PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Zhou Ming He (ranked 4691 p4p, 117 weight class) and Daniel Cormier (ranked 7026 p4p, 96 weight class). The key to victory for Zhou Ming He has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Ming He
vs
Cormier

224 cm
24
299 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
222 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Basic striking
Intelligent

Basic striking
Prefers standup

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Zhou Ming He !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Daniel Cormier!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, David Hoff and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ming He tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cormier swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cormier flicks out a counter leg kick but Ming He steps away.
Ming He tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Ming He checks a leg kick.

Cormier clinches.
Ming He wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ming He with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ming He wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ming He tries to break the clinch but Cormier is controlling the position.
Cormier should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Ming He breaks the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cormier clinches with his opponent.
Ming He slows down the pace here.
Cormier trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Cormier tries to land knees in the clinch but Ming He avoids the damage to the body.
Ming He lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Cormier backwards.
A short left from Ming He .
Cormier missing with knees to the body.
Ming He misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cormier tries to land knees in the clinch but Ming He avoids the damage to the body.
Ming He avoiding damage as Cormier throws knees to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Ming He .

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ming He manages to break the clinch.
Cormier throws a low kick but Ming He moves out of range easily.
Ming He wants to clinch.

Cormier moves into range and clinches up with Ming He .
Ming He manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Ming He 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Cormier gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ming He pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Cormier moves into the clinch.
Ming He tries to break the clinch but Cormier is controlling the position.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Cormier just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ming He 's brow.
Ming He wants to break free but Cormier has control.
Cormier keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ming He 's efforts to push away.
Ming He is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Ming He escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Cormier pushes Ming He up against the ropes in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ming He blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cormier tries to throw a body punch but Ming He avoids it by throwing Cormier back against the ropes.

Ming He breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cormier moves into the clinch successfully.
Cormier is trying to maintain a safe position but Ming He gets an underhook and turns Cormier into the ropes.
Ming He lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Ming He stalling.
Ming He has had enough of the clinch but Cormier keeps him there for the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ming He managing to block the knees to the body from Cormier.

Ming He breaks from the clinch.

Ming He drives through and clinches with Cormier against the ropes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Daniel Cormier will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cormier gets a clinch.
Ming He looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Cormier goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ming He tries to stall but Cormier uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Cormier lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.

Ming He breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cormier has managed to clinch.
Cormier has Ming He pressed against the ropes, preventing Ming He from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Ming He 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cormier instigates a clinch.
Cormier wants to break the clinch but can't.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Ming He just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cormier's brow.

Ming He escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cormier has managed to clinch.
Cormier managing to block the knees to the body from Ming He .
Ming He 's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Cormier is trying to stall.
Ming He wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cormier using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ming He has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Ming He breaks the clinch.

Ming He fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Cormier, pushing him back against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ming He lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Cormier trying to land knees to the body.
Cormier blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Cormier tries to land knees in the clinch but Ming He avoids the damage to the body.

Ming He breaks from the clinch.
Ming He tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Daniel Cormier seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cormier swats away the attempt to clinch by Ming He .

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cormier clinches up against the ropes.
Ming He struggles to land a body shot inside as Cormier controls his hands.
Cormier stalling in the clinch but Ming He improves position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ming He breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cormier darts in and clinches Ming He up against the ropes.
Cormier is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ming He is defending well for now.
Cormier throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ming He fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ming He avoiding damage as Cormier throws knees to the body.

Ming He breaks the clinch.

Cormier drives through and clinches with Ming He against the ropes.

Ming He breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Cormier clinches up with Ming He and pushes him back against the ropes.
Ming He has had enough of the clinch but Cormier keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cormier leaning his opponent against the ropes.
Ming He pressing his opponent against the ropes.
Cormier throws a knee to the head but misses.

Ming He breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cormier moves into range and clinches up with Ming He .
Cormier throws an elbow that misses.
Cormier prevents Ming He from breaking the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Cormier showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Ming He breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ming He moves into the clinch.
Ming He wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cormier misses with a punch to the body.
Ming He tries to break the clinch but Cormier is controlling the position.
Ming He tries to land knees in the clinch but Cormier avoids the damage to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ming He is trying to maintain a safe position but Cormier gets an underhook and turns Ming He into the ropes.
Ming He trying to stall but Cormier improves his position.
Ming He tries to break the clinch but Cormier is controlling the position.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cormier has Ming He pressed against the ropes, preventing Ming He from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ming He avoiding damage as Cormier throws knees to the body.
Ming He stalling in the clinch but Cormier improves position.
Cormier keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ming He 's efforts to push away.
Ming He is trying to force a seperation but Cormier has the dominant position.
Ming He blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Come on Ming He - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Ming He 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Cormier drives through and clinches with Ming He against the ropes.

Ming He 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Cormier closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Daniel Cormier seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Ming He is trying to stall.
Ming He tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Cormier trying to land knees to the body.
Ming He looking to stall.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Ming He wants to get back to striking at distance but Cormier won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ming He is trying to force a seperation but Cormier has the dominant position.
Ming He landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Cormier misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ming He .
Cormier tries to land knees in the clinch but Ming He avoids the damage to the body.
Ming He is trying to push Cormier away but Cormier has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Ming He managing to block the knees to the body from Cormier.
Cormier tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ming He avoids it.
Ming He tries to work over Cormier's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cormier taking a breather.
Ming He throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cormier blocks it with crossed arms.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ming He has had enough of the clinch but Cormier keeps him there for the moment.
Cormier keeps control of Ming He as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ming He trying to land knees to the body.
Ming He misses with a body punch.
Ming He with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ming He misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cormier.
Cormier struggles to land a body shot inside as Ming He controls his hands.
Cormier on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cormier throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Zhou Ming He has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Daniel Cormier is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Ming He scores with a nice hook to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zhou Ming He showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cormier has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 29:29
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!