PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jimi Toa (ranked 1605 p4p, 237 weight class) and Kevin Durant (ranked 1832 p4p, 272 weight class). Toa comes to the cage accompanied by Nil By Mouth, by Blindspott. The crowd seem to be enjoying Durant's choice of entrance music: Metallica - Enter Sandman. Kevin Durant will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Toa
vs
Durant

193 cm
29
205 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

208 cm
21
215 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jimi Toa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kevin Durant!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Donatello Bradman and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Durant misses.
Durant lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Toa wants to clinch.
Durant has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Toa finds it's way round the side to connect with Durant's head.
Toa slips a jab from Durant.
Durant dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durant lands a nice shot to the body.
We've been hearing reports that Toa has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.

Toa closes the distance and clinches.
Toa is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Durant to keep the fight standing.
Durant presses Toa against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Durant breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durant fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Toa looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Toa wants to clinch up but Durant keeps it at a distance.
Durant throws a jab when Toa was well out of range.
Toa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Durant but Durant pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Toa just misses with a punch to the body.
Durant is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A combination from Durant does no damage.
Durant tests Toa's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Kevin Durant is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Toa forces Durant back against the cage and clinches.
Toa tries to pull guard but Durant won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jimi Toa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Toa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nice body punch from Durant.
Toa fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Durant scores with a nice short uppercut.
Durant swings wildly with an uppercut but Toa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Toa tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Durant just stands there and leans against the cage.
Durant is struggling to control the position.
Durant lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

It looks like Jimi Toa has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A right hook to the body lands for Durant.
Durant lands a right hand that snaps the head of Toa backwards.
Durant working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Durant's coach down at Doherty's Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Durant's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Durant manages to break the clinch.
Toa takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Jab, jab by Durant - just one landing.
Toa avoids the body shot from Durant.
Toa tries to clinch up.
Durant looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durant looks to land a right hand but Toa moved out of range.
Durant punishes Toa's body with a nice straight punch.
Durant scores with a decent looking hook.
Durant just misses with a punch to the body.
Toa's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Durant connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Toa scrambles back to his feet.
Toa uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Durant.
Nice shot by Durant.
The fighters circling - Durant throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Toa tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Durant manages to circle out of the way.
Durant keeps the fight on the outside.
Toa ducks under a wild hook from Durant.
Toa tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Durant manages to circle out of the way.
Durant works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Durant swats away the attempt to clinch by Toa.
Durant is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Toa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Durant gets caught flat footed, as Toa shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Toa trying to control but Durant is working from the bottom.
Toa stays in close to Durant's body and controls the position.
Toa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Durant wants to control the position but Toa says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

Toa is working for a kimura but Durant is defending it quite comfortably.
Durant is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Durant dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jimi Toa's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Durant scores with a punch to the head.
Toa slips a jab from Durant.
Toa looks to land a left hand but Durant moved out of range nicely.
Kevin Durant seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Durant connects with a good right hand that stumbles Toa. Toa circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Toa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Toa listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Nice shot lands for Durant.
Durant will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Toa is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Durant.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toa fails with an attempt to clinch.
Durant throws a hook to the side of Toa's head but Toa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Durant throws a jab when Toa was well out of range.
Toa is looking to clinch.
Durant unleashes a big counter combination but Toa bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durant throws a looping overhand right but Toa ducks down to avoid it.
Durant throws a body shot but no joy.
As Durant tries to get set, Toa tries to push him back and clinch up but Durant manages to avoid the attempt.
Toa takes a jab right on the kisser.
Toa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Durant sprawls well. Durant wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Toa gets slowly back to his feet.
Durant has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Toa staying out of range there.
Durant missing with a left hand there. Toa was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Toa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nice jab there from Durant.
Toa closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Durant to counter with a crisp jab.
Kevin Durant seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Toa moves out of range as Durant strikes.
Durant punishes Toa's body with a nice straight punch.
Toa closes the distance looking to clinch
and Durant counters with a nice uppercut.
Toa looks to clinch
and Durant counters with a low kick, right behind Toa 's knee.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A looping hook to the body misses from Toa. Durant does a little dance to reset his feet.
Durant avoids a punch combination nicely.
Toa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Toa avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durant swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Durant throws a series of punches but Toa moves out of range.
Durant lands a jab to the nose.
Toa uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Durant.
Durant takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Durant swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Durant. Toa does a little dance to reset his feet.
As Durant tries to get set, Toa tries to push him back and clinch up but Durant manages to avoid the attempt.
Durant keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Toa tests Durant's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Toa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Durant moves away.
A countering left hand to the body from Durant misses.
Durant connects with a single shot there.
Toa throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Toa fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toa darts in trying to clinch
and Durant counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Toa thinking.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Toa doesn't manage to clinch there - Durant circles away.
Toa takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Nice defenses there by Toa.
Toa seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Durant throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Durant cracks Toa with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Good shot there by Durant.
Durant jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Toa has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Toa there as he acknowledges the shot.
Toa misses with a two punch combination.
Durant swats away the attempt to clinch by Toa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Durant showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jimi Toa's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Durant displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Toa throws out the jab.
Durant stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Toa bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Durant's head.
Durant walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Durant thows a left - swing and a miss!
Toa tries to counter by clinching up but Durant breaks away and moves out of range.
Durant avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Toa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Toa lands a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A looping hook to the body misses from Toa. Durant does a little dance to reset his feet.
Durant throws a series of strikes that have Toa backpedaling.
Durant throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toa takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Toa is looking to wear down Durant with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Durant connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Toa's hands.
Durant lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Durant connects with a single shot there.
Durant throws a quick inside leg kick.
Toa fails in his attempt to clinch.
No luck for Toa with that takedown attempt.
Durant misses with a looping right.
Durant takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Jimi Toa's cut is getting worse.
Durant throws a body shot but no joy.
Toa bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Durant's head.
Durant has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Durant wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Toa fails with an attempt to clinch.
Durant clobbers Toa with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Durant fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Toa on the side of the head.

Toa is rocked!
Durant is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Nice shot by Durant.
Oh Toa is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Toa looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Toa waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Durant.
Toa seems to have got his legs back now.
Jab, jab by Toa - just one landing.

Durant lands a big right hand that sends Toa crashing to the mat! Durant stays standing though and waves Toa back to his feet!
Toa throws a sloppy body shot
and Durant counters with a huge left! Toa is in big trouble! He's backing up but Durant isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Toa from any more damage. A dominating finish by Durant!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kevin Durant!
Kevin Durant tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.
Jimi Toa spoke after the fight, saying 'Good fight bro! I'm going to go back to the drawing board and train harder than ever. I'll be back!'.