PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Japa Koniu (ranked 1213 p4p, 43 weight class) and Naoise Durnin (ranked 1163 p4p, 66 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!

Koniu
vs
Durnin

198 cm
31
235 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

197 cm
24
270 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Sportivité

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Japa Koniu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Naoise Durnin!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Durnin paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

It looks like Japa Koniu has been cut.
Koniu throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Durnin throws out a counter right but Koniu avoids it with no problem.
Koniu fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Koniu on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Durnin misses with an attempted mid kick.
Koniu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A countering left hand to the body from Durnin misses.
Koniu staying out of range there.
Koniu connects with a crisp jab.
Durnin avoids the body shot from Koniu.
It seemed like Durnin was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Koniu checks a leg kick.
A cross from Koniu lands.
Koniu misses with an uppercut. Durnin saw that one coming.
Koniu steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Durnin.
Koniu tries to bum rush Durnin with a series of wild strikes but Durnin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Koniu throws a shot from downtown. Durnin moves away and avoids it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Koniu wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Durnin with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Koniu to score with a decent uppercut.
Durnin throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Koniu blocks a low kick nicely.
A quick step to the side and Koniu tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koniu explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
We've been informed that Durnin has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Durnin misses with a body shot.
Durnin throws the left hand but Koniu avoids the punch easily.
Koniu throws a right hand that Durnin ducks under and follows up with a left that Durnin also avoids with ease.
Durnin swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Durnin throws a lazy uppercut
and Koniu counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Koniu misses with an uppercut. Durnin saw that one coming.
Durnin misses with a jab to the body
and Koniu counters with a leg kick.
Koniu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A nice side step and Durnin releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Durnin slips a jab from Koniu.
Nice body kick there by Durnin.
Durnin lands a nice leg kick that just misses Koniu's sensitive parts.
Koniu throws the left hand but Durnin avoids the punch easily.
Koniu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Koniu misses with a left hand
and Durnin counters with a straight right hand.
Koniu misses with an uppercut
and Durnin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Koniu lunges at Durnin with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Durnin's hand.
Durnin misses with a jab to the body
and Durnin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nice defenses there by Koniu.
Koniu doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Durnin is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Koniu.
Durnin moves out of range as Koniu strikes.
Koniu takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Koniu punishes Durnin's body with a nice straight punch.
A bone on bone clash there as Durnin blocks the leg kick.
A countering left hand to the body from Durnin misses.
Koniu just misses with a punch to the body.
Durnin avoids a kick to the body.
Durnin misses with a hook.
It looked like Koniu was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Durnin.
Koniu with a hook.
Durnin moves out of range of the body kick from Koniu.
Koniu jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Durnin lunges at Koniu with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Koniu's hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koniu cracks Durnin with a right hand to the side of the head.
Koniu ducks under a wild hook from Durnin.
Koniu walks into a jab.
Durnin swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Koniu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Koniu has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Koniu there as he acknowledges the shot.
Koniu fails to land with a series of punches.
Durnin swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Koniu defending well as Durnin loads up on a big left hand.
Durnin getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Koniu is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Durnin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Koniu counters with a thumping low kick.
Koniu dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Durnin. That did some damage!
Koniu takes a swing at Durnin's ribcage but misses.
Durnin misses with a head kick.
Koniu scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Koniu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Durnin was well out of range. Poor timing from Koniu.
Durnin jabs Koniu right on the nose. Koniu blinks but takes it well.
Durnin pivots, looking for a leg kick but Koniu is out of range and Durnin settles back down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koniu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Durnin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Koniu throws a quick inside leg kick.
A right-left combo lands from Koniu.
Durnin misses with a hook to the body
and Koniu counters with a leg kick.
A low kick from Koniu misses
and Durnin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Koniu shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Koniu tries to land a body kick
and Durnin counters with a straight right hand.
Durnin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Koniu sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Koniu throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
It seemed like Durnin was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Koniu misses with a straight right.
Durnin moves out of range as Koniu throws a body kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Koniu's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Koniu duly obliges.
Durnin loads up on a big right hand but Koniu slips the punch.
Koniu takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Durnin fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Koniu is out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Japa Koniu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Japa Koniu's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Koniu on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Koniu scores with a punch to the head.
Koniu thows a left - swing and a miss!
Some wild striking there from Koniu.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Durnin! But no joy.
Koniu goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Koniu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Durnin throws out the jab.
Durnin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Koniu lands a jab-cross combination.
Koniu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Durnin.
Durnin lands a head shot.
Koniu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A punch combination from Koniu misses.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Durnin might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Koniu has got the better of the exchanges.
Jab by Durnin.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Koniu pivots, looking for a leg kick but Durnin is out of range and Koniu settles back down.
Durnin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koniu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durnin takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A little jabbing left from Durnin on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Koniu scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Koniu looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Koniu takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Koniu throws a push kick but Durnin slaps the foot to one side.
Japa Koniu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A big left from Durnin misses.
Koniu was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Durnin throws a big shot that misses.
Durnin moves away from the strike by Koniu.
A telegraphed right hand from Durnin misses the target.
Koniu closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Durnin catches Koniu with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Japa Koniu's cut is getting worse.
Koniu tried to score with a low kick but Durnin checks it.
Koniu takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Koniu pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Durnin tries a quick counter leg kick but Koniu is wise to it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Koniu misses with a wild body shot.
Koniu lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koniu throws a left and a right that both miss
and Durnin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Koniu uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Durnin.
Japa Koniu is winning the standup battle so far.
Koniu gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Durnin avoids the head kick by Koniu.
Koniu throws a big shot that misses.
Koniu slips under a jab from Durnin.
Durnin misses the shot to the body.
Durnin misses the shot to the body.
Koniu takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Koniu looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Durnin lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Koniu on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Japa Koniu's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Koniu ducks under a wild hook from Durnin.
Koniu takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Koniu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Durnin slips under a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koniu bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A little feinted left hand from Koniu on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Durnin dodges the punch combination from Koniu.
Durnin dodges the punch combination from Koniu.
Durnin throws a good cross that connects.
Durnin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koniu.
Koniu misses with a wild combination.
Koniu throws a head kick that misses.
That kick from Durnin tenderised Koniu's leg. Koniu is trying to keep his angry face on.
Koniu thuds his shin into the meat of Durnin's side.
Koniu checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Durnin tries to land a leg kick but Koniu saw it coming and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koniu ducks under a wild hook from Durnin.
Durnin throws a quick inside leg kick.
Koniu tries a head kick but it misses.
Durnin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Koniu counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Durnin throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Koniu lands a jab to the nose.
Durnin lands a nice leg kick that just misses Koniu's sensitive parts.
Durnin misses with a straight right.
Koniu lands with a good body shot.
Durnin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Koniu moves away.
Koniu misses with an attempted mid kick.
Koniu drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Durnin gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Koniu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Durnin.
Koniu is looking to counter punch.
Koniu stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Naoise Durnin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Japa Koniu's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Koniu lands an overhand right.
Durnin keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Durnin scores with a crisp jab that stopped Koniu in his tracks.
Koniu with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Koniu avoids the body shot from Durnin.
Koniu appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Koniu walks into a stiff left hand from Durnin.
Durnin checks a low kick from Koniu.
Durnin waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Koniu.
Durnin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A jab from Durnin misses.
Durnin throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Koniu on the side of the head.

Jeez, Japa Koniu's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Koniu works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Koniu connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Koniu bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Durnin is rocked!
and Koniu counters with a massive uppercut that badly hurts Durnin! He's just covering up as Koniu starts to tee off till the referee steps in and stops the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Japa Koniu!
Japa Koniu thanked the fans post fight for their support.