PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jackson Kassongo (ranked 4475 p4p, 375 weight class) and Vladimir Tomcic (ranked 2892 p4p, 286 weight class). Vladimir Tomcic has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kassongo
vs
Tomcic

182 cm
25
157 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

173 cm
20
156 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jackson Kassongo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Vladimir Tomcic!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Chris Downing and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tomcic leaves Kassongo with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kassongo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tomcic counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Tomcic takes the fight into the clinch.
Tomcic prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jackson Kassongo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A nice left hand lands by Tomcic.
Kassongo tries for a takedown. No joy.
Tomcic lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Tomcic lands a hook that snaps the head of Kassongo backwards.
Tomcic lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Tomcic lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Tomcic landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Tomcic scores with a nice hook to the head.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Tomcic has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tomcic is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Tomcic lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kassongo backwards.
Tomcic lands with a light punch inside.
Tomcic lands a nice uppercut.
A short right from Tomcic on the inside.
Tomcic scores with a shoulder strike.
Knees to the body from Tomcic.
Kassongo is breathing heavily.
Tomcic lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Kassongo backwards.
Tomcic lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kassongo looking for a takedown.
Tomcic lands a damaging elbow.
Tomcic lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short right from Tomcic on the inside.
Tomcic throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kassongos head.
Kassongo has Tomcic pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Tomcic manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Kassongo takes a shot to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tomcic.
Tomcic unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kassongo lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Tomcic scores with a shot to the side of Kassongo's head.
Kassongo takes a knee right on the jaw!

Kassongo is rocked!
A knee to the head by Tomcic.
Oh Kassongo is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tomcic gets through Kassongo's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Tomcic.
Kassongo seems to have got his legs back now.
Nice body punch from Tomcic.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Tomcic.
Tomcic lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Tomcic lands a hook that snaps the head of Kassongo backwards.
Tomcic cracks Kassongo with a nice body shot.
Tomcic lands a shoulder strike.
Tomcic lands with a right to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tomcic digs a right hand underneath Kassongo's ribcage. Kassongo let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tomcic lands a knee to the head.
Tomcic lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Kassongo or not.
Tomcic is leaning against Kassongo and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Tomcic cracks Kassongo with a nice body shot.
Tomcic works on Kassongo's body with a couple of short punches.
Tomcic lands a hook that snaps the head of Kassongo backwards.
Tomcic stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Tomcic utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Tomcic scores with a shoulder strike.
Kassongo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tomcic digs a right hand underneath Kassongo's ribcage. Kassongo let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Good body shot from Tomcic.
Tomcic softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Tomcic creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kassongo's defenses.
Kassongo's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A short uppercut from Tomcic.
Tomcic is leaning against Kassongo and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tomcic lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kassongo has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tomcic is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Knees to the body from Tomcic.
Tomcic working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A short uppercut from Tomcic.
Kassongo takes a shot to the head.
Kassongo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A short right from Tomcic on the inside.
Tomcic lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Kassongo.
Kassongo wants a takedown but no success here.
A nice left hand lands by Tomcic.
Tomcic lands a left hand.
Tomcic throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Tomcic working Kassongo over with knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Tomcic.
Tomcic lands a good knee to the midsection. Kassongo won't want to take too many of those.
Tomcic connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kassongo's face.
Tomcic gets through Kassongo's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Tomcic.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kassongo has Tomcic pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Tomcic manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Tomcic lands a body punch in the clinch.
Tomcic lands a right hand.
A short uppercut from Tomcic.
Tomcic throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kassongos head.
Tomcic crunches a lovely knee into Kassongo's ribcage.
Tomcic lands a left hand.
Still in the clinch, Tomcic scores with a nice short uppercut.
Tomcic lands a nice uppercut.
A short uppercut from Tomcic.
A nice left hand lands by Tomcic.
A right hand to the body from Tomcic.
Kassongo has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Tomcic avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Tomcic softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Tomcic scores with a nice short uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Tomcic scores with a nice short uppercut.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tomcic lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A right hook to the body lands for Tomcic.
Tomcic is leaning against Kassongo and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Tomcic scores with a shoulder strike.
A knee to the head by Tomcic.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vladimir Tomcic dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tomcic goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Kassongo takes one to the chin there.
Tomcic scores with a leg kick.
Tomcic swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Kassongo.
Tomcic has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Tomcic pushes Kassongo up against the cage in a clinch.
Tomcic lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kassongo takes a shot to the head.
Kassongo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tomcic.
Vladimir Tomcic seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Kassongo has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Tomcic avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A short right from Tomcic.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tomcic lands a shoulder strike.
Tomcic lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Tomcic lands an elbow inside that Kassongo shrugs off.
A hook to the body from Tomcic.
Tomcic prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jackson Kassongo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kassongo tries to score a body lock takedown but Tomcic shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tomcic is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Tomcic.
Tomcic throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Still in the clinch, Tomcic scores with a nice short uppercut.
Tomcic using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A short right from Tomcic on the inside.
Tomcic works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Tomcic digs a right hand underneath Kassongo's ribcage. Kassongo let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tomcic lands a right hand that snaps the head of Kassongo backwards.
A short left from Tomcic.
Tomcic scores with a knee to the head.
Tomcic lands with a left to the head.
A short left from Tomcic.
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!

Tomcic manages to break the clinch.

Tomcic has managed to clinch.
Tomcic throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Kassongos head.
Nice body punch from Tomcic - that landed with a thud.
Tomcic lands an uppercut.
Tomcic scores with a shot to the side of Kassongo's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tomcic landing knees to the head.
Tomcic pushes Kassongo back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Tomcic lands with a light punch inside.
Knees in the clinch landing for Tomcic.
Tomcic throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A short right from Tomcic on the inside.
Tomcic pushes Kassongo back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Tomcic working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Tomcic lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Tomcic utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Tomcic lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Tomcic.
Tomcic lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Tomcic lands with a right to the head.
Tomcic digs a right hand underneath Kassongo's ribcage. Kassongo let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tomcic prevents the takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tomcic lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Tomcic lands a good knee to the midsection. Kassongo won't want to take too many of those.
A short right from Tomcic on the inside.
Tomcic lands a hook that snaps the head of Kassongo backwards.
A shot in the inside from Tomcic.
Tomcic working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Tomcic is pressed up against the cage. Kassongo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Tomcic down to the mat. Tomcic avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Tomcic scores with a nice body kick.
Tomcic lands a brutal head kick. Kassongo looks out on his feet and Tomcic throws more strikes until the ref is forced to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick and Punches). Vladimir Tomcic!
A relieved looking Vladimir Tomcic thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.