PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Ryu Kushin (ranked 5622 p4p, 538 weight class) and Yevgen Maartins (ranked 4740 p4p, 496 weight class). Ryu Kushin has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Kushin
vs
Maartins

192 cm
23
213 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
23
192 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Excellent MT
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ryu Kushin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Yevgen Maartins!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Bart Greer and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick by Kushin misses
and Maartins counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Kushin tries to clinch up but Maartins circles away and keeps his distance.
Maartins lands an overhand right.
Kushin definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Kushin misses with a leg kick
and Maartins counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Maartins lands a leg kick that knocks Kushin off balance momentarily.
Kushin is looking to clinch.
Kushin scores with a jab to the body.
Kushin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maartins throws a push kick but Kushin slaps the foot to one side.
Nice body punch from Kushin.
Kushin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kushin is looking to clinch but Maartins is avoiding it.
Kushin moves out of range of the leg kick from Maartins.
Kushin throws a leg kick that is checked
and Kushin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kushin doesn't manage to clinch there - Maartins circles away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kushin tries to clinch but Maartins is having none of it.
Kushin chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Maartins can pounce on him.
Ryu Kushin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kushin darts in trying to clinch
and Maartins counters with a nice kick to the body.
Maartins on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Maartins tries to land a front kick but Kushin steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Kushin tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Maartins manages to circle out of the way.
Maartins ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kushin is looking to clinch but Maartins is avoiding it.

Kushin lands a front kick to the face, that drops Maartins to the canvas! Is he dazed or just shocked? He's back to his feet and the referee is going to allow him to continue the fight!

It looks like Yevgen Maartins has been cut.
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!
A leg kick checked by Kushin.
Maartins looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kushin misses with a jab to the body
and Maartins counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kushin throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Kushin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Maartins paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A head kick misses from Kushin.
Kushin scores with a kick to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kushin tries to close the distance and clinch but Maartins swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kushin staying out of range there.

Kushin looks low and kicks high, catching Maartins right on the side of the head, sending him crashing to the canvas! Will he be able to beat the count? 3,4,5 - he's already back to his feet and ready to go! Let's see if he's still with it!
Kushin wants to clinch.
Maartins lands with a thumping leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kushin.
Maartins swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kushin tries a head kick but it misses.
A countering left hand to the body from Maartins misses.
Kushin tries to clinch but Maartins moves out of range.
Kushin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Maartins was well out of range. Poor timing from Kushin.
Kushin misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushin pivots, looking for a leg kick but Maartins is out of range and Kushin settles back down.
Maartins looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Kushin throws a half hearted mid kick.
Maartins unleashes a big counter combination but Kushin bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Kushin wants to clinch but Maartins slips to the side
and Maartins counters with an inside leg kick.
Kushin fails to land with a series of punches.
Maartins throws a leg kick which misses Kushin's front leg but catches the back leg as Kushin tries to avoid it.
Maartins avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Crunch! Maartins slams his shin into Kushin's torso.
Kushin throws a head kick but Maartins moves out of range.
Maartins misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A head kick by Kushin misses
and Maartins counters with a nice leg kick.
Maartins lands with a kick to the temple. Kushin shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Kushin fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Maartins checks it well.
Maartins avoids the head kick by Kushin.
Maartins feints a counter leg kick.
Kushin misses with a right hand
and Maartins counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maartins lands with a good body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kushin's corner calls for a 1-2. Kushin obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
A head kick misses from Kushin.
Kushin is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Maartins.

It looks like Ryu Kushin has been cut.
Maartins jabs at Kushin's body.
Maartins smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Maartins throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kushin sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A lazy body kick from Kushin
and Maartins counters with a low kick, right behind Kushin 's knee.
Maartins sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Maartins throws a half hearted mid kick.
Maartins scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Maartins fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kushin.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kushin throws a head kick that misses
and Maartins counters with a series of strikes. Kushin will be more careful next time no doubt.
Kushin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice defenses there by Kushin.
Maartins wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryu Kushin takes that one as he scored multiple knockdowns. Yevgen Maartins was lucky to get out of the first round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Crunch! Kushin slams his shin into Maartins's torso.
Yevgen Maartins seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Maartins throws a head kick but Kushin moves out of range.
Maartins throws a sloppy head kick and Kushin moves out of range easily.

Kushin lands a head kick that bluckles Maartins and drops him to the canvas. He's still conscious but it looks like it's going to take him the full 10 seconds to get back his senses! He's up on 9 and seems to be just about OK to continue.... the referee agrees and we're back to the action with Kushin no doubt looking to push for a finish!

Maartins is rocked!
Kushin swings for the body but Maartins moves out of range.
Kushin moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromMaartins.
Maartins is still on wobbly legs! Can Kushin finish him?
We've been informed that Maartins has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Kushin is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Maartins throws a head kick that misses.
Kushin misses with a head kick.
A countering left hand to the body from Maartins misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maartins takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Maartins keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Kushin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maartins flicks out a counter leg kick but Kushin steps away.
Kushin throws a sloppy head kick and Maartins moves out of range easily.
Maartins looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Maartins seems to have recovered his senses.
Kushin closes the distance but Maartins moves to the side
and Maartins makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Kushin throws a sloppy head kick and Maartins moves out of range easily.
Maartins just misses with a punch to the body.
Maartins throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Kushin.
Kushin lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kushin avoids a kick to the body.
Kushin closes the distance but Maartins moves to the side
and Maartins counters with a head kick. That will keep Kushin thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Maartins lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kushin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maartins throws a head kick that misses.
Maartins looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kushin tries to clinch but Maartins is having none of it.
Kushin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kushin lands with a kick to the temple. Maartins shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Maartins looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kushin swings for the body but Maartins moves out of range.
Kushin takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maartins avoids the head kick by Kushin.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kushin.
Kushin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Good leg kick by Kushin there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
That kick from Kushin tenderised Maartins's leg. Maartins is trying to keep his angry face on.
Kushin drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Maartins motions for Kushin to come forward. Maartins throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kushin tries to clinch up but Maartins circles away and keeps his distance.
Kushin throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kushin is looking to clinch but Maartins is avoiding it.
Maartins displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Kushin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Maartins throws an overhand right that lands on Kushin's shoulder, as Kushin tries to avoid the shot.
Kushin wants to clinch but Maartins slips to the side
and Maartins counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maartins avoids the head kick by Kushin.
Maartins throws a right and a left that both miss.
Maartins throws a solid leg kick but Kushin takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Maartins.
Kushin misses with a low kick.
Kushin throws a lazy head kick
and Maartins counters with a big head kick but Kushin shrugs it off.
Kushin closes the distance but Maartins moves to the side
and Maartins counters with a nice uppercut.
Kushin looks to score with a jab to the body but Maartins is just out of range.
Maartins throws a head kick that misses.
Kushin moves out of range of the body kick from Maartins.
Maartins feints and then cracks Kushin's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Kushin down.
Maartins tries a head kick but it misses.
Maartins is breathing heavily.
Maartins blocks a head kick by Kushin.

Kushin clinches up against the ropes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Maartins breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kushin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maartins manages to avoid it.
Kushin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Maartins paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Maartins misses with a low kick.
Kushin blocks a low kick nicely.
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!
Maartins blocks a head kick by Kushin.
Maartins pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maartins waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kushin.
Kushin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Maartins manages to avoid it.
Maartins throws a wild body kick that Kushin sees coming a mile off.
Kushin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kushin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kushin swinging wildly here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryu Kushin will take that round after scoring the only knockdown of the round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Maartins has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kushin.
Maartins just misses with a punch to the body.
Kushin tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Maartins manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kushin throws a head kick that misses.
Maartins misses with a wild combination.
Kushin takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A nice inside leg kick there by Kushin. That's going to slow Maartins down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kushin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Kushin.
Kushin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kushin swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Maartins throws a sloppy head kick and Kushin moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maartins misses with a body kick.
Kushin tries to clinch but Maartins is having none of it.
Kushin lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Maartins at a distance.
Maartins fails to land with a series of punches.
Kushin tries to land a front kick but Maartins steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A solid leg kick lands there for Kushin.
Kushin is looking to wear down Maartins with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Maartins takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Maartins misses with a head kick.
A low kick from Kushin misses
and Maartins counters with a good low kick that Kushin was not able to check.
Maartins connects with a looping right hand.
Maartins checks a low kick from Kushin.
Nice defenses there by Kushin.
Maartins buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kushin lands with a slapping head kick.
Kushin scores with a head kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head kick misses from Maartins.
Kushin throws a low kick but Maartins moves out of range easily.
Kushin throws a sloppy head kick and Maartins moves out of range easily.
Kushin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kushin throws a nice head kick!
Kushin just misses with a punch to the body.
Maartins scoring well with a low kick there.
Maartins throws a front kick that sends Kushin stumbling back into the ropes.
Kushin misses with a hook.
Kushin tries to clinch up.
Maartins throws out a loose jab but Kushin uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushin moves in looking to clinch but Maartins pushes him off.
Kushin moves forwards but Maartins connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Maartins goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Kushin throws a big counter combination but Maartins scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Kushin avoids the head kick by Maartins.
Kushin chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Maartins can pounce on him.
A punch combination from Maartins misses.
Kushin misses with a head kick.
Kushin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kushin throws a front kick aimed at Maartins's knee but Maartins avoids it well.
Maartins replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Kushin blocks it well.
Kushin tries a head kick but it misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kushin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kushin. Maartins does a little dance to reset his feet.
A head kick misses from Kushin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kushin throws a shot from downtown. Maartins moves away and avoids it.
Maartins throws a big counter head kick but Kushin avoids it with no problem.
Kushin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kushin throws a head kick but Maartins moves out of range.
Maartins lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Maartins lands a head kick!
Maartins lands a high kick!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Maartins.
Maartins fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Kushin on the side of the head.
Kushin moves out of range of the leg kick from Maartins.
Kushin fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Maartins.
Kushin wants to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Yevgen Maartins.
I think Maartins 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 David Hoff scores the fight 29:25
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 29:25
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 29:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryu Kushin!