PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Erick Clap (ranked 2146 p4p, 229 weight class) and Shakhbulat Shamkhalaev (ranked 1093 p4p, 126 weight class). Clap comes to the ring accompanied by Burn it to the ground. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Clap
vs
Shamkhalaev

172 cm
30
155 lbs
12 - 9 - 2

181 cm
28
156 lbs
15 - 9 - 1

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Granite chin

Conviction

Sully's Bar & Grill
Humanoid Nutrition (160Q for 180$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 2, fighting out of New York, Erick Clap!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 1, fighting out of New York, Shakhbulat Shamkhalaev!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Kenichi Hosakawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Clap checks a leg kick nicely.
Shamkhalaev slips a straight right by Clap.
Shamkhalaev has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Shamkhalaev lands a jab to the nose.
Clap ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Shamkhalaev throws a head kick that misses.

Clap pushes Shamkhalaev up against the ropes in a clinch.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Clap.
Shamkhalaev misses with a hook from the clinch.
Clap blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Clap working aggressively here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shamkhalaev throws a head punch that misses.
Clap tries to land knees in the clinch but Shamkhalaev avoids the damage to the body.
Nice body punch from Shamkhalaev.
Shamkhalaev with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Shamkhalaev tries a body shot but Clap blocks it.
Clap lands a body punch in the clinch.
Shamkhalaev misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shamkhalaev is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Clap is defending well for now.
Clap has a couple of punches blocked by Shamkhalaev.
Shamkhalaev misses with a hook from the clinch.
Clap misses with a body punch.
Shamkhalaev tries to throw a body punch but Clap avoids it by throwing Shamkhalaev back against the ropes.
Shamkhalaev misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Shamkhalaev throws a head punch that misses.
Shamkhalaev lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Shamkhalaev misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shamkhalaev stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Clap lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Shamkhalaev backwards.

Clap breaks from the clinch.
Clap is looking to chop away at Shamkhalaev's legs.
Clap lands with a kick to the ribs.
Clap swings for the body but Shamkhalaev moves out of range.
Clap comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Clap lands a front kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clap slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Clap lands a nice looking body shot.
Clap throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Clap buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Shamkhalaev misses with the body kick
letting Clap counter with a right hand.
Clap blocks a low kick nicely.
A good leg kick by Clap.
Shamkhalaev moves out of range as Clap strikes.
Clap throws a jab when Shamkhalaev was well out of range.
Shamkhalaev fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Clap has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Shamkhalaev is looking to chop away at Clap's legs.
Shamkhalaev dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Clap. That did some damage!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Shamkhalaev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Clap thumps Shamkhalaev with a low kick.
Shamkhalaev takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Shamkhalaev throws a leg kick but Clap moved away.
Shamkhalaev takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Clap throws a leg kick
and Shamkhalaev counters with a two punch combo.
Shamkhalaev tries to score with a low kick but Clap moves his leg out of the way.
Clap scores with a three punch combo!

It looks like Shakhbulat Shamkhalaev has been cut.
Shamkhalaev misses with an attempted mid kick.
Clap throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Clap tries a low kick but Shamkhalaev avoids it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shamkhalaev on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Clap rushes Shamkhalaev and presses him up against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Shamkhalaev.
Clap misses with a hook from the clinch.
Shamkhalaev scores with a nice hook to the head.
Shakhbulat Shamkhalaev seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Clap misses with a punch on the inside.
Clap lands a body shot in the clinch.
Shamkhalaev fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shamkhalaev fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Clap lands a hook that snaps the head of Shamkhalaev backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Clap creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Shamkhalaev is working Clap over against the ropes.
Clap misses with some punches.
Clap trying to stall but Shamkhalaev improves his position.
Shamkhalaev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Clap is working Shamkhalaev over against the ropes.
Clap is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Shamkhalaev can do to turn this around?
Shamkhalaev misses with a body punch.
Shamkhalaev swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Clap's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Clap throws a hook but Shamkhalaev blocks it.
A bone on bone clash there as Shamkhalaev blocks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shamkhalaev doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Clap lands with a straight right. Shamkhalaev didn't see that one coming.
Clap pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A nice side step and Shamkhalaev releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Clap misses with a hook. Shamkhalaev ducked under it nicely.
Shamkhalaev throws a poor cross that misses
and Shamkhalaev takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Clap lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Shamkhalaev steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Clap.
Clap misses with a low kick.
Clap tries to work over Shamkhalaev's front leg with a kick but Shamkhalaev checks it.
Shamkhalaev appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Clap pushes Shamkhalaev away with a front kick.
Shamkhalaev checks a leg kick nicely.
Crunch! Clap slams his shin into Shamkhalaev's torso.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erick Clap dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Shakhbulat Shamkhalaev's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Shamkhalaev walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Clap checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Clap pivots, looking for a leg kick but Shamkhalaev is out of range and Clap settles back down.
Shamkhalaev only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Clap throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Shamkhalaev wants to counter with a clinch but Clap pushes him away.
Good leg kick by Clap there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Shamkhalaev takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Clap wants to clinch up but Shamkhalaev keeps it at a distance.
Shamkhalaev misses with an attempted mid kick.
Shamkhalaev takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Clap connects with an inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shamkhalaev wants to clinch but Clap slips to the side
and Clap counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Clap is looking to clinch but Shamkhalaev is avoiding it.
Shamkhalaev scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Donk. Clap catches Shamkhalaev right on the button with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Clap gets a clinch.
Clap tries to throw a body punch but Shamkhalaev avoids it by throwing Clap back against the ropes.
Shamkhalaev lands a shoulder strike.
Shamkhalaev stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Clap blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Clap lands a left hand.
Clap working aggressively here.
Shamkhalaev swings wildly with an uppercut but Clap uses good head movement to avoid it.
Shamkhalaev tries a body shot but Clap blocks it.
Good body shot from Clap.
Shamkhalaev misses with a body punch.
Shamkhalaev misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Clap.
Shamkhalaev scores with a shoulder strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Clap.
Shamkhalaev scores with a shot to the side of Clap's head.
Clap looking to slow down the pace here.
Shamkhalaev throws a punch but it's blocked by Clap.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clap misses with a body punch.

Clap manages to break the clinch.
Shamkhalaev lands a jab-cross combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Clap takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Clap is rocked!
Shamkhalaev tries to work over Clap's front leg with a kick but Clap checks it.
Oh Clap is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Clap throws a leg kick that is checked
and Shamkhalaev counters with an outside leg kick.
Clap seems to have got his legs back now.
Clap shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Shamkhalaev eats them both and turns towards Clap to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Shamkhalaev tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Clap is able to avoid easily.
Clap lands with a straight right. Shamkhalaev didn't see that one coming.
Clap jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
That kick from Clap tenderised Shamkhalaev's leg. Shamkhalaev is trying to keep his angry face on.
Clap is looking to chop away at Shamkhalaev's legs.
Clap throws a hook but Shamkhalaev blocks it.

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 Erick Clap.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Clap, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erick Clap!
Erick Clap managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Conviction, into his post fight interview.