PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Vincent Askew (ranked 5286 p4p, 3742 weight class) and Fortune Thibodeaux (ranked 536 p4p, 436 weight class). Fortune Thibodeaux will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Askew
vs
Thibodeaux

198 cm
25
240
0 - 2 - 0

210 cm
26
274
7 - 4 - 0

Great elbows
Very strong

Great elbows
Solid chin

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Vincent Askew!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Fortune Thibodeaux!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Peter Branson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thibodeaux keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A head kick misses from Thibodeaux.
Askew misses with a body punch
and Askew takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Thibodeaux clinches up with Askew and pushes him back against the ropes.
Askew blocks an uppercut.
Askew blocking some punches.

Askew breaks from the clinch.

Askew moves into the clinch successfully.
Thibodeaux misses with an elbow over the top.
Askew trying to stall but Thibodeaux improves his position.
Thibodeaux tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Askew breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Askew gets a clinch.
Thibodeaux misses with a hook from the clinch.

Askew pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thibodeaux moves in looking to clinch but Askew pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thibodeaux clinches with his opponent.
Thibodeaux misses with an elbow over the top.

Askew pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Thibodeaux has Askew up against the ropes in a clinch.

Askew breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Thibodeaux has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Askew gets tackled into the ropes by Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux maintains the clinch.
Askew misses with a hook from the clinch.

Askew manages to break the clinch.
Askew tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Thibodeaux paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Askew pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thibodeaux is trying to counter with his kicks.

Thibodeaux darts in and clinches Askew up against the ropes.
Askew stalling the fight.

Askew escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sloppy strikes from Askew. Those never looked like landing.

Thibodeaux darts in and clinches Askew up against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askew blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Askew is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Thibodeaux lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Thibodeaux lands an elbow that stopped Askew in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Vincent Askew has been cut.
Thibodeaux tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Askew lands an elbow inside that Thibodeaux shrugs off.
Askew avoids a wild elbow strike from Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux throws an elbow but it misses.
Askew dodges an elbow strike from Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux lands with a left to the head.

Askew breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Thibodeaux closes the distance and pushes Askew back into the ropes.

Askew manages to break the clinch.
Askew tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Thibodeaux paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Thibodeaux clinches with his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Fortune Thibodeaux dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vincent Askew's cut.
That's time! Askew's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Thibodeaux, as that shot connected.
Thibodeaux keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Askew takes the fight into the clinch.
Askew takes an elbow to the temple.

Askew breaks from the clinch.
Thibodeaux moves out of range of the strikes.

Thibodeaux darts in and clinches Askew up against the ropes.

Askew breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Askew pushes Thibodeaux up against the ropes in a clinch.
Thibodeaux swings wildly with an uppercut but Askew uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Askew avoids a wild elbow strike from Thibodeaux.
A head punch on the inside from Thibodeaux fails to land.
Thibodeaux has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Askew blocking some punches.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Thibodeaux just misses with a elbow thrown towards Askew's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thibodeaux tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Askew blocks an elbow strike from Thibodeaux.
Askew is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Thibodeaux lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Thibodeaux fails to land.
Thibodeaux pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Thibodeaux misses with a punch on the inside.
Askew takes an elbow to the forehead.
Askew is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Thibodeaux.
Askew blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Askew manages to break the clinch.

Thibodeaux fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Askew, pushing him back against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Thibodeaux lands a nice elbow.

Askew's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Thibodeaux clinches up against the ropes.
Askew misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thibodeaux.
With the two fighters working up against the ropes, Thibodeaux just misses with a elbow thrown towards Askew's brow.
Askew stalling in the clinch.
Thibodeaux throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Askew blocks an uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Askew leaning his opponent against the ropes.

Askew manages to break the clinch.

Thibodeaux clinches up against the ropes.
Askew avoids the elbow strike from Thibodeaux, against the ropes.
Thibodeaux has a couple of punches blocked by Askew.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Fortune Thibodeaux showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Vincent Askew'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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Thibodeaux moves out of range of the body kick from Askew.
Thibodeaux follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Askew goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Thibodeaux instigates a clinch.
Thibodeaux lands an elbow inside that Askew shrugs off.

Vincent Askew's cut is getting worse.
A shot in the inside from Thibodeaux.
Thibodeaux misses with an elbow strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Askew.
Askew wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Askew wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Askew holding his opponent close, against the ropes.

Askew breaks from the clinch.
Askew wants to clinch up but Thibodeaux keeps it at a distance.
Vincent Askew is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thibodeaux tries to clinch up but Askew circles away and keeps his distance.

Askew tries to keep at a distance but Thibodeaux has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thibodeaux avoiding damage as Askew throws knees to the body.
Thibodeaux comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A nice left hand lands by Thibodeaux.
Askew takes an elbow to the forehead.
Thibodeaux lands a right hand that snaps the head of Askew backwards.
Thibodeaux will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Askew up against the ropes.

Askew breaks the clinch.
Fortune Thibodeaux is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Thibodeaux closes the distance and clinches.

Askew breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Thibodeaux moves into range and clinches up with Askew.
Fortune Thibodeaux seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Askew looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thibodeaux throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Askew manages to break the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Askew looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A good leg kick by Thibodeaux.
Askew tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Askew looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A countering left hand to the body from Thibodeaux misses.
Askew tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thibodeaux swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Thibodeaux fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Askew, pushing him back against the ropes.

Askew pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vincent Askew has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Askew throws a lazy uppercut
and Thibodeaux counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fortune Thibodeaux comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Thibodeaux winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 27:30
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fortune Thibodeaux!
A relieved looking Fortune Thibodeaux thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.