PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pedro Fuentes (ranked 663 p4p, 1064 weight class) and Yardbird Knox (ranked 25 p4p, 43 weight class). Knox has chosen Now's The Time | Charlie Parker as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Fuentes
vs
Knox

200 cm
25
300
10 - 4 - 0

207 cm
26
285
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition
Core Combat

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Pedro Fuentes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Yardbird Knox!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knox throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Fuentes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
We've been informed that Knox 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.
Fuentes tries a head kick but it misses.
Knox misses with an uppercut.
Knox lands with a straight right. Fuentes didn't see that one coming.
Fuentes has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Fuentes looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Fuentes.
Knox let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Fuentes misses with the body kick
and Knox counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Knox avoids a kick to the body.
Fuentes throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Knox slips a jab from Fuentes.
Fuentes swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Fuentes throws a jab but it's blocked by Knox.
Fuentes fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Knox checks it well.
Knox lands with a hook. Fuentes tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
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!
Knox takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Fuentes throws a right hand that misses
and Knox counters with a left to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuentes throws a head kick that misses.
Knox misses with a left hand
and Fuentes counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Yardbird Knox has been cut.
Knox slips a jab from Fuentes.
Knox fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Fuentes on the side of the head.
Knox has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Knox swings away with a body shot that misses
and Fuentes counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Fuentes has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Fuentes looks to land a left hand but Knox moved out of range nicely.
Knox throws a right and a left that both miss.
Fuentes moves out of range of the strikes.
Fuentes misses with a head kick.
Knox lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Fuentes goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Knox missing with a left hand there. Fuentes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Knox throws a right hand that misses
and Fuentes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knox displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Knox scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Fuentes jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Fuentes chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Fuentes drops Knox with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Knox looks back up at him and smiles so Fuentes waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
Knox tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Fuentes was well out of range. Poor timing from Knox.
Knox throws a jab when Fuentes was well out of range.
Knox stuns Fuentes with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Fuentes buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Knox pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Knox ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
The fighters circling - Knox throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Knox misses with an uppercut. Fuentes saw that one coming.
Fuentes moves out of range of the strikes.
Fuentes was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Knox finds it's way through Fuentes's defenses.
Knox takes a swing at Fuentes's ribcage but misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Fuentes.
Knox looks to throw the jab but Fuentes is out of range.
Knox pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Knox misses with a series of wild punches.
Knox misses with an uppercut
and Fuentes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That has opened up Yardbird Knox's cut even more.
Fuentes is looking to slow Knox down with leg kicks.
Good leg kick by Fuentes.
Fuentes throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Knox.
Knox misses with a hook. Fuentes ducked under it nicely.
Fuentes closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Fuentes steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Knox.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Knox connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Fuentes momentarily.
Knox misses with a few strikes there.
Fuentes looks to throw a body kick
and Knox counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Knox avoids the head kick by Fuentes.
Fuentes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Fuentes feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Fuentes tries to land a leg kick but Knox saw it coming and moves away.
Knox feints a jab promting Fuentes to slip. Knox then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Fuentes slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Knox connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Knox ducks under a wild hook from Fuentes.
Knox misses with a left hand
and Fuentes counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Knox's corner calls for a 1-2. Knox obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Knox is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Fuentes had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Fuentes attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Fuentes misses with a body kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Yardbird Knox will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Yardbird Knox's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Knox dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Fuentes with the inside leg kick.
Knox throws a looping overhand right but Fuentes ducks down to avoid it.
A slow jab from Knox misses its intended target.
Good exchange - Knox coming out on top.
Yardbird Knox seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fuentes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Yardbird Knox seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Knox lands a body shot.
Knox throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Knox swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Fuentes takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knox connects with a jab.
Fuentes lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Fuentes throws a body kick that misses.
Fuentes avoids the body shot from Knox.
Fuentes swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Fuentes.
Fuentes misses with an attempted mid kick.
Knox tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Fuentes was well out of range. Poor timing from Knox.
Fuentes throws a nice inside leg kick.
Fuentes ducks under a wild hook from Knox.
You can see that Knox has visibly slowed down as a result of the leg kicks
Knox scores with a jab to the head.
Fuentes misses with a straight left.
Knox stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Fuentes.
Fuentes goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Knox uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Fuentes.
Fuentes tries to score with a low kick but Knox moves his leg out of the way.
Fuentes blocks a jab.
It looked like Fuentes was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Knox.
Fuentes takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Knox misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knox uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fuentes.
Fuentes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Knox lands with a hook. Fuentes tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Knox avoids the head kick by Fuentes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Knox missing with a left hand there. Fuentes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Knox swings widly with a right hand
and Fuentes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Knox digs a good hook to Fuentes's body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Fuentes.
That kick from Fuentes tenderised Knox's leg. Knox is trying to keep his angry face on.
Knox misses the jab.
Fuentes tried to counter with a leg kick but Knox avoided it.
Fuentes slips a jab from Knox.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knox slips under a jab.

Oooooh!!! Fuentes has knocked Knox down with a huge combo! Fuentes steps away and waves a wobbly Knox back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

The cut above Yardbird Knox's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Knox throws a big shot that misses.
Fuentes throws a counter high kick but Knox was just alert enough to avoid it.
Knox slips under a jab from Fuentes.
Nice shot lands for Fuentes.
Knox misses with a looping right.
Fuentes was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Knox swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Knox pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Knox misses with a wild body shot.
Fuentes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Knox.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fuentes takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Knox throws a big shot that misses.
Fuentes blocks a jab.
Fuentes swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Knox's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Knox waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Fuentes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fuentes throws a body punch but Knox moves out of range.
Fuentes attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Knox works over Fuentes's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Pedro Fuentes has been cut.
Fuentes moves out of range as Knox strikes.
Knox tries to bum rush Fuentes with a series of wild strikes but Fuentes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Fuentes misses with a hook.
Fuentes moves away from the strike by Knox.
Fuentes swings for the body but Knox moves out of range.
Knox checks the leg kick.
Knox jabs Fuentes right on the nose. Fuentes blinks but takes it well.
Nice cross by Knox.
Jab, jab by Knox - just one landing.
Fuentes looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Knox misses the jab.
Fuentes half committed to a counter leg kick.
Knox lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Yardbird Knox showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Fuentes misses with a right hand
enabling Knox to counter with a crisp jab.
Knox throws a hook but Fuentes avoids it easily.
Knox misses with a lunging right hand
and Fuentes counters with a good low kick that Knox was not able to check.
Fuentes throws a big shot that misses.
Knox throws a hook to the side of Fuentes's head but Fuentes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Fuentes moves out of range of the strikes.
Knox 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.
Fuentes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Knox misses with a few strikes there.
Fuentes bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Knox checks a leg kick.
Knox looks like he wants to counter punch here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knox swings widly with a right hand
and Fuentes counters with a nice low kick that buckles Knox's knee momentarily.
Knox pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Knox defending well as Fuentes loads up on a big left hand.
Knox throws a lazy right hand but Fuentes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Fuentes misses.
Knox appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Fuentes throws a body shot but no joy.
Knox looks to land a right hand but Fuentes moved out of range.
Fuentes looks to land a body kick but Knox moved away.
Fuentes chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Fuentes steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Knox.
Knox throws out a loose jab but Fuentes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fuentes throwing a counter right hand but Knox manages to avoid it.
Knox ducks under a wild hook from Fuentes.
Fuentes fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Knox is out of range.
Fuentes shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
The crowd cheers as Knox lands an impressive looking overhand right. Fuentes doesn't seem phased though.
Knox throws a body shot but no joy.
Knox rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Fuentes counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Fuentes misses with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knox throws out a loose jab but Fuentes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice body punch from Knox.
Knox walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Some bone on bone action there as Knox checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Fuentes on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Knox takes one to the side of the head.
Knox ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Fuentes moves away.
Knox swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Fuentes throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Knox looks to land a left hand but Fuentes moved out of range nicely.
Knox lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Fuentes lands a nice shot to the body.
Knox takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Knox swings for the body but Fuentes moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fuentes dodges the punch combination from Knox.
Knox misses with an uppercut. Fuentes saw that one coming.
Fuentes throws a body punch but Knox moves out of range.
Knox cracks Fuentes with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Knox throws a right hand that misses
and Fuentes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Yardbird Knox's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Fuentes throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Fuentes fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Knox is out of range.
Knox thows a left - swing and a miss!
Fuentes throws a quick inside leg kick.
Knox moves out of range of the body kick.
Fuentes tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Fuentes slips a straight right by Knox.
Pedro Fuentes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knox defending well as Fuentes loads up on a big left hand.
Knox gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Knox jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Yardbird Knox is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Knox fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Fuentes throws a low kick but Knox moves out of range easily.
Fuentes ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Knox ducks under a wild hook from Fuentes.
Fuentes tries a head kick but it misses.
Fuentes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Knox.
Knox bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Fuentes's head.
Knox throws a body shot but no joy.
A little feinted left hand from Fuentes on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Knox misses with a combination

and Fuentes counters with a nice right hand that sends Knox toppling to the canvas! Knox scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Fuentes finish him?!

And that's the end of the fight!
Pedro Fuentes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Knox has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yardbird Knox!
During a confident post fight interview, Yardbird Knox thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.