PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Jimmy Buckets (ranked 23304 p4p, 23290 weight class) and Raheem Holmes (ranked 622 p4p, 637 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Buckets
vs
Holmes

201 cm
22
240
1 - 1 - 0

203 cm
22
230
2 - 3 - 0

World class boxer
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimmy Buckets!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raheem Holmes!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Taro Takaoka and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Buckets avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Buckets misses with a lunging right hand
and Holmes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Jimmy Buckets has been cut.
Buckets walks into a stiff left hand from Holmes.
Buckets throws a series of punches but Holmes avoids them all with ease.
Buckets throws a nice looking combination but Holmes bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Buckets rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Holmes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Holmes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Buckets.
And Holmes responds with a good body kick, but Buckets manages to step out the way in time.
Holmes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Buckets manages to avoid it.
Buckets takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Holmes throws a sloppy head kick
letting Buckets counter with a right hand.
Buckets swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
letting Holmes counter with a right hand.
Holmes fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Buckets has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A decent looking cross lands there for Buckets.
Buckets misses with an uppercut
and Holmes counters with a three punch combo that has Buckets backing up. Buckets nods at Holmes to acknowledge the strikes.
Buckets keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckets dips to his left and cracks Holmes with an uppercut!
Holmes explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Holmes throws a good cross that connects.
Buckets lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Buckets ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Buckets moves into the clinch successfully.
Holmes misses with a hook to the ribs.
Buckets using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Buckets drops Holmes on his ass with a big knee up the middle! Holmes bounces straight back to his feet before the referee can even start a count. We'll have to wait a moment to see if that actually hurt him or not, as he takes the standing 8 count.

It looks like Raheem Holmes has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Buckets closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Holmes wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Buckets has him pressed against the ropes.
Buckets lands a good knee to the midsection. Holmes won't want to take too many of those.
We've been informed that Holmes 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.
Holmes tries to work over Buckets's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Buckets throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Buckets working aggressively here.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Buckets as Holmes tries to tie him up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckets on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Buckets misses with a short punch on the inside.
Buckets misses with a knee strike.
Holmes blocks an elbow strike from Buckets.
Holmes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Holmes landing knees to the head.
Buckets misses with some punches.
Holmes creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Holmes creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Holmes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Holmes lands an elbow inside that Buckets shrugs off.
Holmes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Holmes misses with a knee strike.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Buckets doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Holmes looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Holmes blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buckets with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
A body shot lands from Holmes.
Buckets misses with a punch on the inside.
Holmes is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Buckets is keeping busy.
Buckets misses with a knee strike.
Buckets avoiding damage.
Buckets softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Holmes.
Buckets scores with a nice hook to the head.
Buckets stalling in the clinch but Holmes improves position.
Holmes taking a breather.
Holmes working aggressively here.
Buckets tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Holmes tries to throw a body punch but Buckets avoids it by throwing Holmes back against the ropes.
Buckets lands on the inside with an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Buckets.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes lands a damaging elbow.
Buckets using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Holmes has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Holmes lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Buckets backwards.
Holmes misses with a body punch.
Buckets blocks an elbow strike.
Holmes swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Buckets lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Buckets tries to work over Holmes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Holmes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Buckets's elbow.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Buckets throws an elbow but misses.
Buckets throws a knee to the head but misses.
Holmes lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Holmes throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Buckets lands a nice uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Holmes as the two fighters clinch.
Buckets is breathing heavily.
Buckets throws a head punch that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Buckets should take that round, based on the knockdown.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action!

Holmes takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Buckets throws out a loose jab but Holmes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Buckets jabs at Holmes's body.
Buckets misses with a lunging right hand
and Buckets takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Buckets pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Holmes flicks out a counter leg kick but Buckets steps away.
Holmes connects with a solid leg kick.
Holmes throws a body kick that misses.
Buckets misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Holmes.
Holmes on the wrong end of a nice hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holmes swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Buckets.
Raheem Holmes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Buckets ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Holmes swings for the body but Buckets moves out of range.
Holmes throws a low kick but Buckets moves out of range easily.
Holmes throws a sloppy head kick and Buckets moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckets swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Buckets is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Buckets moves into range and connects with a jab.
Buckets throws an off balance right hand
and Holmes counters with a right hand to the body.
Buckets throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Holmes on the side of the head.
Holmes scores with a spinning back kick!
Buckets just misses with a punch to the body.
Holmes cracks Buckets with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.
Buckets tries to close the distance and clinch up but Holmes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice defenses there by Holmes.
Nice defenses there by Holmes.
Holmes only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Holmes on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Buckets's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Buckets duly obliges.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Buckets takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Buckets checks a low kick from Holmes.
Jimmy Buckets seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holmes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nice shot by Buckets.
Holmes slips a jab from Buckets.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Holmes! But no joy.
Buckets gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Buckets scores with a jab.
Holmes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Buckets.
Holmes lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Holmes thumps Buckets with a low kick.
Holmes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A big right from Buckets misses.
Holmes thinks about the counter body kick.
Buckets connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes with a nice cross.

Jimmy Buckets's cut is getting worse.
Holmes with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Buckets ducks under a wild hook from Holmes.
Buckets throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Holmes.
Buckets throws a hook but Holmes avoids it easily.
Holmes follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Holmes with a hook.
Holmes throws a series of punches but Buckets avoids them all with ease.
Buckets checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Buckets is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Holmes.
Buckets misses with a hook. Holmes ducked under it nicely.
Buckets jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Buckets throws a big shot that misses.
Buckets throws the left hand but Holmes avoids the punch easily.
Holmes takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buckets rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Holmes counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Holmes throws out a loose jab but Buckets uses good head movement to avoid it.
Buckets throws a lazy right hand but Holmes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Holmes lands with a cross.
Buckets steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Holmes.
Buckets on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Holmes. Holmes obviously looking to wear him down.
Buckets is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Holmes.
A jab from Buckets misses.
Holmes slips a straight right by Buckets.
Buckets tries to clinch but Holmes moves out of range.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Buckets checks a leg kick.
Nice jab there from Holmes.
A big left from Buckets misses.
Holmes now looks to counter with a shot at 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 Jimmy Buckets will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Buckets's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Buckets throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Some wild striking there from Buckets.
Holmes avoids the body shot from Buckets.
Holmes lands a right hook to the body.
Holmes lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Buckets at a distance.
Buckets misses with a lunging right hand
and Buckets takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Holmes moves away from the strike by Buckets.
Buckets misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Holmes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holmes scores with a push kick.
Buckets moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Buckets takes a jab right on the kisser.
Buckets getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Nice uppercut there from Buckets.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckets misses with a few strikes there.
Holmes misses with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Holmes.
Holmes swings for the body but Buckets moves out of range.
Buckets throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Buckets throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Buckets on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Buckets blocks the body kick.
Holmes moves away from the strike by Buckets.
Buckets misses with an uppercut
and Holmes counters with a nice body shot.
Buckets keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Holmes.
Buckets loads up on a big right hand but Holmes slips the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckets connects with the punch.
Buckets throws a shot from downtown. Holmes moves away and avoids it.
Buckets ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Holmes moves away.
Holmes throws the kick towards the body but Buckets avoids it.
Buckets fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Holmes on the side of the head.
Holmes scores with a hook to the body. Buckets takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Holmes moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Holmes connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Jab by Buckets.
Holmes wants to slow Buckets down by chopping away at his legs.
Holmes misses with an uppercut.
Buckets is looking to clinch but Holmes is avoiding it.
Holmes walks into a stiff left hand from Buckets.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Holmes pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Raheem Holmes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Holmes feints a jab promting Buckets to slip. Holmes then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Buckets slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Buckets throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Holmes stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Buckets lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Buckets misses the body punch
and Holmes makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Holmes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Buckets swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Buckets misses with a lunging right hand
and Holmes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Holmes throws a front kick that sends Buckets stumbling back into the ropes.
Buckets looks to score with a jab to the body but Holmes is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes throws out a loose jab but Buckets uses good head movement to avoid it.
Buckets is looking to counter punch.
Buckets takes a kick to the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Holmes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Buckets.
Holmes misses with an uppercut. Buckets saw that one coming.
Holmes throws a right hand that misses
and Buckets counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Buckets is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Buckets slips under a jab from Holmes.
Holmes thuds a left hand into Buckets's body.
Holmes throws a lazy head kick
and Holmes takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Holmes looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Holmes steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Buckets.
Jimmy Buckets is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Buckets throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Holmes counter with a right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raheem Holmes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Buckets 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Jimmy Buckets!
Jimmy Buckets decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.