PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Ryu Takemura (ranked 7253 p4p, 544 weight class) and Tong Po (ranked 4170 p4p, 433 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Takemura
vs
Po

170 cm
28
150 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

167 cm
25
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ryu Takemura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tong Po!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takemura blocks a jab.
Takemura appears to be looking for a big counter.
Takemura shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Po eats them both and turns towards Takemura to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

It looks like Tong Po has been cut.
Po throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Takemura cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Po throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Takemura seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Takemura walks into a stiff left hand from Po.
Po looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Po looks to land a right hand but Takemura moved out of range.
Po falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Takemura to counter with a crisp jab.
Po tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Takemura manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Po misses the body punch
and Takemura counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Takemura works the jab nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takemura scores with a crisp jab that stopped Po in his tracks.
Takemura cracks Po with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Po misses with a lunging right hand
and Takemura makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Takemura punishes Po's body with a nice straight punch.
Po throws a hook but Takemura blocks it.
Takemura throws a big counter combination but Po scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Po throws a lazy uppercut
and Takemura counters with a straight right hand.
Po looks to throw the jab but Takemura is out of range.
It looked like Takemura was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Po.
Po throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Po throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Takemura counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Takemura lands with a nice combination. Po backs away looking to recover.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Po misses with a right hand
and Takemura counters with a left and a right that stings Po.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takemura avoids the body shot from Po.
Takemura needs to keep his hands up - Po had a free shot at his head there.
Takemura is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Po misses the shot to the body.
Tong Po seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Po throws a poor cross that misses
and Takemura counters with a straight right hand.
Po tries to clinch there but Takemura circles away.
It looked like Takemura was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Po takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Takemura, as that shot connected.
Po misses with an uppercut
and Takemura counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Po takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Po thows a leg kick but Takemura checks it
and Takemura counters with a nice body shot.
A jab from Takemura finds it's way through Po's defenses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryu Takemura dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tong Po's cut.
That's time! Takemura's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Po throws a poor cross that misses
and Takemura counters with a two punch combo.
Po misses with a lunging right hand
and Takemura counters with a straight right hand.
Takemura misses with a few strikes there.
Takemura is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Takemura lands with a right hand.
Takemura digs a good hook to Po's body.
Takemura is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Po can do to turn this around?
Po throws a combination that misses
letting Takemura counter with a right hand.
Takemura jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Po misses with an uppercut
and Takemura cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Takemura cracks a nice hook into Po's ribs.
Po takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Po has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Takemura comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Po throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Po takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Po takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Takemura fails to land with a series of punches.
Ryu Takemura is winning the standup battle so far.
Po throws a right hand that misses
and Takemura counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Po throws a leg kick that is checked
and Takemura connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Po takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Takemura lands with a straight right. Po didn't see that one coming.
Po takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Po gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Takemura.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Po throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Takemura to counter with a crisp jab.
Takemura dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Po is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Po tries to land a leg kick but Takemura saw it coming and moves away.
Po swings away with a body shot that misses
and Takemura counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Takemura looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Po misses with a jab to the body
and Takemura counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nice cross by Takemura.
Takemura misses with a two punch combination.
Po falls off balance throwing a combination
and Takemura counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Good standup being displayed there by Takemura as he connects with a hook.
Takemura pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Po back to the ropes. Takemura follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryu Takemura dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tong Po's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Po closes the distance but Takemura moves to the side
and Takemura counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Takemura throws a series of strikes that have Po backpedaling.
Takemura will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Takemura thuds a left hand into Po's body.
Po misses with an uppercut.
Takemura was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takemura is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A low kick from Po misses
and Takemura counters with a left to the body.
Po throws a leg kick
and Takemura counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Po tries to clinch there but Takemura circles away.
Po misses with a left hand
letting Takemura counter with a right hand.
Takemura clobbers Po with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Jab from Takemura.
Takemura lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Takemura throws a series of punches but Po moves out of range.
Po throws a good cross that connects.
Po takes a swing at Takemura's ribcage but misses.
A shot to the liver by Takemura. Beautiful body shot.
Takemura lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Takemura takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Nice body punch from Takemura.
Takemura lands a nice shot to the body.
Po takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Takemura scores with a jab to the jaw.
Takemura swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Po.
Takemura lands with an overhand left.
Po throws an off balance right hand
and Po takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Po throws a lazy uppercut
letting Takemura counter with a right hand.
Po takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Takemura scores with a nice head shot.
Tong Po has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ryu Takemura is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Takemura connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Po's hands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryu Takemura showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Takemura has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:26
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:26
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryu Takemura!
Ryu Takemura made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'I'd kill him if the referee let me..'.
In defeat, Tong Po stepped up to the mic, saying 'I live by the sword I die by the sword, Whatever happened has happened, no looking back now, the moment is gone...'.