PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Israel Adesanya (ranked 696 p4p, 2466 weight class) and Raymond King (ranked 86 p4p, 350 weight class). Adesanya kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Israel Adesanya Entrance Music. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Adesanya
vs
King

193 cm
24
184
12 - 3 - 1

187 cm
23
207
6 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

IC&E Nutrition (& 10% Laundry)

Silverguard Outfitters
Furnace Performance Products

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 12 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Israel Adesanya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Raymond King!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Jorge Garcia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
King just misses with a punch to the body.
King shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Adesanya sprawls well. Adesanya wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. King gets slowly back to his feet.
It looked like Adesanya was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
King shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Adesanya pinned against the cage. Adesanya gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Adesanya seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Adesanya avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
King looks for a takedown but Adesanya sprawls well.
Israel Adesanya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raymond King.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King scores with a head kick. Adesanya tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

It looks like Israel Adesanya has been cut.
Adesanya lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but King circles away quickly and effectively.
King shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Adesanya as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adesanya motions for King to come forward. Adesanya throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
King throws a series of punches but Adesanya avoids them all with ease.
King tries to clinch up but Adesanya circles away and keeps his distance.
Adesanya looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
King throws a counter combo.

King closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Adesanya pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A nice leg kick lands there from Adesanya.
Adesanya scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
King misses with a two punch combination.
King shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Adesanya pinned against the cage. Adesanya gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Adesanya tried to counter with a leg kick but King avoided it.
No joy there for Adesanya, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Adesanya misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Adesanya fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt King.
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!
King shoots in but no luck this time.
King misses with a kick to the body
and Adesanya counters with a one-two to the body.
King jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Adesanya misses with a hook.
King throws a counter combo.

King moves into the clinch.

Adesanya's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by King.
King takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A looping hook to the body misses from King. Adesanya does a little dance to reset his feet.
King lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
King misses with a takedown
and Adesanya counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A good leg kick by Adesanya.
We've been told by Adesanya's head coaches at Cannabis Fight Club that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Adesanya throws a series of strikes that have King backpedaling.
King tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Adesanya paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Adesanya is looking to counter punch.
King dodges the punch combination from Adesanya.
Adesanya lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
King shoots in and drives through. Adesanya sprawls well.
King throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
King lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
King moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
King falls off balance throwing a combination
and Adesanya makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
King fails with the takedown
and Adesanya counters with a good low kick that King was not able to check.
King looks winded!
King falls off balance throwing a combination
and Adesanya counters with a stiff right hand.
King misses with a combination
and Adesanya counters with a nice uppercut.
Adesanya lands a really nice looking cross but King seems unphased.
Adesanya lands with a right hand.
Adesanya lands a nice looking body kick.
A left and a right from King both land. Nice combination.
Adesanya with a hook.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Israel Adesanya dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Israel Adesanya's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

King throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Adesanya half committed to a counter leg kick.
Adesanya misses with an attempted mid kick.
Adesanya looks to land a left hand but King moved out of range nicely.
Raymond King seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
King changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Adesanya tries to avoid it but King manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Adesanya to the ground. Adesanya escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Israel Adesanya is winning the standup battle so far.
Adesanya avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
King lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
King shoots in for a takedown but Adesanya shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A slapping leg kick lands for Adesanya.
A jab from Adesanya finds it's way through King's defenses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King moves out of range as Adesanya strikes.
Israel Adesanya is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Adesanya takes a swing at King's ribcage but misses.
King unleashes a big counter combination but Adesanya bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Adesanya throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and King counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Adesanya here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
King throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by King.

King gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Adesanya manages to break the clinch.
Adesanya lands with a thumping leg kick.
Adesanya with a nice calf kick.
Adesanya misses with a wild combination.
King misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Adesanya swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Adesanya throws a combination that misses
and King counters with a left and a right that stings Adesanya.

Israel Adesanya's cut is getting worse.
Adesanya connects with the punch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Adesanya lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
A punch combination from King misses.
King closes the distance but Adesanya moves to the side
and Adesanya connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King throws a sloppy head kick and Adesanya moves out of range easily.
King avoids the head kick by Adesanya.
Adesanya misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Adesanya connects with a leg kick.
King takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Adesanya throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Adesanya connects with a solid leg kick.
Adesanya pushes King away with a front kick.
Adesanya is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that King can do to turn this around?
King misses with the combination.
King tries to close the distance and clinch but Adesanya swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Adesanya.
King lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Adesanya backs up against the cage.
King throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Adesanya.
A head kick misses from King.
King is breathing heavily.
King takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Raymond King has been cut.
Adesanya throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Adesanya misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
King raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
King tries to close the distance and clinch but Adesanya swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
King misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Adesanya to counter with a crisp jab.
King moves away from the strike by Adesanya.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
King misses with a double jab
and Adesanya counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Adesanya swings for the body but King moves out of range.
King misses with an uppercut
and Adesanya counters with a thumping low kick.
Adesanya stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Adesanya wants it to stay on the feet.
A little feinted left hand from Adesanya on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Israel Adesanya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Raymond King.
Adesanya chopping away at his opponent's legs.
King is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Adesanya swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Whack! Adesanya lands a heavy head kick that drops King. The ref tackles Adesanya to stop the fight - a great save by the referee because King was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Israel Adesanya!
A relieved looking Israel Adesanya thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.