PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Songkom Fairtex (ranked 23035 p4p, 15980 weight class) and Iosefa Umaga (ranked 613 p4p, 636 weight class). Umaga comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Ky-Mani Marley - Warriors kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Fairtex
vs
Umaga

196 cm
29
262
14 - 6 - 1

191 cm
41
248
24 - 9 - 1

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Songkom Fairtex!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 9 - 1, fighting out of London, Iosefa Umaga!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Cecil Peabody and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fairtex moves out of range as Umaga strikes.
Fairtex pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Despite the aggression on Umaga's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Fairtex instigates a clinch.
Fairtex working aggressively here.
Fairtex pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Fairtex is trying to maintain a safe position but Umaga gets an underhook and turns Fairtex into the ropes.
Fairtex goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Fairtex misses with a punch on the inside.
Umaga looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Umaga blocks an uppercut.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Umaga is trying to break the clinch but Fairtex has him pressed against the ropes.
Fairtex is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Umaga lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Nice body punch from Fairtex.

Umaga breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fairtex looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Umaga raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Umaga swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Fairtex wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Umaga takes a swing at Fairtex's ribcage but misses.
A punch combination from Umaga misses.
Fairtex is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Umaga appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Umaga throws a looping overhand right but Fairtex ducks down to avoid it.
Fairtex is looking to score with low kicks.
Umaga lands with a shot to the body.
Fairtex showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Umaga.
Fairtex throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Umaga sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Umaga unleashes a big counter combination but Fairtex bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Fairtex fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Fairtex tries to work over Umaga's front leg with a kick but Umaga checks it.
Umaga goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A head kick misses from Fairtex.
Umaga throws a body shot but no joy.
Fairtex has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Fairtex MMA in the buildup to the fight.
Fairtex looks to score with a jab to the body but Umaga is just out of range.
A little jabbing left from Umaga on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fairtex moves into range and clinches up with Umaga.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Umaga just misses with a elbow thrown towards Fairtex's brow.
Fairtex lands a damaging elbow.
Umaga is looking to break free of the clinch but Fairtex has double underhooks.
Fairtex trying to land knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Umaga looking to stall.
Fairtex misses with a punch to the body.
Umaga pushes Fairtex back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.
Fairtex looking to stall.
Umaga managing to block the knees to the body from Fairtex.

Umaga escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fairtex feints and then cracks Umaga's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Umaga down.
Fairtex tries to close the distance and clinch but Umaga swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Umaga scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

It looks like Songkom Fairtex has been cut.
A low kick lands for Umaga.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Iosefa Umaga will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Songkom Fairtex's cut.
That's time! Fairtex's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Fairtex tries to clinch but Umaga moves out of range.
Fairtex walks into a left hand.
Fairtex tries to clinch up.
Fairtex darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Umaga defending well as Fairtex loads up on a big left hand.
Fairtex wants to clinch up but Umaga keeps it at a distance.
Umaga scores with a jab to the head.
Iosefa Umaga seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fairtex lands a right hook to the body.
Umaga blocks a low kick nicely.
Both fighters circling a little - Fairtex finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Umaga throws a right and a left that both miss.
A combination from Umaga does no damage.
Umaga tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Fairtex connects with a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fairtex fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Fairtex tries to land a front kick but Umaga steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Fairtex walks into a stiff left hand from Umaga.
Fairtex lands with an uppercut that bounces Umaga off the ropes and back into range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Umaga just misses with a punch to the body.
Fairtex clobbers Umaga with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Fairtex misses with a straight left.
Fairtex tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Fairtex scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Umaga has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Fairtex throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A big right from Umaga misses.
Fairtex throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Umaga's head.
A left and a right from Umaga both land. Nice combination.
Umaga looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Fairtex scores with a leg kick.
Songkom Fairtex seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Umaga shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Fairtex eats them both and turns towards Umaga to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fairtex fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Umaga looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Fairtex fails in his attempt to clinch.
Umaga finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Fairtex wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Umaga fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Umaga throws a body punch but Fairtex moves out of range.
Fairtex moves out of range as Umaga strikes.
Fairtex avoids the body shot from Umaga.
Fairtex is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Umaga.
Fairtex slips under a jab.
Umaga circles away from the clinch attempt.
Umaga misses with a low kick.
Fairtex swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Umaga keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Fairtex lands a leg kick that knocks Umaga off balance momentarily.
Umaga on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Fairtex tries to land a front kick but Umaga steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Umaga scores with a jab to the head.
Umaga misses with a two punch combination.
Fairtex throws a lazy body kick
and Umaga counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Fairtex throws a shot to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Songkom Fairtex will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Songkom Fairtex's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Fairtex swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Umaga swings for the body but Fairtex moves out of range.
Fairtex connects with the punch.
Fairtex looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Fairtex wants to clinch.

Fairtex moves into range and clinches up with Umaga.
Umaga goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Fairtex tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Umaga's elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A bit of stalling here from Fairtex.
Fairtex lands a damaging elbow.
Fairtex misses with a punch to the body.

Umaga breaks the clinch.
Fairtex fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairtex takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Fairtex moves into the clinch successfully.
Umaga blocks the elbow strike.
Fairtex misses with a short punch on the inside.
Umaga tries to break free but Fairtex pushes him back against the ropes.
A nice left hand lands by Umaga.
A bit of stalling here from Fairtex.
Fairtex tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Iosefa Umaga has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Umaga dodges an elbow strike from Fairtex.
Umaga lands a nice uppercut.
Fairtex tries a body shot but Umaga blocks it.
Umaga creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Fairtex tries to stall but Umaga uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Umaga can't find room to land a body shot as Fairtex controls the action.
Fairtex pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Umaga pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Fairtex makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Umaga misses with a hook from the clinch.
Fairtex tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Umaga's elbow.
Fairtex working aggressively here.
Fairtex doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Fairtex lands a hook that snaps the head of Umaga backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Umaga misses with a body punch.
Fairtex tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Umaga avoids it.
Umaga blocks a body shot from Fairtex.
Umaga lands an uppercut.
Umaga is trying to push Fairtex away but Fairtex has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Fairtex unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Fairtex is leaning against Umaga and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Umaga tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Umaga throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Fairtexs head.
Umaga creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Songkom Fairtex showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Fairtex 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Songkom Fairtex!
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight for Songkom Fairtex!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Songkom Fairtex!

Songkom Fairtex wins by unanimous decision!
During a confident post fight interview, Songkom Fairtex thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.