PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Khakim Khadzhimurad (ranked 134 p4p, 260 weight class) and Calixto Cardona (ranked 16 p4p, 32 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Khadzhimurad
vs
Cardona

186 cm
30
157
16 - 5 - 0

170 cm
30
149
20 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Core Combat
Carnage

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Khakim Khadzhimurad!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Calixto Cardona!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Dean Styles and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cardona connects with a single shot there.
We've been told by Khadzhimurad's head coaches at Hey Steves Fight Shack that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Khadzhimurad connects with an inside leg kick.
Calixto Cardona seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khadzhimurad misses with a looping left.
Cardona misses with a straight left.
Khadzhimurad takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Khadzhimurad is looking to clinch but Cardona is avoiding it.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Cardona - that will leave a mark!
Khadzhimurad looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Cardona scores with a crisp jab that stopped Khadzhimurad in his tracks.
Cardona scores with the left hand. Khadzhimurad knows he should have avoided that one.
Khadzhimurad throws a leg kick but Cardona moved away.
Cardona keeps the fight on the outside.
Khadzhimurad misses the shot to the body.
Cardona misses with an uppercut
and Khadzhimurad makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Cardona really felt that one!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Khadzhimurad moves into the clinch successfully.
Khadzhimurad lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Khadzhimurad blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cardona blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cardona swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Khadzhimurad fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Cardona creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Cardona misses with a punch to the body.
Cardona can't find room to land a body shot as Khadzhimurad controls the action.
Khadzhimurad tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cardona's elbow.
Khadzhimurad really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cardona can't find room to land a body shot as Khadzhimurad controls the action.
Cardona blocks a body shot from Khadzhimurad.
A short body shot lands from Cardona as the two fighters clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Khadzhimurad struggles to land a body shot inside as Cardona controls his hands.
Cardona misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cardona misses with a body punch.
Khadzhimurad lands a right hand.
Cardona throws a punch but it's blocked by Khadzhimurad.
Cardona tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Khadzhimurad's elbow.
Khadzhimurad can't find room to land a body shot as Cardona controls the action.
Cardona can't find room to land a body shot as Khadzhimurad controls the action.
Cardona wants to get back to striking at distance but Khadzhimurad won't allow it.
Khadzhimurad swings wildly with an uppercut but Cardona uses good head movement to avoid it.
Khadzhimurad swings wildly with an uppercut but Cardona uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cardona misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cardona misses with a body punch.
Cardona misses with a punch on the inside.
Khadzhimurad blocks an uppercut.
Khadzhimurad throws a head punch that misses.
Khadzhimurad misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A right hook to the body lands for Cardona.

Cardona pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cardona stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cardona connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Cardona uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cardona swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Cardona closes the distance and clinches.
Khadzhimurad blocks an uppercut.
Khadzhimurad goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cardona tries to throw a body punch but Khadzhimurad avoids it by throwing Cardona back against the cage.
Khadzhimurad misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cardona lands a nice uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Cardona fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardona lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Cardona struggles to land a body shot inside as Khadzhimurad controls his hands.
Cardona doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short uppercut from Cardona.
Cardona cracks Khadzhimurad with a nice body shot.
Khadzhimurad softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Khadzhimurad misses with some punches.
Cardona blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Good body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Cardona tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cardona struggles to land a body shot inside as Khadzhimurad controls his hands.
Khadzhimurad's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Cardona struggles to land a body shot inside as Khadzhimurad controls his hands.
Cardona misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cardona misses with a hook to the ribs.
Khadzhimurad misses with the head strike.
Cardona lands a shot to the body.
Khadzhimurad misses with a punch on the inside.
Cardona tries to work over Khadzhimurad's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Khadzhimurad blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cardona.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cardona goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Cardona can't find room to land a body shot as Khadzhimurad controls the action.
Cardona blocks an uppercut.
Cardona lands a body punch in the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cardona throws a punch but it's blocked by Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad pushes Cardona back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Cardona lands with a right to the head.
Khadzhimurad can't find room to land a body shot as Cardona controls the action.
Cardona tries a body shot but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Cardona misses with a hook to the ribs.
Khadzhimurad misses with a punch to the body.
Cardona lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Cardona misses with a body punch.
Cardona tries to throw a body punch but Khadzhimurad avoids it by throwing Cardona back against the cage.
Cardona doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cardona blocks a body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Cardona scores with a shot to the side of Khadzhimurad's head.
Cardona lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Cardona prevents a body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Cardona swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cardona blocks an uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Calixto Cardona dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Khadzhimurad keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Khadzhimurad swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Cardona throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Khadzhimurad avoids the head kick by Cardona.
Khadzhimurad takes one to the side of the head.
Cardona throws a hook but Khadzhimurad avoids it easily.
Khadzhimurad half committed to a counter leg kick.
Cardona scores with a jab to the head.
Cardona slips a straight right by Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad throws a body shot but no joy.
Cardona has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cardona misses with a head kick.
Cardona tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Khadzhimurad swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Khadzhimurad scores with a punch to the head.
Cardona tries to work over Khadzhimurad's front leg with a kick but Khadzhimurad checks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cardona just misses with a punch to the body.
Khadzhimurad fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cardona tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Khadzhimurad was well out of range. Poor timing from Cardona.
Nice uppercut there from Cardona.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardona is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Khadzhimurad.
Cardona misses with a double jab.
Cardona connects with a good right hand that stumbles Khadzhimurad. Khadzhimurad circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Khadzhimurad fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice shot lands for Cardona.
Khadzhimurad throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
As Khadzhimurad backs off Cardona throws a huge counter combo but Khadzhimurad manages to avoid it all.
A telegraphed right hand from Cardona misses the target.
Khadzhimurad slips a straight right by Cardona.
Cardona circles away from the clinch attempt.
Khadzhimurad scores with the left hand. Cardona knows he should have avoided that one.
Cardona throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Nice defenses there by Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Khadzhimurad throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cardona connects with an inside leg kick.
Khadzhimurad tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Khadzhimurad takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Khadzhimurad throws a hook but Cardona blocks it.
Khadzhimurad keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Cardona.
Cardona misses with an attempted mid kick.
Some wild striking there from Cardona.
Khadzhimurad scores with the left hand. Cardona knows he should have avoided that one.
Khadzhimurad connects with a solid leg kick.
Cardona avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cardona missing with a left hand there. Khadzhimurad was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cardona connects with a single shot there.
Cardona lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Khadzhimurad tries to score with a low kick but Cardona moves his leg out of the way.
Cardona fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Khadzhimurad on the side of the head.
Cardona is looking to chop away at Khadzhimurad's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardona throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Khadzhimurad counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cardona cracks Khadzhimurad with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Cardona on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Cardona throws a hook but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Cardona throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Cardona feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Khadzhimurads jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
An inside leg kick lands from Cardona.
Cardona connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Khadzhimurad's hands.
Cardona misses with a body shot.
Cardona works Khadzhimurad's body with a nice hook.
Khadzhimurad walks into a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cardona getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Cardona scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Khadzhimurad throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cardona's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Khadzhimurad connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Cardona scrambles back to his feet.

Khadzhimurad moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad throws a head punch that misses.
Cardona gets through Khadzhimurad's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Cardona throws a punch but it's blocked by Khadzhimurad.
Cardona tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Khadzhimurad's elbow.
Cardona tries to throw a body punch but Khadzhimurad avoids it by throwing Cardona back against the cage.
Khadzhimurad tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cardona lands with a short shot to the head.
Cardona misses with a body punch.
Cardona blocking some punches.
Khadzhimurad misses with a punch on the inside.
Khadzhimurad lands with a light punch inside.
Khadzhimurad tries to work over Cardona's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cardona swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A short body shot lands from Cardona as the two fighters clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Khadzhimurad.
Cardona blocks a body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Cardona can't find room to land a body shot as Khadzhimurad controls the action.
Cardona misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cardona misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Calixto Cardona showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cardona misses with an uppercut
and Khadzhimurad counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Khadzhimurad pivots, looking for a leg kick but Cardona is out of range and Khadzhimurad settles back down.
The fighters circling - Cardona throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Khadzhimurad takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
A lazy left from Khadzhimurad finds it's target.
Khadzhimurad throws a leg kick but Cardona checks it.
Cardona swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Nice straight punches there by Cardona. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Cardona.
Khadzhimurad looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Cardona fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Khadzhimurad, pushing him back against the cage.
Cardona scores with an uppercut up the middle.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Khadzhimurad creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Cardona tries a body shot but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Cardona tries to work over Khadzhimurad's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Khadzhimurad fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Khadzhimurad prevents a body shot from Cardona.
A left hand lands to the body for Cardona.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Cardona breaks from the clinch.
Khadzhimurad takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Khadzhimurad throws a lazy right hand but Cardona sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardona scores with a leg kick.
Cardona keeps the fight on the outside.
Khadzhimurad tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Cardona is able to avoid easily.
Cardona lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Khadzhimurad checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Khadzhimurad walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A big left from Cardona misses.
Cardona loads up on a big right hand but Khadzhimurad slips the punch.
Cardona takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Cardona gets a clinch.
A short uppercut from Cardona.
Cardona tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Khadzhimurad's elbow.
Cardona misses with a body punch.
Cardona lands with a right to the head.
Khadzhimurad throws a head punch that misses.

Cardona breaks from the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A left lands for Khadzhimurad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad ducks right into an uppercut from Cardona.
Khadzhimurad fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cardona manages to avoid it.
A jab from Khadzhimurad finds it's way through Cardona's defenses.
Khadzhimurad gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cardona.
Khadzhimurad throws a hook but Cardona blocks it.
Cardona closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Khadzhimurad just misses with a punch to the body.
Khadzhimurad throws a looping overhand right but Cardona ducks down to avoid it.
Cardona digs a good body shot into Khadzhimurad's ribs.
Cardona throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Khadzhimurad misses with a low kick as Cardona jumps back.
Cardona lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Khadzhimurad ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Cardona avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Khadzhimurad missing with a left hand there. Cardona was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Khadzhimurad throws a lazy body kick
and Cardona counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardona fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Khadzhimurad on the side of the head.
Calixto Cardona seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Khadzhimurad throws a right and a left that Cardona avoids nicely.
Cardona appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Cardona clobbers Khadzhimurad with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Cardona clinches with his opponent.
Khadzhimurad tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cardona presses Khadzhimurad against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A hook to the body from Cardona.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cardona tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cardona scores with a shot to the side of Khadzhimurad's head.
Cardona tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Khadzhimurad's elbow.
Khadzhimurad lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Cardona or not.
A head punch on the inside from Khadzhimurad fails to land.
Khadzhimurad tries to throw a body punch but Cardona avoids it by throwing Khadzhimurad back against the cage.

Cardona breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Khadzhimurad uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cardona.
Khadzhimurad appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cardona. That's going to slow Khadzhimurad down.
Khadzhimurad throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Cardona now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad blocks a leg kick.
Khadzhimurad avoids the head kick by Cardona.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Cardona closes the distance and clinches.
Khadzhimurad tries a body shot but Cardona blocks it.
Cardona blocking some punches.
Khadzhimurad misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cardona misses with a punch to the body.
Cardona misses with a hook from the clinch.
Khadzhimurad tries to throw a body punch but Cardona avoids it by throwing Khadzhimurad back against the cage.
Khadzhimurad prevents a body shot from Cardona.
Calixto Cardona seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Cardona doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cardona lands an uppercut.
Cardona digs a right hand into Khadzhimurad's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Khadzhimurad's gas tank.
Nice body punch from Cardona - that landed with a thud.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cardona prevents a body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Cardona lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad tries to work over Cardona's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cardona.
Cardona digs a right hand into Khadzhimurad's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Khadzhimurad's gas tank.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Calixto Cardona really dominated that round.
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.

Khadzhimurad tries to clinch but Cardona is having none of it.
Cardona throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cardona uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Khadzhimurad.
Cardona lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cardona changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Cardona connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Khadzhimurad fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cardona manages to avoid it.
Cardona looks to land a left hand but Khadzhimurad moved out of range nicely.
Khadzhimurad moves out of range of the body kick.
Khadzhimurad fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cardona scores with a crisp jab that stopped Khadzhimurad in his tracks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khadzhimurad tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Cardona manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cardona throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Cardona lands a jab to the nose.
Cardona misses with a hook
and Khadzhimurad counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Khadzhimurad avoids the body shot from Cardona.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardona swings for the body but Khadzhimurad moves out of range.
Khadzhimurad darts in trying to clinch
and Cardona counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Cardona moves into range and clinches up with Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad tries to work over Cardona's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cardona misses with a hook from the clinch.
Khadzhimurad prevents a body shot from Cardona.
Khadzhimurad throws a head punch that misses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Cardona creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Cardona misses with a punch on the inside.
Khadzhimurad prevents a body shot from Cardona.
A shot in the inside from Khadzhimurad.

Cardona breaks from the clinch.
Cardona throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Khadzhimurad.
Cardona walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Cardona catches Khadzhimurad with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Khadzhimurad fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Cardona throws a lazy right hand but Khadzhimurad sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Cardona misses with a lunging right hand
and Khadzhimurad cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Khadzhimurad throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Cardona stuns Khadzhimurad with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Khadzhimurad avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cardona takes a jab right on the kisser.
Cardona defending well as Khadzhimurad loads up on a big left hand.
Khadzhimurad looks to score with a jab to the body but Cardona is just out of range.
Cardona avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Khadzhimurad on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Khadzhimurad wants to land a leg kick but Cardona is out of range.
Cardona misses with an attempted mid kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Cardona!
Cardona missing with a left hand there. Khadzhimurad was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardona shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Khadzhimurad lands a really nice looking cross but Cardona seems unphased.
A lazy left from Cardona finds it's target.
Cardona throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cardona throws a body punch but Khadzhimurad moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Khadzhimurad misses the target.
Khadzhimurad lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Khadzhimurad moves out of range of the body kick.
Cardona throws a hook but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Khadzhimurad tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cardona was well out of range. Poor timing from Khadzhimurad.
Cardona throws a right hand that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Cardona is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Cardona looks to land a combination. Khadzhimurad sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cardona blocks a leg kick.

Khadzhimurad moves into the clinch successfully.
Khadzhimurad struggles to land a body shot inside as Cardona controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cardona's elbow.
Khadzhimurad blocks a punch to the side of the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Khadzhimurad creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Cardona wants to get back to striking at distance but Khadzhimurad won't allow it.
Cardona has a couple of punches blocked by Khadzhimurad.
Cardona tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Cardona doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Khadzhimurad prevents a body shot from Cardona.
Cardona tries a body shot but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Cardona blocks an uppercut.
Khadzhimurad is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Cardona tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Khadzhimurad's elbow.
Khadzhimurad blocks a body shot from Cardona.
Cardona takes a shot to the head.
Khadzhimurad doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cardona doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Cardona swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cardona blocks an uppercut.
Khadzhimurad doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Calixto Cardona dominated that fourth round.
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. And we move into the final round!

Cardona scores with a jab to the body.
Cardona swats away the attempt to clinch by Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Cardona throws a body shot but no joy.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Cardona.
Cardona misses the shot to the body.
Cardona with a jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cardona. Khadzhimurad does a little dance to reset his feet.
Cardona misses with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cardona moves out of range of the body kick.
Cardona lands with a shot to the body.
A decent looking cross lands there for Khadzhimurad.
Cardona delivers a nice body kick.
Cardona connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad throws a body punch but Cardona moves out of range.
Cardona tries to move into range but Khadzhimurad moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Khadzhimurad defending well as Cardona loads up on a big left hand.
Cardona moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Some bone on bone action there as Cardona checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Cardona tries to bum rush Khadzhimurad with a series of wild strikes but Khadzhimurad uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cardona throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Cardona has Khadzhimurad up against the cage in a clinch.
Cardona throws a head punch that misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cardona.
A short left from Khadzhimurad.
Cardona lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Khadzhimurad.
A head punch on the inside from Cardona fails to land.
Cardona blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Khadzhimurad is working Cardona over against the cage.
Khakim Khadzhimurad has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cardona lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Khadzhimurad lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Khadzhimurad misses with a hook from the clinch.
Khadzhimurad tries a body shot but Cardona blocks it.
Cardona blocking some punches.
Khadzhimurad fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cardona blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Khadzhimurad blocking some punches.
Khadzhimurad blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Khadzhimurad lands a nice shot to the body.
Khadzhimurad doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Khadzhimurad misses with a body punch.
Cardona has a couple of punches blocked by Khadzhimurad.
Cardona lands a body shot in the clinch.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Cardona lands with a light punch inside.
Khadzhimurad will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Cardona can't find room to land a body shot as Khadzhimurad controls the action.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Cardona.
Cardona digs a right hand into Khadzhimurad's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Khadzhimurad's gas tank.
Calixto Cardona is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad misses with a short punch on the inside.
Cardona tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Khadzhimurad's elbow.
Khadzhimurad misses with the head strike.
Cardona tries a body shot but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Cardona.
Khadzhimurad misses with a body punch.
A shot in the inside from Khadzhimurad.
Khadzhimurad tries to work over Cardona's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Cardona tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Khadzhimurad swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cardona tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Khadzhimurad's elbow.
Khadzhimurad misses with some punches.
Khadzhimurad working aggressively here.
Cardona blocks a body shot from Khadzhimurad.
Cardona can't find room to land a body shot as Khadzhimurad controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khadzhimurad throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Khadzhimurad goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Khadzhimurad misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cardona is working Khadzhimurad over against the cage.
Cardona blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Cardona blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Khadzhimurad misses with a punch to the body.
Khadzhimurad lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Khadzhimurad misses with a punch on the inside.
Khadzhimurad has a couple of punches blocked by Cardona.
Khadzhimurad blocks an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Khadzhimurad fails to land.
Khadzhimurad misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cardona tries a body shot but Khadzhimurad blocks it.
Cardona misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Cardona scores with a nice hook to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Calixto Cardona comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Cardona 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 45:50
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 45:50
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 45:50

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