinto throws out the jab.
Pinto misses with a looping left.
Pinto swings and misses with a hook to the body.

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 Ebrahim Azhari.
I think Azhari 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 49:47
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 49:47
Judge Josh West scores the fight 49:47

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ebrahim Azhari!
Ebrahim Azhari retains his light heavyweight title!
A very excited looking Ebrahim Azhari made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.