PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Johnny Waldron (ranked 21405 p4p, 5854 weight class) and Ari Baba (ranked 602 p4p, 568 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Waldron
vs
Baba

200 cm
28
280
8 - 9 - 0

225 cm
31
287
17 - 17 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Dangerous knees
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 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Johnny Waldron!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ari Baba!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Sosuke Kotani and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Baba throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Waldron looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Baba ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Baba avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A big left from Baba misses.
Baba takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Baba throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Waldron tries to clinch but Baba is having none of it.
The fighters circling - Baba throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Waldron throws a big shot that misses.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Baba! But no joy.
Baba throws a hook to the side of Waldron's head but Waldron sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Baba tries a low kick but Waldron avoids it.
Baba throws a chopping leg kick but Waldron manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Waldron throws a hook to the side of Baba's head but Baba sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baba throws a body shot but no joy.

Waldron drives through and clinches with Baba against the ropes.
Baba is trying to break the clinch but Waldron is controlling him.
Baba wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Waldron has him pressed against the ropes.
Baba lands a body shot in the clinch.
Baba takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Ari Baba has been cut.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Waldron obliges.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waldron creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Waldron connects with a nasty looking knee right to Baba's face.
Baba is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Waldron comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Baba tries to break free but Waldron pushes him back against the ropes.
Baba is trying to break free.
Waldron keeps control of Baba as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Waldron creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Baba's defenses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Waldron.
Waldron tries to work over Baba's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Baba tries to break free but Waldron pushes him back against the ropes.
Waldron lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Baba blocks the elbow strike.
Baba tries to break the clinch but Waldron is controlling the position.
Baba has had enough of the clinch but Waldron keeps him there for the moment.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Waldron.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Baba being controlled against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baba wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Baba breaks the clinch.
Baba blocks a head kick by Waldron.
Johnny Waldron seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice jab there from Waldron.
Baba looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Baba throws a big shot that misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice defenses there by Waldron.
Waldron avoids a punch combination nicely.
Waldron works Baba's body with a nice hook.
Waldron uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Baba.
Baba misses with a lunging right hand
and Waldron counters with a big head kick but Baba shrugs it off.
Waldron lands a jab to the head.

Waldron rushes Baba and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Waldron creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baba is looking to break free of the clinch but Waldron has double underhooks.
Baba wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Waldron looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Baba doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Waldron landing knees to the head.

Baba is rocked!
Waldron controlling the action here for a moment.
Baba is still on wobbly legs! Can Waldron finish him?
Waldron misses with an elbow over the top.
Baba seems to have recovered his senses.

Waldron creates a bit of space and cracks Baba with an uppercut that drops him to the canvas! Baba is wobbled and seems to be struggling to get back to his feet. 3,4,5. He's up! Phew, his manager will be relieved but they're no doubt wondering whether he'll be able to recover properly and get back in the fight!
Baba takes a jab right on the kisser.
Look low, kick high! Waldron uses the oldest trick in the book to send Baba tumbling to the canvas, in a truly brutal knockout! Waldron is absolutely delighted - when Baba wakes up, I doubt he'll be quite so happy!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:45 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Johnny Waldron!