PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Righteous Crusader (ranked 23725 p4p, 23962 weight class) and William Tate (ranked 647 p4p, 631 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Crusader
vs
Tate

182 cm
30
200
8 - 18 - 1

180 cm
23
210
7 - 22 - 0

Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good low kicks
Good gas tank

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 8 - 18 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Righteous Crusader !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, William Tate!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tate swats away the attempt to clinch by Crusader .
Crusader definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Crusader is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Tate.
Crusader will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Tate! But no joy.
Crusader works over Tate's head and body with a nice combination.
Crusader is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Some wild striking there from Crusader .

Tate has closed the distance and engaged Crusader in a clinch.
Tate is trying to maintain a safe position but Crusader gets an underhook and turns Tate into the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Crusader .
Tate looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Crusader missing with knees to the body.
Tate misses with the head strike.
Crusader dodges an elbow strike from Tate.
Tate prevents Crusader from breaking the clinch.
Tate tries to circle away but Crusader has him pinned against the ropes.
Tate blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Crusader using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tate has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Crusader is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Tate wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Crusader has him pressed against the ropes.
Crusader is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Tate is looking to control Crusader 's arms but Crusader gets an underhook and turns him. Now Tate has his back to the ropes.

Tate breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tate takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Crusader gets a clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Crusader stalling.
Tate is looking to break free of the clinch but Crusader has double underhooks.
Crusader can't find room to land a body shot as Tate controls the action.
Tate blocks an uppercut.
Tate working aggressively here.
Crusader keeps control of Tate as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Crusader wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Crusader wants to stall.
Crusader is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Crusader seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Tate is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Crusader is looking to control Tate's arms but Tate gets an underhook and turns him. Now Crusader has his back to the ropes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tate is trying to break free.
Crusader stalling in the clinch but Tate improves position.
Tate struggles to land a body shot inside as Crusader controls his hands.
Tate is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Crusader is keeping busy.
Crusader lands with a light punch inside.

It looks like William Tate has been cut.

Tate breaks the clinch.

Tate rushes Crusader and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Tate tries to work over Crusader 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Crusader doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tate tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Crusader 's elbow.
Crusader tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Tate as Crusader tries to tie him up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tate doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A shot in the inside from Crusader .
Crusader gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A frustrated look appears on Tate's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Crusader wants to stall.
Crusader is trying to push Tate away but Tate has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Tate looking to slow down the pace here.
Tate has Crusader pressed against the ropes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Crusader is trying to break the clinch but Tate is controlling him.
Crusader lands a nice knee to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Righteous Crusader dominated that round.
The cut man is working on William Tate's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Crusader tries to clinch there but Tate circles away.
Crusader tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tate was well out of range. Poor timing from Crusader .
Tate lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Tate.
Tate bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Crusader 's head backwards.
Tate wants to clinch up but Crusader keeps it at a distance.
A counter left hand to the body from Crusader misses its target.
Crusader tries to clinch there but Tate circles away.
Crusader wants to clinch up but Tate keeps it at a distance.
A punch combination from Crusader misses.
Crusader darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The crowd cheers as Tate lands an impressive looking overhand right. Crusader doesn't seem phased though.
Crusader tries to clinch there but Tate circles away.
Crusader tries to close the distance and clinch but Tate swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Despite the aggression on Tate's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Crusader is trying to push Tate away but Tate has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tate avoiding damage as Crusader throws knees to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Crusader .
Crusader wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Crusader tries a knee to the head but Tate blocks it.
Tate looking to slow down the pace here.
Crusader has Tate pressed against the ropes, preventing Tate from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Tate pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Crusader is trying to push Tate away but Tate has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Crusader tries a body shot but Tate blocks it.
Crusader tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tate avoids it.
Tate misses with the head strike.
Crusader doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crusader is trying to push Tate away but Tate has him pressed against the ropes, so he's going nowhere.
Tate looking to stall.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Crusader is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Crusader wants to break free but Tate has control.
Crusader tries to break the clinch but Tate is controlling the position.
Crusader is looking to break free of the clinch but Tate has double underhooks.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Crusader tries to circle away but Tate has him pinned against the ropes.
Crusader wants to stall.
Crusader tries to break free but Tate pushes him back against the ropes.
Tate wants to break free but Crusader has control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tate wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Tate tries to break free but Crusader pushes him back against the ropes.
Righteous Crusader has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Tate manages to break the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Crusader .
Tate throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Crusader fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tate changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Tate works Crusader 's body with a nice hook.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Tate!
Crusader tries to clinch there but Tate circles away.
Crusader tries to clinch up
and Tate counters with a two punch combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tate closes the distance but Crusader moves to the side
and Crusader counters with a two punch combo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Crusader wants to clinch up but Tate keeps it at a distance.
Crusader circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tate connects with a body shot that sends Crusader 's belly button to the back.

Tate gets a clinch.
Tate keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Crusader 's efforts to push away.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Crusader tries to throw a body punch but Tate avoids it by throwing Crusader back against the ropes.
Crusader tries to break free but Tate pushes him back against the ropes.
Crusader is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Tate is keeping busy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

William Tate showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on William Tate's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Tate scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Crusader lands with an overhand left.
Tate scores with a jab. Crusader acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Tate slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Tate stuns Crusader with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

Tate lands with a right, followed by a left to the temple and Crusader goes down! The ref sends Tate to a neutral corner so he can begin the count. 3,4,5,6 and Crusader is back to his feet. He seems a little groggy but the referee thinks he's OK to continue, so we're back to the action!

Crusader is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tate misses with a series of wild punches.
Oh Crusader is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A looping hook to the body misses from Crusader . Tate does a little dance to reset his feet.
Crusader seems to have got his legs back now.
Crusader wants to clinch but Tate slips to the side
and Tate counters with a nice body shot.
Tate moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Crusader throws a left and a right that both miss
and Tate cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Crusader catches Tate with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crusader connects with a crisp jab.
Crusader moves to clinch but Tate breaks away
and Tate counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Crusader tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Tate manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Tate lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Crusader circles away quickly and effectively.
Tate tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Crusader counters with a straight right hand.

Tate gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Crusader 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Tate gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Tate is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Tate is looking to break free of the clinch but Crusader has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tate blocks a body shot from Crusader .
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Crusader looking to slow down the pace here.

Tate's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Crusader keeps the fight on the outside.
Crusader avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Crusader lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Tate scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Crusader doesn't seem bothered though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Crusader swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Tate counter with a right hand.
Crusader wants to clinch but Tate slips to the side
and Tate counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Crusader closes the distance looking to clinch
and Tate counters with a three punch combo that has Crusader backing up. Crusader nods at Tate to acknowledge the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crusader moves in looking to clinch but Tate pushes him off.
Crusader swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Crusader takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tate uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Crusader .
Tate is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Crusader tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tate now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Tate circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tate misses with a jab, cross combination.
Crusader wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Crusader tries to clinch up
and Tate connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Tate has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Crusader is looking to clinch but Tate is avoiding it.
Tate misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crusader lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Crusader punishes Tate's body with a nice straight punch.
Tate tries to clinch but Crusader moves out of range.
Tate connects with a body shot that sends Crusader 's belly button to the back.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A jab from Crusader finds it's way through Tate's defenses.
Righteous Crusader is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tate lands a head shot.
William Tate seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Crusader misses with a jab, cross combination.
Crusader takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Tate tries to clinch but Crusader is having none of it.
Tate sizes up Crusader with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tate lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

And that's the end of the fight!
William Tate comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tate has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... William Tate!