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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Akaro Horiguchi (ranked 95 p4p, 145 weight class) and Zaid Al Balushi (ranked 19 p4p, 28 weight class). Horiguchi comes to the cage accompanied by Japanese Imperial Army Death March. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.
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| 176 cm
35
159
24 - 10 - 1 |
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180 cm
34
155
22 - 8 - 1 |
Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine |
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Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Akaro Horiguchi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zaid Al Balushi!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Yuuki Gou.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horiguchi throws a hook but Al Balushi avoids it easily.
Horiguchi cracks Al Balushi with a right hand to the side of the head.
A solid body kick from Horiguchi.
Horiguchi defending well as Al Balushi loads up on a big left hand.
Al Balushi misses with an attempted mid kick.
Horiguchi throws a head kick that Al Balushi semi-blocks.
Al Balushi misses with a wild combination.
Horiguchi slips a jab and a cross from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Al Balushi connects with the punch.
Horiguchi doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Al Balushi throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Horiguchi counters with a straight right hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Al Balushi connects with a nice looking jab.
Horiguchi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Balushi fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Horiguchi looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Horiguchi looks to land a right hand but Al Balushi moved out of range.
Al Balushi is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Al Balushi ducks under a wild hook from Horiguchi.
Al Balushi jabs Horiguchi right on the nose. Horiguchi blinks but takes it well.
Al Balushi throws a lazy body kick
enabling Horiguchi to counter with a crisp jab.
Al Balushi misses with a looping left.
Al Balushi throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Horiguchi counters with a stiff right hand.
Horiguchi throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Al Balushi counters with a nice low kick that buckles Horiguchi's knee momentarily.
Al Balushi ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Al Balushi takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Horiguchi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Al Balushi closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Al Balushi is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Al Balushi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Al Balushi is still on wobbly legs! Can Horiguchi finish him?
Al Balushi loads up on a big right hand but Horiguchi slips the punch.
Al Balushi seems to have recovered his senses.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Horiguchi throws a half hearted mid kick.
Horiguchi has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Far-Q Fight Club in the buildup to the fight.
Al Balushi throws a body punch but Horiguchi moves out of range.
Al Balushi 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.
Al Balushi throws a body kick that misses.
A nice inside leg kick there by Horiguchi. That's going to slow Al Balushi down.
Al Balushi goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Al Balushi throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Horiguchi takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Horiguchi bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Al Balushi's head backwards.
It looks like Zaid Al Balushi has been cut.
A head kick misses from Horiguchi.
Horiguchi finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Al Balushi throws a head kick but Horiguchi moves out of range.
And Horiguchi counters with a quick kick to the body but Al Balushi blocks it.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Horiguchi thows a leg kick but Al Balushi checks it
and Al Balushi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Horiguchi cracks Al Balushi with a right hand to the side of the head.
Al Balushi thows a left - swing and a miss!
Al Balushi lands with a hook. Horiguchi tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Horiguchi throws a jab when Al Balushi was well out of range.
Al Balushi moves out of range of the body kick.
Horiguchi with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Al Balushi to score with a decent uppercut.
Horiguchi 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.
Al Balushi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Horiguchi missing with a left hand there. Al Balushi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Horiguchi lands with a shot to the body.
Horiguchi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Al Balushi lands a lovely overhand right.
Horiguchi is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi swings widly with a right hand
and Horiguchi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Horiguchi misses with a low kick.
Horiguchi misses with a hook.
Horiguchi swings away with a body shot that misses
and Al Balushi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Horiguchi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Al Balushi counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Al Balushi finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Horiguchi misses with a low kick.
Horiguchi is looking to land body kicks.
Horiguchi wants to slow Al Balushi down by chopping away at his legs.
Al Balushi ducks under a wild hook from Horiguchi.
Al Balushi lands a nice looking body kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Zaid Al Balushi will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Zaid Al Balushi's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.
Horiguchi tries to clinch there but Al Balushi circles away.
A jab lands there for Horiguchi.
Al Balushi misses with a leg kick
and Horiguchi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Akaro Horiguchi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A left lands for Horiguchi.
Al Balushi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Horiguchi.
Al Balushi takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Horiguchi throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Horiguchi thows a body kick. Al Balushi tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Al Balushi scoring well with a low kick there.
Al Balushi lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Al Balushi throws a nice outside leg kick.
Al Balushi keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Al Balushi swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Horiguchi avoids the head kick by Al Balushi.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Horiguchi looks to land a body kick but Al Balushi moved away.
Horiguchi throws a low kick but it's checked well by Al Balushi.
Al Balushi tests Horiguchi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Al Balushi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
It looked like Horiguchi was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi misses with a straight right.
Horiguchi with the inside leg kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Horiguchi if he has to take too many more of those.
Horiguchi checks the leg kick.
Al Balushi throws a leg kick
and Horiguchi counters with a stiff right hand.
Al Balushi walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Horiguchi checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Al Balushi throws a half hearted mid kick.
A big right from Horiguchi misses.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi checks a leg kick.
Al Balushi scores with a nice head shot.
Horiguchi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Horiguchi misses with a series of wild punches.
Al Balushi keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Al Balushi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Akaro Horiguchi is winning the standup battle so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Al Balushi checks the leg kick.
Al Balushi lands with a good body shot.
Horiguchi throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Al Balushi avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Horiguchi. Al Balushi shrugs it off though.
A left lands for Horiguchi.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Horiguchi manages to avoid it.
A swing and a miss from Horiguchi.
Horiguchi blocks a jab.
Horiguchi appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Al Balushi.
Horiguchi is looking to counter punch.
Al Balushi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Horiguchi was well out of range. Poor timing from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi throws a push kick but Horiguchi slaps the foot to one side.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Horiguchi checks a leg kick.
Al Balushi lands a leg kick that knocks Horiguchi off balance momentarily.
Horiguchi slips under a jab from Al Balushi.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Horiguchi.
Horiguchi misses the shot to the body.
Horiguchi throws a low kick but it's checked well by Al Balushi.
A little jabbing left from Al Balushi on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Horiguchi misses with a kick to the body
and Al Balushi counters with a nice body shot.
Al Balushi throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Al Balushi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi throws the left hand but Al Balushi avoids the punch easily.
Horiguchi moves out of range of the leg kick from Al Balushi.
Horiguchi on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Al Balushi throws a leg kick that misses.
Horiguchi fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Al Balushi checks it well.
Horiguchi tried to score with a low kick but Al Balushi checks it.
Horiguchi slips under a jab.
Horiguchi connects with a leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Al Balushi tries a head kick but it misses.
Al Balushi staying out of range there.
Al Balushi tries a quick counter leg kick but Horiguchi is wise to it.
Horiguchi misses the shot to the body.
Horiguchi misses with a leg kick.
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 Akaro Horiguchi will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Zaid Al Balushi's cut.
That's time! Horiguchi's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!
Horiguchi tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Horiguchi swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Good leg kick by Al Balushi.
Horiguchi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Al Balushi scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Horiguchi swings for the body but Al Balushi moves out of range.
Horiguchi takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Horiguchi throws a leg kick but Al Balushi sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Al Balushi appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Horiguchi misses with a low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circling - Al Balushi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Horiguchi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Horiguchi loads up on a big right hand but Al Balushi slips the punch.
Al Balushi replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Horiguchi blocks it well.
Nice defenses there by Al Balushi.
Al Balushi scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Horiguchi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Horiguchi throws a looping overhand right but Al Balushi ducks down to avoid it.
Al Balushi throws a looping overhand right but Horiguchi ducks down to avoid it.
Horiguchi throws a right hand that misses
and Al Balushi counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Al Balushi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Horiguchi.
Al Balushi tries a quick counter leg kick but Horiguchi is wise to it.
Al Balushi takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Al Balushi throws a leg kick that is checked
letting Horiguchi counter with a right hand.
Al Balushi looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Horiguchi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Al Balushi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Al Balushi misses with a low kick.
Al Balushi feints and then cracks Horiguchi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Horiguchi down.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Al Balushi. That's going to slow Horiguchi down.
Al Balushi takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Al Balushi tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Horiguchi is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Horiguchi misses with a shot to the body
and Al Balushi counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Horiguchi takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Al Balushi chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Horiguchi can pounce on him.
Horiguchi misses with a combination
and Horiguchi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Horiguchi misses with a looping right.
Al Balushi circles away from the clinch attempt.
Horiguchi throws a shot from downtown. Al Balushi moves away and avoids it.
Horiguchi throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Al Balushi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi blocks a jab.
Horiguchi misses with a hook
and Al Balushi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Horiguchi takes one to the side of the head.
Al Balushi connects with a looping right hand.
Horiguchi throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A lazy body kick from Al Balushi
and Horiguchi counters with a straight right hand.
Al Balushi tests Horiguchi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Al Balushi with a jab.
Horiguchi misses with a body shot.
A decent looking cross lands there for Al Balushi.
That kick from Al Balushi tenderised Horiguchi's leg. Horiguchi is trying to keep his angry face on.
Horiguchi throws a leg kick
and Al Balushi counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Al Balushi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Horiguchi connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Horiguchi shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Horiguchi avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Al Balushi connects with an inside leg kick.
Horiguchi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Al Balushi connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Horiguchi momentarily.
Horiguchi looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
A low kick from Al Balushi misses
enabling Horiguchi to counter with a crisp jab.
Horiguchi throws a low kick but Al Balushi moves out of range easily.
A good leg kick by Al Balushi.
Al Balushi feints and then cracks Horiguchi's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Horiguchi down.
Horiguchi will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
And that's the end of the fight!
Zaid Al Balushi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Al Balushi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:30
In favor of your winner, by split decision... Zaid Al Balushi!
A victorious Zaid Al Balushi thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
62% |
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