PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight kickboxing rules bout between Makunouchi Ippo (ranked 13096 p4p, 406 weight class) and Name Less (ranked 3020 p4p, 285 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Ippo might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Indestructible. Makunouchi Ippo had a look across the ring there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Ippo
vs
Less

173 cm
41
153 lbs
34 - 13 - 0

178 cm
36
159 lbs
12 - 6 - 1

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Granite chin

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 34 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Makunouchi Ippo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Name Less!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Thiago Cunha and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Less thumps Ippo with a low kick.
A swing and a miss from Ippo.
Ippo lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

It looks like Name Less has been cut.
Less throws a hook but Ippo blocks it.
Ippo tries to bum rush Less with a series of wild strikes but Less uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Less misses with a body kick.
Ippo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ippo scoring well with a low kick there.
Ippo cracks Less with a right hand to the side of the head.
Less misses the shot to the body.

Ippo moves into range and clinches up with Less.
Less throws a punch but it's blocked by Ippo.
A body shot lands from Less.
Ippo tries to land a knee to the head but Less blocks with his arms.
Ippo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Less looking to throw knees to the head but Ippo is blocking nicely.
Ippo lands a good knee to the midsection. Less won't want to take too many of those.
Less pushes Ippo back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Less softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Less lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Ippo lands a nice knee to the body.
Ippo lands an uppercut.
Ippo lands a good knee to the midsection. Less won't want to take too many of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Less with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Less misses with an elbow over the top.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ippo.
Less misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ippo misses with a knee strike.
Ippo tries to land a knee to the head but Less blocks with his arms.
Less using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ippo has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Less blocks an uppercut.
Less lands a left hand.
Ippo swings wildly with an uppercut but Less uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ippo tries a knee to the head but Less blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ippo.
Less tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Less looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ippo dodges an elbow strike from Less.
Less misses with some punches.
Less on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Less obliges.
Less misses with a punch on the inside.
Ippo lands an uppercut.

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!
Less on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ippo scores a nice knee to the body.
Ippo looking to throw knees to the head but Less is blocking nicely.
Ippo blocking some punches.
Ippo lands a left hand that snaps the head of Less backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ippo.
Less landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Ippo blocks a body shot from Less.
Less gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Less.
Ippo blocking some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Less fails to land.
Nice elbow from Less.
Ippo tries a knee to the head but Less blocks it.
Ippo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Less blocks it with crossed arms.
Ippo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Less pushes off an throws an elbow but Ippo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Ippo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ippo throws a punch but it's blocked by Less.
Less goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Less blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Makunouchi Ippo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Name Less's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Ippo tries to move into range but Less moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Ippo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ippo seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Ippo throws the kick towards the body but Less avoids it.
A good leg kick by Less.
Ippo fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Less is out of range.

Ippo has closed the distance and engaged Less in a clinch.
Less pushes Ippo back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ippo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ippo misses with some punches.
Less misses with a knee to the head.
Ippo tries to land knees in the clinch but Less avoids the damage to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ippo.
Less misses with the head strike.
Ippo tries to land a knee to the head but Less blocks with his arms.
Makunouchi Ippo has scored more points in the clinch so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Less with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ippo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Less misses with a punch on the inside.
Ippo tries to land knees in the clinch but Less avoids the damage to the body.
Less tries a body shot but Ippo blocks it.
Less utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ippo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Less.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Less misses with the head strike.
I was talking to Ippo's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Less misses with an elbow over the top.
Less blocking some punches.
Less lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Ippo blocks the elbow strike.
Less misses with an elbow over the top.
Less blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Less is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Less presses Ippo against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Less lands an elbow inside that Ippo shrugs off.
Still in the clinch, Less scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ippo's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Less makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Less lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Less lands with a right to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ippo missing with knees to the body.
Ippo lands a knee to the head.
Ippo tries to land knees in the clinch but Less avoids the damage to the body.
Ippo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Less blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Less.
Ippo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Less lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ippo working aggressively here.
Ippo tries a knee to the head but Less blocks it.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Less creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ippo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Less avoids it.
Ippo managing to block the knees to the body from Less.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Less.
Ippo avoids a wild elbow strike from Less.
Ippo tries a knee to the head but Less blocks it.
Less lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Less throws a punch but it's blocked by Ippo.
Less blocking some punches.
Less lands an elbow inside.
Less lands on the inside with an uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ippo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Less.
Ippo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ippo misses with a knee strike.
Ippo tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Less takes a knee right on the jaw!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Name Less showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Name Less's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Less cracks the inside of Ippo's front leg.
Less walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Less scores with a hook to the body. Ippo takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Less slips a straight right by Ippo.
Ippo connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Less's hands.
Ippo looks to land a left hand but Less moved out of range nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Less looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Less works Ippo's body with a nice hook.
Ippo takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Less lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Less tries to score with a low kick but Ippo moves his leg out of the way.
Ippo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ippo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Less.
Less is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Ippo rather than just go for the knockout.
Less lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Ippo swings away with a leg kick that misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ippo throws an overhand right that lands on Less's shoulder, as Less tries to avoid the shot.
Less keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Less rushes Ippo and presses him up against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ippo tries a knee to the head but Less blocks it.
Ippo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A short left from Less.
Ippo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Less lands an elbow that stopped Ippo in his tracks for a moment.
Less blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Less throws a head punch that misses.
Ippo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Less tries to land a knee to the head but Ippo blocks with his arms.
Nice elbow from Less.
Less blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ippo pushes Less back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Less lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Ippo backwards.
Less lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ippo avoiding damage as Less throws knees to the body.
Ippo takes an elbow to the temple.
Less comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Less throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Less lands a good knee to the midsection. Ippo won't want to take too many of those.
Ippo missing with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Less lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Less has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ippo scores with a shot to the side of Less's head.
Ippo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Less makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Less unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Less avoiding damage as Ippo throws knees to the body.
Still in the clinch, Ippo scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ippo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Less misses with an elbow over the top.
A knee to the head by Less.
Less blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ippo with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Less scores with a nice hook to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ippo crunches a lovely knee into Less's ribcage.
Less tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ippo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Less avoids it.
Ippo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Less lands with a left to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Less obliges.
Ippo looking to throw knees to the head but Less is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Name Less comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Less has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Name Less!
A relieved looking Name Less thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
The defeated Makunouchi Ippo had this to say: 'you Win or you Learn'.