PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jin Inhanamoto (ranked 4799 p4p, 3018 weight class) and Ylli Kovaci (ranked 0 p4p, 382 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Inhanamoto
vs
Kovaci

182 cm
25
180
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
168
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jin Inhanamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ylli Kovaci!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Dirk Anderson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kovaci drops his hands momentarily and Inhanamoto takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Kovaci is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kovaci misses with a body shot.
Kovaci fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Inhanamoto checks a leg kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Kovaci!
Inhanamoto misses the shot to the body.
Inhanamoto getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Kovaci misses with a hook to the body
and Inhanamoto counters with a straight right hand.
Kovaci with the inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kovaci tries to close the distance and clinch up but Inhanamoto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kovaci is looking to clinch.
Inhanamoto connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Kovaci momentarily.
Kovaci throws a lazy head kick
and Inhanamoto counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovaci throws a hook but Inhanamoto blocks it.
Inhanamoto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kovaci.
Jin Inhanamoto is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Inhanamoto keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Inhanamoto is looking to counter punch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kovaci looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kovaci looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Kovaci lands with a nice body punch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Inhanamoto. Kovaci does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kovaci connects with an inside leg kick.
Kovaci looks to land a combination but Inhanamoto avoids it well.
Kovaci plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Kovaci avoids the body shot from Inhanamoto.
Kovaci appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Inhanamoto throws a big shot that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovaci misses with a wild combination.
Inhanamoto appears to be looking for a big counter.
Kovaci looks to land a combination but Inhanamoto avoids it well.
Inhanamoto feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Kovacis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kovaci finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Inhanamoto stalks Kovaci and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Kovaci's face. Kovaci staggers backwards, shaken.
Inhanamoto throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Kovaci on the side of the head.
The crowd cheers as Inhanamoto lands an impressive looking overhand right. Kovaci doesn't seem phased though.
Inhanamoto misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kovaci.
Kovaci looks to land a combination but Inhanamoto avoids it well.
Inhanamoto dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Inhanamoto is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Kovaci fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Inhanamoto feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Kovacis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Kovaci misses the jab.
As Kovaci looks to move away, Inhanamoto throws a big counter combo but Kovaci just gets out of the way.
Inhanamoto is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Kovaci lands with a kick to the temple. Inhanamoto shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Inhanamoto connects with a right hand. Kovaci shakes it off.
Kovaci swings for the body but Inhanamoto moves out of range.
Inhanamoto swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Inhanamoto misses with the combination.
Inhanamoto connects with a body shot.
Kovaci with a nice cross.
Inhanamoto is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Inhanamoto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kovaci manages to avoid it.
Kovaci lands a nice looking body kick.
Kovaci misses with a wild body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kovaci throws a sloppy head kick
and Inhanamoto counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Inhanamoto scores with a jab to the body.
Kovaci connects with a right hand. Inhanamoto shakes it off.
Kovaci keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Inhanamoto.
Kovaci ducks under a wild hook from Inhanamoto.
Inhanamoto blocks a head kick by Kovaci.
A jab lands there for Kovaci.
Kovaci avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kovaci appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Kovaci swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jin Inhanamoto will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kovaci swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Inhanamoto counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kovaci uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Inhanamoto.
Kovaci avoids the body shot from Inhanamoto.
Inhanamoto slips a jab and a cross from Kovaci.
Inhanamoto lands with a shot to the body.
Kovaci misses with a body kick.
A little feinted left hand from Inhanamoto on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Inhanamoto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kovaci moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ylli Kovaci is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kovaci or perhaps it was just good defense by Inhanamoto, which made it look bad.
Jin Inhanamoto is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kovaci takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Kovaci misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Inhanamoto waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kovaci.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Inhanamoto finds it's way through Kovaci's defenses.
Inhanamoto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Inhanamoto defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kovaci.
Inhanamoto bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Inhanamoto swings for the body but Kovaci moves out of range.
Kovaci misses with a head kick.
It looked like Inhanamoto wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Kovaci throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Inhanamoto lands a nice shot that snaps Kovaci's head back.
Inhanamoto throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Inhanamoto fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Kovaci on the side of the head.
Inhanamoto throws a looping overhand right but Kovaci ducks down to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Inhanamoto misses the shot to the body.
A big right from Inhanamoto misses.
Kovaci tries a head kick but it misses.
Inhanamoto showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kovaci.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kovaci throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Inhanamoto comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Inhanamoto. Kovaci does a little dance to reset his feet.
Inhanamoto blocks the body kick.
Inhanamoto scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kovaci doesn't seem bothered though.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Kovaci might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Inhanamoto has got the better of the exchanges.
Inhanamoto fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Inhanamoto lands with a nice body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovaci is looking to clinch.
Kovaci pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Inhanamoto looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Inhanamoto throws a body shot but no joy.
Crunch! Kovaci slams his shin into Inhanamoto's torso.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kovaci misses with the combination.
Kovaci swinging wildly here.
Inhanamoto avoids the head kick by Kovaci.
Kovaci tries to clinch there but Inhanamoto circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Inhanamoto gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Kovaci.
Kovaci lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Inhanamoto avoids the head kick by Kovaci.
Kovaci misses with a head kick.
Inhanamoto lands with a nice body punch.
Kovaci gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kovaci takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Jin Inhanamoto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ylli Kovaci.
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!
Inhanamoto scores with the left hand. Kovaci knows he should have avoided that one.
Inhanamoto lands a head shot.
Inhanamoto misses the shot to the body.
Kovaci misses with an attempted mid kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jin Inhanamoto dominated that second round.
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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Inhanamoto stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Inhanamoto scores with the left hand. Kovaci knows he should have avoided that one.
Inhanamoto connects with a single shot there.
Kovaci ducks under a wild hook from Inhanamoto.
Kovaci lands a lovely overhand right.
Kovaci shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Inhanamoto swings for the body but Kovaci moves out of range.
Kovaci throws a lazy body kick
and Inhanamoto connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kovaci keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice body kick there by Kovaci.
Inhanamoto misses with an uppercut. Kovaci saw that one coming.
Inhanamoto's jab looks to have found its range, popping Kovaci under the eye.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovaci keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Inhanamoto.
Kovaci misses with a double jab
and Inhanamoto counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kovaci moves away from the strike by Inhanamoto.
A left and a right from Kovaci both land. Nice combination.
Kovaci throws a left and a right that both miss
and Inhanamoto connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Inhanamoto wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Inhanamoto throws a hook but Kovaci blocks it.
Inhanamoto jabs at Kovaci's body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kovaci throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Inhanamoto gets tackled into the cage by Kovaci. Kovaci maintains the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Inhanamoto swings wildly with an uppercut but Kovaci uses good head movement to avoid it.
Inhanamoto fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kovaci blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A nice left hand lands by Inhanamoto.
Inhanamoto content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Inhanamoto digs a right hand underneath Kovaci's ribcage. Kovaci let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Inhanamoto lands a right hand.
Inhanamoto softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Inhanamoto.
A shot in the inside from Inhanamoto.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovaci is trying to break free.
Inhanamoto lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Inhanamoto lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Kovaci backwards.
Kovaci blocking some punches.

Kovaci manages to break the clinch.

Inhanamoto rushes Kovaci and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Kovaci escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Inhanamoto is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kovaci can do to turn this around?
A head kick misses from Kovaci.
Inhanamoto avoids the head kick by Kovaci.
Inhanamoto appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Inhanamoto misses with a straight left.
Inhanamoto looks to land a right hand but Kovaci moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Inhanamoto clinches with his opponent.
A frustrated look appears on Kovaci's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Inhanamoto pushes Kovaci back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Jin Inhanamoto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Inhanamoto scores with a shot to the side of Kovaci's head.
Inhanamoto throws a punch but it's blocked by Kovaci.
Inhanamoto has Kovaci pushed against the cage.
Jin Inhanamoto has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Kovaci looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Inhanamoto.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kovaci tries to circle away but Inhanamoto has him pinned against the cage.
Ylli Kovaci has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kovaci blocks a punch to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jin Inhanamoto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Inhanamoto has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:28
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jin Inhanamoto!