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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Naiki Nekele (ranked 1078 p4p, 1930 weight class) and Japa Koniu (ranked 51 p4p, 29 weight class). Naiki Nekele has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.
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210 cm 35 275 29 - 19 - 0 |
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198 cm 42 235 26 - 24 - 0 |
Good wrestling World class boxer Insanely flexible |
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BJJ Purple Belt World class MT Heavy handed |
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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 29 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Naiki Nekele! And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner. With a record of 26 - 24 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Japa Koniu! The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway! Koniu with a nice calf kick. Nekele misses with a body shot.
Koniu clinches. Nekele lands on the inside with an uppercut. We've been informed that Koniu 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. Koniu tries to land knees in the clinch but Nekele avoids the damage to the body. Nekele lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
It looks like Japa Koniu has been cut. Koniu trying to control the position but instead, Nekele has worked for underhooks and has pushed Koniu into the cage. Koniu lands an elbow inside.
It looks like Naiki Nekele has been cut. Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Koniu. Nekele throws a punch but it's blocked by Koniu. We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up. Nekele manages to break the clinch.
Koniu lands a head kick. Nekele smiles back at him and beckons him forward. Koniu tries to clinch but Nekele is having none of it. Koniu jabs Nekele to the body, keeping him at a distance. This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff! Nekele waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Koniu. Koniu throws a sloppy head kick and Nekele moves out of range easily.
That's one minute gone in the round. Koniu ducks under a wild hook from Nekele. Nekele throws a lazy right hand but Koniu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily. Nice body kick from Koniu. Nekele throws a sloppy head kick and Koniu moves out of range easily. Nekele throws a body punch but Koniu moves out of range. Nice defenses there by Koniu. Nekele takes a swing at Koniu's ribcage but misses. Koniu wants to counter with a clinch but Nekele pushes him away. Koniu looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it. Koniu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nekele. Naiki Nekele seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout. Nekele misses with an attempted mid kick.
Koniu moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross. Nekele seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym. Koniu misses the jab. Koniu moves out of range of the leg kick from Nekele. Nekele lands with a cross. Nekele scores with a head kick. Koniu tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time. Nekele throws a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here. Nekele ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Koniu moves away.
That's two minutes gone in the round. Koniu connects with the punch. Koniu slips a straight right by Nekele. Nekele misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koniu.
Nekele tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Koniu was well out of range. Poor timing from Nekele. Koniu takes one to the chin there. A shot to the body from Nekele misses and Koniu counters with a straight punch to the midsection. Nekele moves out of range of the leg kick from Koniu. Koniu tries to clinch up but Nekele circles away and keeps his distance. Nekele with a hook. Koniu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target. Nekele connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe. Koniu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nekele. Nekele pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Koniu tries to counter with a clinch but Nekele shakes him off and moves away. Koniu misses with a head kick.
Nekele looks to score with a jab to the body but Koniu is just out of range. Nekele throws a shot from downtown. Koniu moves away and avoids it.
That's three minutes gone in the round. Nekele ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Koniu moves away. Koniu wants to counter with a clinch but Nekele pushes him away. Nekele lets loose with a powerful body kick. Koniu will feel that in the morning. Jab by Koniu. Nekele lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Koniu takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
A solid leg kick lands there for Nekele.
Koniu avoids the body shot from Nekele.
Nekele is looking to score with low kicks. Nekele sets himself, and Koniu steps forward looking for the clinch! Nekele avoids it this time. Nekele throws a body shot but no joy. Koniu tries to counter with a clinch but Nekele shakes him off and moves away. Nekele throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle. Koniu needs to keep his hands up - Nekele had a free shot at his head there. Nekele throws a body kick but he was well out of range there. Koniu wants to counter the offense by Nekele and move into the clinch position. Nekele throws an overhand right that lands on Koniu's shoulder, as Koniu tries to avoid the shot. Koniu steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Nekele. Koniu dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nekele. That did some damage! Nekele throws a sloppy body shot
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick. This has been an exciting period of action! Nekele takes a swing at Koniu's ribcage but misses.
That's four minutes gone in the round. Nekele with a nice cross. Koniu tries a head kick but it misses.
Nekele lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick. Koniu scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent. Koniu throws a good cross that connects.
Nekele jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Koniu lands a body shot.
Nekele swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nekele fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Koniu has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage. Nekele is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range. Nekele connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe. Koniu throws a half hearted mid kick. Nekele on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere. Nekele scores with a nice body kick.
Nekele is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches. The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end. Koniu closes the distance and pushes Nekele back into the cage. Koniu lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage. Nekele's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does. And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Naiki Nekele dominated that round. Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval. The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Nekele ducks right into an uppercut from Koniu. Good leg kick by Nekele. Nekele throws a hook to the side of Koniu's head but Koniu sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully. Nekele lands a slapping body shot.
Koniu comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range. Koniu moves out of range as Nekele throws a body kick.
Nekele tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Koniu was well out of range. Poor timing from Nekele. Nekele throws a sloppy head kick and Koniu moves out of range easily. Koniu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nekele.
Koniu fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Nekele. Nekele getting the better of the striking in that exchange. Nice shot lands for Nekele. Nekele misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koniu.
Koniu turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick. The crowd are loving this. Great action here. Nekele dips down and scores with a jab to the body. Decent striking displayed by Nekele there.
That's one minute gone in the round. Koniu throws a body punch but Nekele moves out of range. Nekele throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Koniu blocks a leg kick. Nekele bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes. Nekele fakes the leg kick and cracks Koniu in the body. Nekele lands a nice shot that snaps Koniu's head back.
Koniu swings away with a body shot that misses
and Nekele counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body. Nekele lands a nice looking kick to the body. Koniu takes a step back to recover. Koniu is breathing heavily. Koniu bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Nekele's head backwards. Nekele uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Koniu has time to react. Koniu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A slow jab from Nekele misses its intended target. Nekele works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance. Nekele throws a big shot that misses. Koniu wants to counter the offense by Nekele and move into the clinch position. Naiki Nekele is winning the standup battle so far.
That's two minutes gone in the round. The crowd are loving this. Great action here. A telegraphed right hand from Koniu misses the target. An attempted straight right counter from Nekele misses the target. Nekele buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Koniu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nekele scores with a jab to the jaw. Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Nekele lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Koniu has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Koniu and we're back underway with a touch of gloves. Nekele connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there. Nekele misses the shot to the body. Nekele lands a head kick. Koniu smiles back at him and beckons him forward. Koniu feints and then cracks Nekele's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Nekele down. Nice shot lands for Koniu. Nekele lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin. Koniu blocks a jab. Nekele throws a leg kick but Koniu sees it coming and moves out of range. Koniu checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time. A head kick misses from Nekele. Nekele throws a lazy uppercut
and Koniu counters by clinching up.
That's three minutes gone in the round. Koniu takes a shot to the head. Koniu throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Nekele's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does. Nekele swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nekele takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it. A good leg kick by Koniu. Nekele misses with a body shot.
Koniu tries to counter with a clinch but Nekele shakes him off and moves away. Koniu scores with a slapping inside leg kick. Koniu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nekele blocks a jab. Nekele throws a shot from downtown. Koniu moves away and avoids it. Koniu tries to clinch but Nekele is having none of it. Koniu takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Nekele scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business. Koniu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nekele was well out of range. Poor timing from Koniu.
That's four minutes gone in the round. Nekele shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it. Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show! Koniu looks to land a body kick but Nekele moved away. Koniu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nekele was well out of range. Poor timing from Koniu. Nekele throws a body kick that misses. Koniu moves into range and lands a nice leg kick. Thud! ouch! good body kick from Nekele - that will leave a mark!
Nekele is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Koniu can do to turn this around? Nekele just misses with a punch to the body.
Nekele takes a swing at Koniu's ribcage but misses. Nekele lands a right hook to the body.
Nekele bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Koniu's head backwards. Nekele lands a jab to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end. Nekele avoids the head kick by Koniu.
Nekele fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Koniu has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage. Nice straight punches there by Nekele. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Nekele. And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Naiki Nekele dominated that second round. Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval. 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. This is the final round! This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Nekele. Nekele misses with a hook
and Koniu counters with a stiff right hand. Nekele looks to throw the jab but Koniu is out of range. The crowd cheers as Nekele lands an impressive looking overhand right. Koniu doesn't seem phased though. Koniu clobbers Nekele with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise. Koniu takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Koniu misses with a looping right. Nekele misses with an uppercut. Koniu saw that one coming. Koniu darts in and clinches Nekele up against the cage. Nekele lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Koniu backwards. Koniu pressing his opponent against the cage. Koniu landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily. This has been an exciting period of action! Koniu misses with a punch to the body.
That's one minute gone in the round. Nekele throws a head punch that misses. With the two fighters working up against the cage, Koniu just misses with a elbow thrown towards Nekele's brow. Koniu pushes off an throws an elbow but Nekele leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage. Nekele wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Koniu avoiding damage.
Koniu utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body. Koniu has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Nekele. Koniu creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses. Koniu working Nekele over with knees to the body. Koniu tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nekele is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight. Nekele takes a knee right on the jaw!
Koniu misses with an elbow strike.
That's two minutes gone in the round. Koniu landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Koniu pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage. Koniu scores with a knee to the head.
Koniu with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head. Koniu throws an elbow that misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here. Nekele avoiding damage as Koniu throws knees to the body.
Koniu works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Koniu swings wildly with an uppercut but Nekele uses good head movement to avoid it. Koniu tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Koniu throws a knee to the head but misses.
Koniu unloads a knee to the mid-section. Nekele breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
That's three minutes gone in the round. Koniu connects with the punch. Nekele pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nekele throws a jab but it's blocked by Koniu. Koniu steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Nekele. Nekele throws a body shot but no joy. Nekele thows a left - swing and a miss! A left lands for Koniu. Koniu throws a head kick that misses. Nekele changes levels and scores with a jab to the body. Koniu blocks a jab. Koniu wants to counter the offense by Nekele and move into the clinch position. A nice leg kick from Koniu, right into the meat of the thigh.
Koniu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Nekele. Koniu looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple. Nekele jabbing away but nothing is landing. Nekele works Koniu's body with a nice hook. Nekele jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
That's four minutes gone in the round. This has been an exciting period of action! That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Nekele crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Koniu - the referee stops the clock and Nekele gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Koniu. Nekele manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes. Koniu jabbing away but nothing is landing. Nice defenses there by Nekele. Nekele scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Koniu doesn't seem bothered though. Koniu lands with a shot to the body. Nekele misses with an uppercut. Koniu saw that one coming. Koniu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nekele throws a body shot but no joy. Nekele lands a nice looking kick to the body. Koniu takes a step back to recover. Nekele moves out of range as Koniu throws a body kick.
Nekele misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Koniu.
Koniu tries to counter with a clinch but Nekele shakes him off and moves away. Nekele lands with an uppercut that bounces Koniu off the cage and back into range. Nekele fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Koniu manages to avoid it. Japa Koniu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here! Koniu changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
And that's the end of the fight! Japa Koniu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard. I think Nekele 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28 Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28 Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Naiki Nekele! Naiki Nekele gave a mention to Gatoroids in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).
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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
76% |
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