PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mantak Garuda (ranked 157 p4p, 142 weight class) and Joost Van Buren (ranked 26 p4p, 23 weight class). Garuda comes into the arena with Djiin Djiin blaring out of the sound system. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Joost Van Buren was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Garuda
vs
Van Buren

190 cm
33
218
26 - 6 - 1

188 cm
39
206
37 - 21 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conquer
Shadow Warrior Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mantak Garuda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 21 - 1, fighting out of New York, Joost Van Buren!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Ren Mimura and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Garuda, as that shot connected.
Garuda works the jab nicely.
Van Buren has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Garuda tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Van Buren was well out of range. Poor timing from Garuda.
Decent striking displayed by Van Buren there.
Van Buren displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Garuda throws out the jab.
A little jabbing left from Van Buren on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Van Buren throws the left hand but Garuda avoids the punch easily.
Garuda appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Van Buren lands a lovely overhand right.
Van Buren misses with a low kick as Garuda jumps back.
Van Buren misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Garuda swings for the body but Van Buren moves out of range.
Van Buren slips a jab from Garuda.
Van Buren ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Garuda moves away.
An attempted straight right counter from Garuda misses the target.
An inside leg kick from Garuda misses.
Van Buren doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Van Buren scores with a spinning back kick!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Buren with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Buren fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Garuda looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Van Buren is looking to land body kicks.
A jab from Van Buren does it's job there.
Van Buren pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Garuda throws a front kick that sends Van Buren stumbling back into the cage.
Van Buren just misses with a punch to the body.
Garuda ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Van Buren moves away.
Garuda thuds his right hand into Van Buren's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Van Buren shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Garuda fires out a quick counter leg kick but Van Buren just manages to avoid it.
Garuda thuds his shin into the meat of Van Buren's side.
Van Buren drops his hands momentarily and Garuda takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Garuda misses with a low kick.
Van Buren does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garuda misses with a hook.
Van Buren moves out of range as Garuda strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Van Buren lands a slapping body shot.
A shot to the liver by Van Buren. Beautiful body shot.
Garuda throws an overhand right that lands on Van Buren's shoulder, as Van Buren tries to avoid the shot.
Van Buren lands a nice looking body shot.
Garuda misses with a left hand
and Van Buren counters with a nice body shot.
Garuda takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Garuda misses with a low kick.
Garuda lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Garuda tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Garuda just misses with a punch to the body.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Van Buren! But no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garuda throws a half hearted mid kick.
Van Buren fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Van Buren lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like Mantak Garuda has been cut.
Van Buren ducks right into an uppercut from Garuda.
Van Buren scores with a nice head shot.
Van Buren throws a leg kick but Garuda sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Van Buren displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Garuda throws out the jab.
Van Buren tries a quick counter leg kick but Garuda is wise to it.
Van Buren misses with a hook.
Van Buren lands a nice leg kick that just misses Garuda's sensitive parts.
Van Buren scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Van Buren throws a hook but Garuda avoids it easily.
Van Buren lands a nice looking kick to the body. Garuda takes a step back to recover.
Garuda ducks under a wild hook from Van Buren.
Garuda is looking to counter punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garuda throws a jab but it's blocked by Van Buren.
Van Buren lands a jab to Garuda's midsection.
Van Buren checks the leg kick nicely there.
Garuda cracks a nice hook into Van Buren's ribs.
Garuda takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Van Buren throws a predictable looking body shot
and Garuda counters with a nice body shot.
Garuda fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Van Buren is out of range.
Garuda tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Van Buren counters with a nice body shot.
Van Buren misses the jab.
Van Buren lunges at Garuda with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Garuda's hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joost Van Buren dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mantak Garuda's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Van Buren bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Garuda's head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Van Buren. Garuda does a little dance to reset his feet.
Van Buren connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Van Buren connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Good exchange - Garuda coming out on top.
Van Buren misses the body punch
enabling Garuda to counter with a crisp jab.
Van Buren lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Van Buren keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Van Buren is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Garuda rather than just go for the knockout.
Van Buren misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garuda lands a head shot.
Garuda lands a front kick.
Van Buren lands a nice looking body kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Buren misses the shot to the body.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Garuda might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Garuda has Van Buren up against the cage in a clinch.
Van Buren has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Garuda blocks a body shot from Van Buren.
Van Buren has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Van Buren stalling against the cage.
Garuda tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Van Buren tries to stall but Garuda uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Garuda digs a right hand into Van Buren's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Van Buren's gas tank.
Garuda lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Garuda scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Garuda lands with a light punch inside.
Van Buren is breathing heavily.
Garuda pushes Van Buren back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Van Buren throws a punch but it's blocked by Garuda.
Garuda pushes Van Buren back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Garuda makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Garuda lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Garuda can't find room to land a body shot as Van Buren controls the action.
Van Buren is trying to push Garuda away but Garuda has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Garuda breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Joost Van Buren seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Garuda's corner calls for a 1-2. Garuda obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Garuda checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Van Buren throws a right hand that misses

and Garuda counters with a nice right hand that sends Van Buren toppling to the canvas! Van Buren scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Garuda finish him?!

Van Buren is rocked!
Garuda lands a big uppercut and this one is all over! His foe lies motionless on the canvas - a massive one punch knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Mantak Garuda!
Mantak Garuda decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.