PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Takahashi Ryu (ranked 2452 p4p, 300 weight class) and Phol Boxaaja (ranked 1677 p4p, 218 weight class). Phol Boxaaja will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Ryu
vs
Boxaaja

188 cm
19
195 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

180 cm
19
188 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Takahashi Ryu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Phol Boxaaja!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Donald Grub and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boxaaja throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A swing and a miss from Boxaaja.
Jab by Ryu.
Ryu tests Boxaaja's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ryu wants to clinch up but Boxaaja keeps it at a distance.
Boxaaja looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Boxaaja connects with a body shot.
Boxaaja connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

It looks like Takahashi Ryu has been cut.
Boxaaja fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Ryu on the side of the head.
Ryu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Boxaaja.
Ryu slips a straight right by Boxaaja.
Ryu moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Ryu lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Boxaaja throws a combination that misses
and Ryu counters with a stiff right hand.
Boxaaja lands a glancing blow to the side of Ryu's head.
Ryu ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Ryu closes the distance and clinches.
Boxaaja lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Ryu backwards.

Boxaaja breaks the clinch.
Boxaaja lands a right hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boxaaja scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ryu doesn't seem bothered though.
Ryu defending well as Boxaaja loads up on a big left hand.

Boxaaja closes the distance and pushes Ryu back into the cage.
Ryu tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Boxaaja's elbow.
Boxaaja lands a body punch.
Boxaaja lands an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Boxaaja.
Ryu tries to work over Boxaaja's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Boxaaja misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Boxaaja avoiding damage.
Ryu is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Ryu keeps control of Boxaaja as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Boxaaja breaks the clinch.
Ryu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Boxaaja paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Boxaaja with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Ryu throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Boxaaja has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Boxaaja lands a nice shot to the body.
Boxaaja dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ryu takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Boxaaja fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ryu, pushing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boxaaja lands a body shot in the clinch.
Boxaaja blocks an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Ryu fails to land.
Ryu misses with a punch on the inside.
Ryu misses with the head strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Boxaaja.
Boxaaja scores with a shoulder strike.

Boxaaja escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Boxaaja lands with a nice body punch.
Boxaaja throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Boxaaja slips a straight right by Ryu.
Boxaaja wants to counter with a clinch but Ryu pushes him away.
Ryu takes a jab right on the kisser.
Ryu scores with a jab to the body.
Ryu tries to clinch but Boxaaja moves out of range.
Boxaaja throws a jab when Ryu was well out of range.
Boxaaja with a nice cross.

Takahashi Ryu's cut is getting worse.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ryu tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Boxaaja's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Boxaaja slips under a jab from Ryu.
Ryu takes one to the chin there.
A combination from Boxaaja does no damage.
Boxaaja scores with a decent looking hook.
Ryu bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ryu connects with a jab.
Boxaaja throws a jab when Ryu was well out of range.
A punch combination from Boxaaja misses.
Ryu on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ryu ducks under a wild hook from Boxaaja.
Nice defenses there by Ryu.
Boxaaja thows a left - swing and a miss!
Boxaaja with a hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Boxaaja takes a swing at Ryu's ribcage but misses.
Takahashi Ryu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ryu scores with a punch to the head.
Ryu moves out of range as Boxaaja strikes.
Boxaaja cracks Ryu with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boxaaja throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ryu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Boxaaja.
Ryu tries to clinch but Boxaaja moves out of range.
Ryu is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Boxaaja scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A big left from Boxaaja misses.
Ryu throws a looping overhand right but Boxaaja ducks down to avoid it.
Boxaaja fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ryu manages to avoid it.
Ryu cracks Boxaaja with a good jab.
Boxaaja lands with an overhand left.
Ryu is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Boxaaja keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Ryu takes a swing at Boxaaja's ribcage but misses.
Boxaaja misses with a double jab.
Nice body punch from Boxaaja.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Boxaaja steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ryu.
Boxaaja misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ryu.
Ryu tries to clinch but Boxaaja moves away
and Boxaaja connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Takahashi Ryu's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

Ryu darts in and clinches Boxaaja up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phol Boxaaja dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Takahashi Ryu's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ryu paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Ryu misses with a body shot.
Ryu ducks under a wild hook from Boxaaja.

Boxaaja lands a left and a right that send Ryu crashing to the mat, dazed. Boxaaja thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Ryu is rocked!
Ryu has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Boxaaja lands an uppercut out of nowhere! Ryu falls backwards - clearly groggy! Boxaaja dives in and finishes the fight with more strikes for a TKO finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Phol Boxaaja!