PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Antero Vuori (ranked 3007 p4p, 24229 weight class) and Kyle Kovingten (ranked 378 p4p, 663 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Kyle Kovingten enters the ring!

Vuori
vs
Kovingten

201 cm
26
200
15 - 11 - 0

181 cm
25
174
15 - 5 - 1

World class boxer
Cardio machine

World class MT
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antero Vuori!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Kyle Kovingten!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kovingten throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Vuori.
Kovingten circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kovingten with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Vuori darts in and clinches Kovingten up against the ropes.
Vuori tries to stall but Kovingten uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kovingten.
Kovingten lands a nice uppercut.
Kovingten looking to stall.
Kovingten tries to work over Vuori's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Vuori lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kovingten backwards.
Vuori misses with a short punch on the inside.
Vuori lands a nice shot to the body.
Vuori tries to work over Kovingten's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kovingten is trying to maintain a safe position but Vuori gets an underhook and turns Kovingten into the ropes.
Vuori using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Kovingten has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Kovingten lands a shoulder strike.
Kovingten wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Vuori has him pressed against the ropes.
Vuori tries to throw a body punch but Kovingten avoids it by throwing Vuori back against the ropes.
Kovingten goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kovingten as Vuori tries to tie him up.
I was talking to Vuori's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Kovingten lands a right hand that snaps the head of Vuori backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Vuori.

Vuori breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vuori lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kovingten circles away quickly and effectively.
Vuori works Kovingten's body with a nice hook.
Vuori is looking to clinch but Kovingten is avoiding it.
Vuori tries to close the distance and clinch but Kovingten swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vuori connects with a jab.
Vuori tries to clinch but Kovingten is having none of it.
Kovingten tries a head kick but it misses.
Kovingten throws a right hand that misses
and Vuori counters with a straight right hand.
Kovingten swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Vuori blocks a head kick by Kovingten.
Vuori really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kovingten throws a lazy right hand but Vuori sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Vuori tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kovingten swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kovingten throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vuori wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Kyle Kovingten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Vuori darts in and clinches Kovingten up against the ropes.
Kovingten prevents Vuori from breaking the clinch.
Vuori stalling in the clinch but Kovingten improves position.
Vuori is trying to break the clinch but Kovingten is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovingten wants to get back to striking at distance but Vuori won't allow it.
Kovingten has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Vuori seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Kovingten can turn it around.
Vuori swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kovingten stalling in the clinch.
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!
Vuori misses with the head strike.
Vuori looking to stall.
Vuori misses with a punch to the body.

Kovingten escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vuori scores with a nice body kick.
Vuori throws a head kick but Kovingten moves out of range.
Vuori ducks under a wild hook from Kovingten.
Vuori misses with a hook.
Kovingten takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Vuori cracks Kovingten with a right hand to the side of the head.
Vuori tries to clinch there but Kovingten circles away.
Kovingten ducks under a wild hook from Vuori.
Kovingten connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Vuori looks to throw the jab but Kovingten is out of range.
Vuori staying out of range there.
Kovingten is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Kovingten takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vuori closes the distance and clinches.
Vuori blocks the elbow strike.
Vuori takes a shot to the head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Kovingten as Vuori tries to tie him up.
Kovingten fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kovingten lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Vuori taking a breather.

Kovingten manages to break the clinch.
Vuori throws a half hearted mid kick.
Vuori lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Kovingten avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Kovingten tries to keep at a distance but Vuori has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vuori can't find room to land a body shot as Kovingten controls the action.
Kovingten fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kovingten lands a left hand.

Vuori breaks the clinch.
Vuori is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kovingten.
Kovingten fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Vuori checks it well.
A little feinted left hand from Vuori on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Vuori looks to land a left hand but Kovingten moved out of range nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vuori throws a body punch but Kovingten moves out of range.
Vuori ducks under a wild hook from Kovingten.
Kovingten throws a jab but it's blocked by Vuori.
A head kick misses from Kovingten.
Kovingten ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Vuori moves away.
Kovingten misses with a double jab.
Vuori tries to clinch there but Kovingten circles away.
Kovingten throws a right and a left that both miss.
Vuori moves out of range as Kovingten strikes.
Kovingten throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vuori steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kovingten.
Kovingten avoids the head kick by Vuori.

Vuori gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Vuori takes a shot to the head.
Still in the clinch, Kovingten scores with a nice short uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kovingten lands a shot to the body.
Kovingten scores with a shot to the side of Vuori's head.
Kovingten misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kovingten.

Kovingten manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kyle Kovingten will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A swing and a miss from Kovingten.
Kovingten fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Vuori manages to avoid it.
Vuori throws a head kick but Kovingten moves out of range.
Vuori throws the left hand but Kovingten avoids the punch easily.
Kovingten fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Kovingten keeps the fight on the outside.
Vuori misses with a few strikes there.
Kovingten scores with a head kick. Vuori tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

Vuori is rocked!
Kovingten drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kovingten connects with a leg kick.
Vuori ducks right into an uppercut from Kovingten.
Oh Vuori is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Kovingten catches Vuori napping and connects with a fantastic 3 punch combination that sends Vuori crashing to the mat! He's still conscious but he's all over the place - can he beat the count?!? 4,5,6,7,8...9...10! He didn't make it back to his feet! Kovingten raises both arms skywards and takes in the roar from the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:39 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Kyle Kovingten!
In his post fight interview, Kyle Kovingten started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.