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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Calixto Cardona (ranked 361 p4p, 466 weight class) and Masa Funaki (ranked 46 p4p, 56 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.
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| 170 cm
33
149
25 - 15 - 0 |
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180 cm
30
154
14 - 12 - 0 |
Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible |
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Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Calixto Cardona!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Masa Funaki!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Funaki drives through and clinches with Cardona against the cage.
Cardona lands a nice uppercut.
Cardona fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Funaki blocks a body shot from Cardona.
A short uppercut from Cardona.
Cardona tries to work over Funaki's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Knees to the body from Funaki.
Cardona tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Cardona tries to work over Funaki's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A right hook to the body lands for Cardona.
Funaki gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Cardona blocks an uppercut.
Funaki is trying to maintain a safe position but Cardona gets an underhook and turns Funaki into the cage.
Funaki prevents a body shot from Cardona.
Funaki looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Cardona cracks Funaki with a nice body shot.
Funaki creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Funaki lands a nice shot to the body.
Funaki lands an elbow inside.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Funaki trying to land knees to the body.
Cardona being controlled against the cage.
A short right from Funaki on the inside.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardona scores with a shot to the side of Funaki's head.
Funaki blocking some punches.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Funaki takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Cardona misses with a hook to the ribs.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Cardona lands with a left to the head.
Cardona tries to work over Funaki'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.
Cardona's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A low kick lands for Cardona.
Funaki gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Cardona fails to land.
A head punch on the inside from Cardona fails to land.
Cardona lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Funaki throws a knee to the head but misses.
Cardona works on Funaki's body with a couple of short punches.
Funaki is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Cardona is keeping busy.
Funaki blocks a body shot from Cardona.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cardona misses with some punches.
Funaki just leaning against Cardona, taking a breather.
Good body shot from Cardona.
Cardona escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Funaki throws a leg kick that misses.
Funaki scores with a shot to the body.
Cardona lands with a slapping head kick.
It looks like Masa Funaki has been cut.
Cardona misses with a low kick.
Funaki steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Cardona.
Funaki pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Funaki blocks a jab.
Funaki walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Cardona stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Cardona swings for the body but Funaki moves out of range.
Funaki throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cardona throws a hook but Funaki blocks it.
Funaki throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Cardona thows a left - swing and a miss!
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funaki wants to land a leg kick but Cardona is out of range.
Cardona is looking to counter with head kicks.
Cardona gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Funaki using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Funaki goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Funaki lands a right hand that snaps the head of Cardona backwards.
Cardona tries to throw a body punch but Funaki avoids it by throwing Cardona back against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Funaki.
Funaki manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Cardona lands with a left to the head.
Cardona lands a shot to the body.
Cardona pushes Funaki back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Funaki blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cardona blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Funaki lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Funaki makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cardona.
Funaki throws a head punch that misses.
Cardona takes an elbow to the forehead.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funaki lands a knee to the body.
Funaki crunches a lovely knee into Cardona's ribcage.
Funaki is stalling here.
Funaki taking a breather.
A right handed body shot lands from Funaki.
The referee is keeping an eye on Funaki - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Funaki blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Funaki lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Funaki's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Funaki stalling against the cage.
Funaki has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Cardona seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Funaki can turn it around.
Cardona swings away with an uppercut that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Funaki taking a breather.
Cardona blocks an elbow strike from Funaki.
Funaki is looking to control Cardona's arms but Cardona gets an underhook and turns him. Now Funaki has his back to the cage.
Funaki landing knees to the body.
Funaki lands with a short head shot on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Masa Funaki will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Masa Funaki's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!
Funaki tries to score with a low kick but Cardona moves his leg out of the way.
Cardona fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Funaki.
Funaki lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Funaki shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Funaki scores with a kick to the midsection.
Good shot there by Cardona.
Cardona lands a head shot.
Cardona on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Funaki fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
The fighters circle momentarily. Funaki darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Funaki fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Funaki tries a low kick but Cardona avoids it.
Funaki throws a front kick aimed at Cardona's knee but Cardona avoids it well.
Cardona moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cardona swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cardona scores with a jab to the body.
Cardona misses with a body shot.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardona lands a nice leg kick that just misses Funaki's sensitive parts.
Cardona throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cardona connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Funaki takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Cardona moves into range and connects with a jab.
Cardona lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Funaki tries to clinch but Cardona moves out of range.
Cardona throws a lazy right hand but Funaki sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Funaki looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Cardona misses with a hook. Funaki ducked under it nicely.
A big right from Cardona misses.
Cardona throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Funaki slips under a jab from Cardona.
Cardona lands the left hand.
Funaki shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Cardona tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Funaki was well out of range. Poor timing from Cardona.
Funaki connects with a leg kick.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Funaki throws a leg kick but Cardona moved away.
Funaki throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Funaki looks to land a right hand but Cardona moved out of range.
Funaki blocks the body kick.
Funaki tries to land a leg kick but Cardona saw it coming and moves away.
Cardona thinks about countering with a head kick.
Funaki fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Cardona manages to avoid it.
Cardona misses the shot to the body.
Calixto Cardona is winning the standup battle so far.
Jab by Cardona.
Cardona throws out a loose jab but Funaki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Good leg kick by Funaki.
Cardona misses with an uppercut. Funaki saw that one coming.
Funaki flicks out a counter leg kick but Cardona steps away.
An inside leg kick from Cardona misses.
Cardona jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Funaki blocks a head kick by Cardona.
Funaki throws a leg kick but Cardona checks it.
Cardona throwing a counter right hand but Funaki manages to avoid it.
Funaki tries to keep at a distance but Cardona has taken the fight into the clinch.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardona lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Funaki or not.
Cardona blocks the elbow strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Funaki lands a left hand that snaps the head of Cardona backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Cardona.
Funaki lands an elbow inside.
Cardona swings wildly with an uppercut but Funaki uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short right from Cardona on the inside.
Funaki tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Cardona avoids it.
Funaki just leaning against Cardona, taking a breather.
A right handed body shot lands from Cardona.
Cardona stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Funaki is breathing heavily.
Cardona avoiding damage as Funaki throws knees to the body.
Funaki misses with a punch on the inside.
Funaki throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Cardona breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Funaki fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Cardona is out of range.
Funaki moves out of range of the strikes.
Funaki wants to counter the offense by Cardona and move into the clinch position.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cardona is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Funaki steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cardona.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Funaki buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Cardona moves out of range of the leg kick from Funaki.
Cardona throws the left hand but Funaki avoids the punch easily.
Cardona avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Calixto Cardona seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Funaki takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Cardona misses with a hook. Funaki ducked under it nicely.
Cardona takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Cardona looks to land a left hand but Funaki moved out of range nicely.
Cardona throws a body punch but Funaki moves out of range.
Cardona misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Funaki throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cardona sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cardona throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Funaki is looking to score with low kicks.
Cardona tries to land a front kick but Funaki steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Calixto Cardona dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Masa Funaki's cut.
That's time! Cardona's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!
Cardona is looking to score with low kicks.
Funaki tries to counter with a clinch but Cardona shakes him off and moves away.
Cardona throws a big shot that misses.
Funaki scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Cardona throws a leg kick that misses.
Cardona throws a head kick that misses.
Funaki lands a front kick.
Funaki moves into the clinch.
Funaki slows down the pace here.
Cardona lands a body punch in the clinch.
Cardona misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Funaki throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Funaki lands an elbow that stopped Cardona in his tracks for a moment.
Cardona working aggressively here.
Funaki throws a punch but it's blocked by Cardona.
Funaki blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Funaki stalling in the clinch.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Funaki goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Cardona fails to land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Funaki.
Funaki lands a damaging elbow.
It looks like Calixto Cardona has been cut.
Cardona struggles to land a body shot inside as Funaki controls his hands.
Cardona working hard to break the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Cardona fails to land.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Cardona.
Cardona on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Masa Funaki seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Cardona takes an elbow to the forehead.
Cardona tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Funaki.
Funaki blocking some punches.
Funaki presses Cardona against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Funaki creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Cardona lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Funaki lands an elbow that stopped Cardona in his tracks for a moment.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cardona looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Funaki.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Funaki.
Funaki dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Come on Funaki - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Cardona lands a nice shot to the body.
Cardona breaks from the clinch.
Funaki throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Cardona counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cardona misses with a two punch combination.
Funaki wants to counter the offense by Cardona and move into the clinch position.
Cardona misses with a looping right.
Cardona takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Cardona checks a low kick from Funaki.
Funaki looks to land a left hand but Cardona moved out of range nicely.
Cardona feints a jab promting Funaki to slip. Cardona then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Funaki slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Funaki throws a wild body kick that Cardona sees coming a mile off.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardona turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Cardona slips under a jab from Funaki.
Cardona is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Funaki misses with a low kick as Cardona jumps back.
Cardona connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cardona throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cardona lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cardona misses with a looping left.
Funaki needs to keep his hands up - Cardona had a free shot at his head there.
Cardona chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Funaki can pounce on him.
Funaki takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Cardona swings widly with a right hand
letting Funaki counter with a right hand.
Cardona lands a jab to the nose.
Cardona has taken the fight to the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head punch on the inside from Funaki fails to land.
Cardona misses with a punch to the body.
Cardona fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funaki is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Cardona is defending well for now.
Cardona tries a body shot but Funaki blocks it.
Funaki using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Funaki is working Cardona over against the cage.
Cardona throws a head punch that misses.
A short left from Funaki.
Funaki prevents a body shot from Cardona.
Cardona swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Funaki has a couple of punches blocked by Cardona.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Funaki.
Funaki tries to work over Cardona's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short left from Cardona.
Funaki misses with an elbow over the top.
Cardona blocks the elbow strike.
Funaki looking to slow down the pace here.
Cardona misses with a hook from the clinch.
Cardona pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Calixto Cardona.
I think Cardona 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by split decision... Calixto Cardona!
Our winner, Calixto Cardona, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
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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
71% |
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