PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Dhabu Vihdonic (ranked 6700 p4p, 405 weight class) and Stipe Velasquez (ranked 2095 p4p, 221 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Vihdonic
vs
Velasquez

198 cm
20
260 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

187 cm
28
240 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Great elbows
Very strong

Decent boxing
Granite chin

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dhabu Vihdonic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Stipe Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Sosuke Kotani and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Vihdonic.
Velasquez walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Velasquez tries to clinch up.
A slow jab from Vihdonic misses its intended target.
Velasquez misses with a shot to the body
and Vihdonic connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Velasquez throws a body shot but no joy.
Velasquez throws the left hand but Vihdonic avoids the punch easily.

Velasquez moves into the clinch successfully.
Velasquez has a couple of punches blocked by Vihdonic.
Vihdonic controlling the action here for a moment.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Vihdonic goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vihdonic scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Velasquez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Velasquez told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Vihdonic blocks an uppercut.
Velasquez misses with a hook to the ribs.
Velasquez lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Vihdonic backwards.
Velasquez blocks an elbow strike from Vihdonic.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Velasquez lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Vihdonic backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vihdonic pushes off an throws an elbow but Velasquez leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Velasquez throws an elbow but it misses.
Velasquez tries a body shot but Vihdonic blocks it.
Vihdonic gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Stipe Velasquez has been cut.
Vihdonic lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Velasquez lands a nice shot to the body.
Vihdonic is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Velasquez is keeping busy.
Vihdonic misses with a body punch.
Velasquez scores with a shot to the side of Vihdonic's head.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Vihdonic creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Vihdonic lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Velasquez misses with the head strike.
Vihdonic struggles to land a body shot inside as Velasquez controls his hands.
Velasquez throws a punch but it's blocked by Vihdonic.
Velasquez pushes Vihdonic back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Vihdonic lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez can't find room to land a body shot as Vihdonic controls the action.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Velasquez lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Velasquez.
Vihdonic trying to control the position but instead, Velasquez has worked for underhooks and has pushed Vihdonic into the ropes.
Vihdonic lands a nice elbow.
Velasquez avoids a wild elbow strike from Vihdonic.
Vihdonic misses with a punch on the inside.
Velasquez has a couple of punches blocked by Vihdonic.
Vihdonic tries to work over Velasquez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Velasquez creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Vihdonic pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Vihdonic.
Velasquez blocks a body shot from Vihdonic.
Vihdonic is trying to stall.
Velasquez misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dhabu Vihdonic will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Stipe Velasquez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A right-left combo lands from Velasquez.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Velasquez.
Vihdonic throws out a leg kick but Velasquez moves out of range and Vihdonic only half commits.
Velasquez slips under a jab from Vihdonic.
Some wild striking there from Velasquez.
Velasquez loads up on a big right hand but Vihdonic slips the punch.

Vihdonic clinches up with Velasquez and pushes him back against the ropes.
I was talking to Vihdonic's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Vihdonic scores with a shoulder strike.
Vihdonic lands a shot to the body.
Vihdonic presses Velasquez against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Dhabu Vihdonic has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Vihdonic lands with a left to the head.
Velasquez blocks the elbow strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vihdonic tries to work over Velasquez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Vihdonic lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Velasquez trying to stall but Vihdonic improves his position.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Velasquez is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Vihdonic has denied him.
A right hook to the body lands for Vihdonic.
Velasquez is breathing heavily.
Velasquez prevents a body shot from Vihdonic.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vihdonic gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Vihdonic tries to stall but Velasquez uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Velasquez is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Velasquez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Vihdonic lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Vihdonic throws an elbow that misses.
Vihdonic lands an elbow just above Velasquez 's eye.
A short right from Vihdonic.
A hook to the body from Vihdonic.
Vihdonic throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Vihdonic lands an elbow that stopped Velasquez in his tracks for a moment.
Vihdonic tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Vihdonic is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Vihdonic blocks an uppercut.
Velasquez misses with a knee strike.
Vihdonic tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Velasquez's elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Vihdonic.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Vihdonic tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Velasquez's elbow.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vihdonic lands an elbow inside that Velasquez shrugs off.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Vihdonic creates a bit of space for himself and unleashed what can only be described as a tiger uppercut, straight out of Street Fighter! Velasquez crashes to the mat! Can he make it back to his feet in time? 3,4,5,6... it doesn't look like he's going to make it! Velasquez face plants back to the mat and the referee calls off the fight! Vihdonic takes it with a brutal technical knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punch). Dhabu Vihdonic!
A less than humble Dhabu Vihdonic misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.