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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yardbird Knox (ranked 1284 p4p, 1365 weight class) and Sauli Kekkonen (ranked 149 p4p, 163 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Knox might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Tear da Club Up | Three 6 Mafia. Yardbird Knox could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Sauli Kekkonen's chin.
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| 207 cm
24
285
8 - 3 - 0 |
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206 cm
20
265
5 - 4 - 0 |
Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin |
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Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank |
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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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Yardbird Knox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sauli Kekkonen!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Fujiwara.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knox ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A big right from Kekkonen misses.
Knox steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kekkonen.
Knox fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kekkonen manages to avoid it.
Kekkonen throws out a counter right but Knox avoids it with no problem.
Kekkonen darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Kekkonen is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Knox slips under a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knox throws the left hand but Kekkonen avoids the punch easily.
Knox lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Kekkonen throws a body punch but Knox moves out of range.
We've been informed that Kekkonen has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Knox misses with a body punch
and Kekkonen counters with a shoot takedown. Knox fights it but they end up in guard.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Kekkonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Knox is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kekkonen throwing strikes but missing.
Knox controlling the position.
Kekkonen postures up in Knox's guard and throws a big left but Knox blocks it.
Knox on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Knox tries to get out of the position.
Knox looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kekkonen cracks Knox with a solid left hand.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kekkonen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kekkonen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kekkonen throws a big right hand that misses.
Kekkonen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Knox looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kekkonen throwing strikes from guard but Knox blocks nicely.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen passes Knox's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Kekkonen trying to mount his opponent but Knox defends it.
Knox is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Kekkonen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ground and pound from Kekkonen.
Kekkonen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kekkonen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Knox is looking to improve his position.
Knox keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kekkonen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Kekkonen connects with a nice short shot to Knox's temple.
Kekkonen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kekkonen trying to pass the guard but Knox defending well.
Knox avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kekkonen.
Kekkonen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kekkonen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kekkonen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kekkonen looks to land a strike but Knox avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Kekkonen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Knox avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kekkonen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Knox works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kekkonen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kekkonen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kekkonen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox keeping moving, preventing Kekkonen from controlling successfully.
Kekkonen throwing strikes from guard but Knox blocks nicely.
Kekkonen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Knox swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Knox is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Knox working a defensive guard here.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kekkonen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kekkonen content to stall in guard here.
The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kekkonen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Knox moves away.
Knox wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Sauli Kekkonen dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!
Kekkonen misses with a hook. Knox ducked under it nicely.
Kekkonen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Knox.
Knox swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Knox fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kekkonen manages to avoid it.
Kekkonen throws a poor cross that misses
and Knox counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A telegraphed right hand from Kekkonen misses the target.
Knox was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Kekkonen jabs Knox right on the nose. Knox blinks but takes it well.
It looks like Yardbird Knox has been cut.
Kekkonen misses with a lunging right hand
and Knox counters with a stiff right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knox blocks a jab.
Knox uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kekkonen.
Kekkonen connects with a single shot there.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox misses with an uppercut.
Knox scores with a shot to the body.
Kekkonen throws a looping overhand right but Knox ducks down to avoid it.
Knox ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kekkonen moves away.
Knox defending well as Kekkonen loads up on a big left hand.
Knox misses with a wild combination.
Knox misses with a looping right.
Kekkonen lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Knox manages to avoid it.
Kekkonen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A little feinted left hand from Knox on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Kekkonen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Knox keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Knox misses with an uppercut.
A big right from Knox misses.
Knox avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kekkonen throws a right hand that misses
and Knox counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Knox staying out of range there.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen blocks a jab.
Kekkonen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Knox swivels and escapes.
A big left from Knox misses.
Knox jabs Kekkonen right on the nose. Kekkonen blinks but takes it well.
Kekkonen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Kekkonen might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Kekkonen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Knox counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Knox blocks a jab.
Kekkonen missing with a left hand there. Knox was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen ducks under a wild hook from Knox.
Knox ducks under a wild hook from Kekkonen.
It looked like Knox wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Kekkonen throws a hook but Knox blocks it.
Kekkonen throws a hook but Knox blocks it.
Knox lands a jab to Kekkonen's midsection.
Knox tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kekkonen was well out of range. Poor timing from Knox.
Knox throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Knox throws an overhand right that lands on Kekkonen's shoulder, as Kekkonen tries to avoid the shot.
Kekkonen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kekkonen slips under a jab from Knox.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close second round but I would say that Yardbird Knox will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Yardbird Knox's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!
Kekkonen defending well as Knox loads up on a big left hand.
Kekkonen just misses with a punch to the body.
Knox throws a nice looking combination but Kekkonen bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kekkonen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Knox.
Knox throws a good cross that connects.
Knox getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Knox takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knox uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kekkonen.
Kekkonen misses with a double jab
and Knox counters by clinching up.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Kekkonen tries for a takedown. No joy.
Knox misses with a punch to the body.
Knox slowing the pace effectively.
Knox avoiding damage.
Knox lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kekkonen tries for a takedown. No joy.
Knox holding his opponent close, against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Knox.
Knox misses with a body punch.
Kekkonen blocking some punches.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knox lands a left hand that snaps the head of Kekkonen backwards.
Knox swings wildly with an uppercut but Kekkonen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kekkonen jumps into guard, dragging Knox to the mat.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Kekkonen throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Knox won't allow Kekkonen to sweep him here.
Knox has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kekkonen trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Kekkonen tries to strike from the bottom.
Knox throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kekkonen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Kekkonen wants to hit a sweep here but Knox passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Kekkonen there!
Knox blocks Kekkonen's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kekkonen sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Kekkonen trying to control from the bottom.
Knox with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Knox's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Kekkonen striking from the bottom.
Kekkonen wants to improve his position but Knox is controlling well.
Kekkonen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Kekkonen trying to strike off his back.
Kekkonen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Knox preventing the sweep.
Kekkonen trying to keep a closed guard but Knox is proving a slippery customer.
Kekkonen is looking to sweep but instead, Knox has passed into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Kekkonen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Kekkonen trying to control from the bottom.
Kekkonen trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Knox manages to pass to mount!
Kekkonen wants to hold on but Knox pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Knox prevents Kekkonen from getting the reversal.
Sauli Kekkonen has got the better of the ground game so far.
And that's the end of the fight!
Yardbird Knox showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Knox has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yardbird Knox!
After winning the bout, Yardbird Knox thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
36% |
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