PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Iosefa Umaga (ranked 3727 p4p, 23945 weight class) and Taz Bandichoo (ranked 37 p4p, 115 weight class). Umaga's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Ky-Mani Marley - Warriors. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Umaga
vs
Bandichoo

191 cm
37
248
20 - 7 - 1

178 cm
32
240
22 - 28 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Granite chin

Vegan Gains

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 7 - 1, fighting out of London, Iosefa Umaga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 28 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Taz Bandichoo!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yukihiro Shimada and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bandichoo misses with a wild body shot.
Umaga was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Umaga avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bandichoo chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Umaga on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Bandichoo works the jab nicely.
A lazy body kick from Bandichoo

and Umaga moves into the clinch.
Umaga has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Umaga struggles to land a body shot inside as Bandichoo controls his hands.
Bandichoo stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Umaga.
Umaga struggles to land a body shot inside as Bandichoo controls his hands.
Bandichoo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Bandichoo blocking some punches.
Umaga prevents a body shot from Bandichoo.
Bandichoo lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Bandichoo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bandichoo chopping away at his opponent's legs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bandichoo swings away with a body shot that misses
and Umaga counters with a straight right hand.
A slow jab from Bandichoo misses its intended target.
An attempted straight right counter from Umaga misses the target.
Umaga takes one to the chin there.
Taz Bandichoo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Umaga slips under a jab from Bandichoo.
Umaga defending well as Bandichoo loads up on a big left hand.
Umaga jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bandichoo blocks a low kick nicely.
Bandichoo throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Umaga counters with a nice body kick.
Bandichoo throws a low kick but Umaga avoids it.
Umaga throws a wild body kick that Bandichoo sees coming a mile off.
Umaga takes one to the side of the head.
Umaga walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Bandichoo checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Bandichoo misses with a wild body shot.
Bandichoo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Umaga connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Bandichoo's hands.

It looks like Taz Bandichoo has been cut.
Umaga avoids the head kick by Bandichoo.
Umaga slips under a jab from Bandichoo.
Umaga jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Bandichoo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Umaga manages to avoid it.
Umaga misses with an uppercut. Bandichoo saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Bandichoo misses.
Bandichoo punishes Umaga's body with a nice straight punch.
Bandichoo moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Umaga uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bandichoo.
Umaga takes one on the button.
Some bone on bone action there as Umaga checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Bandichoo connects with a leg kick.
Bandichoo has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Bandichoo thows a left - swing and a miss!
Umaga throws a body shot but no joy.
Bandichoo misses with a left hand
and Umaga counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Umaga with the inside leg kick.
Bandichoo cracks Umaga with a good jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A big left from Bandichoo misses.
Bandichoo throws a big shot that misses.
Nice uppercut lands for Umaga. That snapped Bandichoo's head back.
Umaga walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taz Bandichoo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Taz Bandichoo's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Umaga is looking to score with low kicks.
Umaga scores with a jab to the head.
Bandichoo throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Umaga connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Bandichoo looks to throw a body kick
and Umaga counters with an outside leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Bandichoo.
Bandichoo looks to throw a body kick
and Umaga counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bandichoo staying out of range there.
Taz Bandichoo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Umaga uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bandichoo.
Umaga ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Umaga looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Bandichoo misses with a hook to the body
enabling Umaga to counter with a crisp jab.
Umaga is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A big left from Bandichoo misses.
Bandichoo works Umaga's body with a nice hook.
An inside leg kick lands from Bandichoo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Umaga is looking to score with low kicks.
Umaga misses with a looping left.
An inside leg kick from Bandichoo misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bandichoo throws a body shot but no joy.
Umaga lands a nice looking body shot.
Bandichoo throws a front kick aimed at Umaga's knee but Umaga avoids it well.
Bandichoo misses with a body kick.
Bandichoo tests Umaga's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Umaga walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Bandichoo throws a leg kick
and Umaga counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bandichoo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Good leg kick by Bandichoo.
Bandichoo walks into a straight right hand from Umaga.
Bandichoo takes a jab right on the kisser.
Bandichoo takes a swing at Umaga's ribcage but misses.
A little feinted left hand from Umaga on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Bandichoo throws a jab when Umaga was well out of range.
Bandichoo looks to land a combination but Umaga avoids it well.
It looked like Umaga wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bandichoo swings widly with a right hand
and Umaga counters with a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bandichoo thows a leg kick but Umaga checks it
and Umaga cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bandichoo throws a looping overhand right but Umaga ducks down to avoid it.
Bandichoo lands a jab to Umaga's midsection.
Umaga keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Bandichoo misses with a left hand
and Umaga counters with an outside leg kick.
Bandichoo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bandichoo counters with a body kick.
A slow jab from Bandichoo misses its intended target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bandichoo. Umaga does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bandichoo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Umaga.
Bandichoo throws a head kick but Umaga moves out of range.
Umaga smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Bandichoo scores with a jab.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bandichoo moves into range and connects with a jab.
Bandichoo throws a right hand that misses
and Umaga makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Bandichoo really felt that one!
Umaga thuds his shin into the meat of Bandichoo's side.
Umaga is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Bandichoo is breathing heavily.
A punch lands to the side of Umaga 's head but he takes it in his stride.
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 Iosefa Umaga will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Taz Bandichoo's cut.
That's time! Umaga's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bandichoo throws a leg kick
and Umaga counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Bandichoo takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Bandichoo ducks under a wild hook from Umaga.
Bandichoo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Umaga ducks under a wild hook from Bandichoo.
Bandichoo swings for the body but Umaga moves out of range.
Bandichoo lands with a cross.
Bandichoo ducks under a wild hook from Umaga.
Umaga avoids the head kick by Bandichoo.
Bandichoo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Umaga tried to counter with a leg kick but Bandichoo avoided it.
Umaga defending well as Bandichoo loads up on a big left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bandichoo throws a shot from downtown. Umaga moves away and avoids it.
Bandichoo scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Bandichoo throws a nice inside leg kick.
Umaga looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bandichoo uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Umaga misses with a body kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Bandichoo misses the target.
Bandichoo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Umaga's corner calls for a 1-2. Umaga obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Bandichoo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Umaga.
Umaga avoids the body shot from Bandichoo.
A jab lands there for Bandichoo.
Bandichoo connects with a body shot.
Bandichoo misses with a head kick.
Bandichoo lands a jab.
Bandichoo misses with a straight right.
An attempted straight right counter from Umaga misses the target.
Umaga digs a good body shot into Bandichoo's ribs.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Umaga crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Bandichoo - the referee stops the clock and Umaga gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Bandichoo. Umaga manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Bandichoo scores with a sloppy right hand. Umaga should have avoided that one.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Umaga misses with a hook. Bandichoo ducked under it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bandichoo throws a leg kick but Umaga sees it coming and checks it nicely.
As Bandichoo backs away, Umaga returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Bandichoo jabs Umaga right on the nose. Umaga blinks but takes it well.
Bandichoo throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Umaga counters with a nice leg kick.
Bandichoo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Umaga feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Bandichoo throws a jab when Umaga was well out of range.
Bandichoo throws a leg kick
enabling Umaga to counter with a crisp jab.
That kick from Umaga tenderised Bandichoo's leg. Bandichoo is trying to keep his angry face on.
Bandichoo throws a poor cross that misses
and Umaga counters with a nice body shot.
Bandichoo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Umaga throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Bandichoo stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Bandichoo has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Umaga.
Bandichoo misses with a straight right.
Umaga throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Umaga with a nice calf kick.
Umaga scores with a shot to the body.
Bandichoo's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Bandichoo misses with a right hand
and Umaga makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Bandichoo really felt that one!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Iosefa Umaga did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The cut man is working on Taz Bandichoo's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Umaga fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Umaga is looking to slow Bandichoo down with leg kicks.
Bandichoo takes a jab right on the kisser.
Umaga blocks the body kick.
Bandichoo misses with a combination
and Umaga counters with a nice uppercut.
Bandichoo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bandichoo avoids a kick to the body.
Bandichoo throws a low kick but Umaga moves out of range easily.
A counter left hand to the body from Umaga misses its target.
Bandichoo misses with a body kick.
Good leg kick by Umaga.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bandichoo lands a jab to the nose.
Umaga throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A little jabbing left from Bandichoo on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Bandichoo throws a body shot but no joy.
Umaga half committed to a counter leg kick.
Umaga ducks under a wild hook from Bandichoo.
Bandichoo takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bandichoo missing with a left hand there. Umaga was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bandichoo has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Bandichoo stuns Umaga with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Bandichoo looks to throw the jab but Umaga is out of range.
Umaga thinks about countering with a body kick.
Bandichoo takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Bandichoo is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
Umaga checks a leg kick nicely.
And Umaga counters with a quick kick to the body but Bandichoo blocks it.
Bandichoo chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Umaga can pounce on him.
Umaga lands a nice shot that snaps Bandichoo's head back.
Bandichoo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Umaga.
Bandichoo throws the kick towards the body but Umaga avoids it.
Umaga scores with a nice right hand.
Umaga lands a slapping body shot.
Umaga dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bandichoo. That did some damage!
Bandichoo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Umaga slips a jab from Bandichoo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bandichoo throws a body punch but Umaga moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Bandichoo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Umaga appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bandichoo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Umaga.
Bandichoo throws a lazy uppercut
and Umaga counters with a nice body kick.
Umaga slips under a jab.
Bandichoo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Umaga was well out of range. Poor timing from Bandichoo.
Umaga misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Umaga digs a good hook to Bandichoo's body.
Umaga pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Umaga avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Umaga scores with a hook to the body. Bandichoo takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Umaga fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bandichoo, pushing him back against the ropes.
Umaga throws a head punch that misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Umaga.
Umaga throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Umaga lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Iosefa Umaga had his way with Taz Bandichoo in that round.
The cut man is working on Taz Bandichoo's cut.
That's time! Umaga's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Umaga's corner calls for a 1-2. Umaga obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Bandichoo throws a leg kick
and Umaga counters with a solid body kick.
Bandichoo looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Bandichoo takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Bandichoo scores with a decent looking hook.
Bandichoo looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Umaga scores with a hook to the body. Bandichoo takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Bandichoo misses with a hook.
Umaga jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Umaga throws a front kick aimed at Bandichoo's knee but Bandichoo avoids it well.
Bandichoo throws out a counter right but Umaga avoids it with no problem.
Bandichoo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bandichoo slips under a jab.
Bandichoo is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Nice defenses there by Umaga.
Umaga tried to counter with a leg kick but Bandichoo avoided it.
Nice body kick there by Umaga.
Nice jab there from Umaga.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bandichoo jabs Umaga to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Umaga with a nice calf kick.
Umaga uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bandichoo.
Bandichoo misses with a body kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Umaga misses the target.
Umaga keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bandichoo.
Umaga is looking to counter punch.
Umaga misses with a body shot.
Umaga lands a head shot.
Bandichoo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Umaga pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Umaga takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A left lands for Bandichoo.
A bone on bone clash there as Umaga blocks the leg kick.
Umaga blocks the body kick.
Umaga scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Bandichoo doesn't seem bothered though.
Umaga uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bandichoo.
Umaga throws a nice outside leg kick.
Taz Bandichoo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bandichoo misses the body punch
and Umaga counters with a nice body kick.
Bandichoo has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Umaga.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bandichoo takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Jab from Umaga.
Bandichoo throws a body punch but Umaga moves out of range.
Umaga quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Umaga lands a nice shot that snaps Bandichoo's head back.
Bandichoo misses with a body punch
letting Umaga counter with a right hand.
Umaga bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Jab, jab by Bandichoo - just one landing.
Umaga throws a leg kick which misses Bandichoo's front leg but catches the back leg as Bandichoo tries to avoid it.
Bandichoo takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Bandichoo gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Umaga.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Umaga is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Bandichoo.
Bandichoo pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Jab from Umaga.

Bandichoo is rocked!

And that's the end of the fight!
Iosefa Umaga showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Umaga 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 49:46
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 49:46
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Iosefa Umaga!
In his post fight interview, Iosefa Umaga started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.