PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Patrick Van Kerckhoven (ranked 1434 p4p, 100 weight class) and Temujin Namkhai (ranked 176 p4p, 9 weight class). Van Kerckhoven comes to the cage accompanied by Neo Cortex - Elements (Daniel Cain Remix). Namkhai comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Batzorig Vaanchig - Mongolian Throat Singing kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Van Kerckhoven
vs
Namkhai

197 cm
24
256
2 - 1 - 0

196 cm
24
273
13 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)

Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)
NARCOS

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Patrick Van Kerckhoven!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Temujin Namkhai!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Illya Tyunina and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Kerckhoven throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Namkhai looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Namkhai uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Van Kerckhoven.
Van Kerckhoven throws a push kick but Namkhai slaps the foot to one side.
Namkhai flicks out a counter leg kick but Van Kerckhoven steps away.
Van Kerckhoven thows a leg kick but Namkhai checks it
and Namkhai counters with a stiff right hand.
Nice defenses there by Van Kerckhoven.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Kerckhoven connects with a good right hand that stumbles Namkhai. Namkhai circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Van Kerckhoven looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Namkhai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Kerckhoven throws a leg kick which misses Namkhai's front leg but catches the back leg as Namkhai tries to avoid it.
Namkhai throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Nice defenses there by Namkhai.
Namkhai misses with a wild body shot.
Van Kerckhoven pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Van Kerckhoven slips under a jab.
Van Kerckhoven appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Van Kerckhoven needs to keep his hands up - Namkhai had a free shot at his head there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Namkhai lands a lovely overhand right.
Van Kerckhoven staying out of range there.
Van Kerckhoven with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Van Kerckhoven drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Van Kerckhoven lands a body shot.
Nice shot by Van Kerckhoven.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Kerckhoven shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lazy body kick from Van Kerckhoven
and Namkhai counters with a nice uppercut.
Namkhai looks to throw the jab but Van Kerckhoven is out of range.
Van Kerckhoven appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Namkhai tries to clinch up but Van Kerckhoven circles away and keeps his distance.
Namkhai throws a lazy uppercut
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a nice body kick.
Van Kerckhoven throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Namkhai misses with a hook to the body
and Van Kerckhoven cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Namkhai lands with a straight right. Van Kerckhoven didn't see that one coming.
Namkhai misses with a right hand
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a nice uppercut.
Van Kerckhoven circles away from the clinch attempt
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a straight right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Namkhai swings and misses with a hook to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Patrick Van Kerckhoven dominated that round.
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.

A low kick from Van Kerckhoven misses
and Namkhai counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Van Kerckhoven lands an overhand right.
Van Kerckhoven misses with a kick to the body
and Namkhai counters with a straight right hand.
Namkhai misses the jab.
Namkhai misses with a hook.
Van Kerckhoven is looking to counter with a body kick.
Patrick Van Kerckhoven is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Namkhai has taken the fight to the clinch.
Van Kerckhoven wants to stall.
Namkhai tries a body shot but Van Kerckhoven blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Namkhai fails to land.
Namkhai goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A short left from Namkhai.

Namkhai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Van Kerckhoven throws a lazy uppercut
and Namkhai counters with a straight right hand.
Namkhai misses with a left hand
and Van Kerckhoven connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Van Kerckhoven misses with the body kick
and Namkhai counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Namkhai misses with a left hand
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Namkhai throws a good cross that connects.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Kerckhoven looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Namkhai with a hook.
Van Kerckhoven slips under a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Van Kerckhoven lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Namkhai throws out a loose jab but Van Kerckhoven uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Kerckhoven appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Namkhai works the jab nicely.
Namkhai might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Kerckhoven throws a body kick that misses
and Namkhai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Van Kerckhoven lands a jab to the head.
Van Kerckhoven scores with the left hand. Namkhai knows he should have avoided that one.
Namkhai closes the distance looking to clinch
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Kerckhoven works the jab nicely.
Namkhai misses with a right hand
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a nice uppercut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Namkhai. Van Kerckhoven does a little dance to reset his feet.
A cross from Namkhai lands.
Van Kerckhoven throws a good cross that connects.
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!
Van Kerckhoven takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Van Kerckhoven lands a nice shot that snaps Namkhai's head back.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Temujin Namkhai will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Namkhai throws a lazy right hand but Van Kerckhoven sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Namkhai thows a leg kick but Van Kerckhoven checks it
and Van Kerckhoven counters with an outside leg kick.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Van Kerckhoven takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Namkhai checks a leg kick nicely.
Van Kerckhoven looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Namkhai misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Van Kerckhoven makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Nice defenses there by Namkhai.
Namkhai throws out a counter right but Van Kerckhoven avoids it with no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Namkhai blocks a low kick nicely.
Namkhai tries to land a body kick
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Namkhai throws a hook but Van Kerckhoven avoids it easily.
Van Kerckhoven tries to land a front kick but Namkhai steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Namkhai misses with a hook. Van Kerckhoven ducked under it nicely.
Van Kerckhoven throws a quick counter kick to the body but Namkhai avoids it.
Namkhai scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Namkhai misses with a wild body shot.
A quick step to the side and Van Kerckhoven tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van Kerckhoven ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Namkhai cracks Van Kerckhoven with a right hand to the side of the head.
Van Kerckhoven takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Namkhai misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Kerckhoven swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Namkhai counter with a right hand.
Van Kerckhoven looks to throw a body kick

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

Van Kerckhoven is rocked!
Van Kerckhoven swats away the attempt to clinch by Namkhai.
Namkhai slips a jab from Van Kerckhoven.
Namkhai just misses with a punch to the body.
A lazy body kick from Van Kerckhoven

and Namkhai counters with a nice right hand that sends Van Kerckhoven toppling to the canvas! Van Kerckhoven scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Namkhai finish him?!
Van Kerckhoven looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

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!
Van Kerckhoven connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Namkhai's hands.
Namkhai thumps Van Kerckhoven with a low kick.
Van Kerckhoven blocks a jab.
Namkhai takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Namkhai sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Sloppy strikes from Van Kerckhoven. Those never looked like landing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Temujin Namkhai really dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Namkhai crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Van Kerckhoven - the referee stops the clock and Namkhai gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Van Kerckhoven. Namkhai manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A shot to the liver by Namkhai. Beautiful body shot.
A low kick from Van Kerckhoven misses
and Namkhai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Van Kerckhoven lands a head kick. Namkhai smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Kerckhoven throws a body kick that misses.
Both fighters circling a little - Van Kerckhoven finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Namkhai lands a nice looking body shot.
Namkhai takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Namkhai gets a clinch.
Namkhai swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Namkhai lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Namkhai swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Namkhai misses with a hook from the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Namkhai.
Van Kerckhoven blocks a body shot from Namkhai.
Van Kerckhoven is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Namkhai is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
Van Kerckhoven lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch on the inside from Namkhai fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Van Kerckhoven.
Van Kerckhoven misses with the head strike.
Van Kerckhoven lands with a light punch inside.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van Kerckhoven blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Van Kerckhoven breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Namkhai moves away from the strike by Van Kerckhoven.
Namkhai fails in his attempt to clinch.
And Van Kerckhoven counters with a quick kick to the body but Namkhai blocks it.
Van Kerckhoven tries to land a front kick but Namkhai steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Van Kerckhoven misses with a kick to the body
and Namkhai counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Van Kerckhoven thinking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Van Kerckhoven misses
and Namkhai counters with a nice uppercut.
Van Kerckhoven lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Namkhai misses with a body punch
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a leg kick.
Van Kerckhoven pushes Namkhai away with a front kick.
Namkhai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Van Kerckhoven scores with a nice body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Namkhai connects with a crisp jab.
Namkhai looks to land a left hand but Van Kerckhoven moved out of range nicely.
Namkhai scores with a hook to the body. Van Kerckhoven takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Namkhai throws an overhand right that lands on Van Kerckhoven's shoulder, as Van Kerckhoven tries to avoid the shot.
Van Kerckhoven was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Van Kerckhoven takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Namkhai thows a leg kick but Van Kerckhoven checks it
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a good, hard body kick but Namkhai shrugs it off.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Patrick Van Kerckhoven will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Van Kerckhoven ducks under a wild hook from Namkhai.
Van Kerckhoven throws a solid leg kick but Namkhai takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Van Kerckhoven.
Van Kerckhoven moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromNamkhai.
Namkhai blocks a jab.
Namkhai just misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big right from Namkhai misses.
Van Kerckhoven swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Van Kerckhoven misses with a right hand
and Namkhai counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Kerckhoven misses with a wild body shot.
A little jabbing left from Namkhai on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Namkhai comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Van Kerckhoven misses with a kick to the body.
Van Kerckhoven misses with a straight right.
Namkhai has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Van Kerckhoven.
Van Kerckhoven uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Namkhai.
Van Kerckhoven appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Van Kerckhoven throws a right hand that misses
and Namkhai counters with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Namkhai ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Van Kerckhoven throws a leg kick
and Van Kerckhoven takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Namkhai closes the distance and clinches.

Van Kerckhoven breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice straight punches there by Namkhai. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Namkhai.
Van Kerckhoven throws a looping overhand right but Namkhai ducks down to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Kerckhoven misses with a shot to the body
and Namkhai counters with a straight right hand.
Van Kerckhoven throws a leg kick
and Namkhai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Oh Van Kerckhoven is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Namkhai throws a leg kick
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a good low kick that Namkhai was not able to check.
Van Kerckhoven seems to have got his legs back now.
Van Kerckhoven looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Namkhai! But no joy.
Namkhai swings away with a body shot that misses
and Van Kerckhoven counters with a nice uppercut.
Van Kerckhoven circles away from the clinch attempt.
Namkhai's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Namkhai avoids a punch combination nicely.
Namkhai misses with a looping left.
Namkhai takes a swing at Van Kerckhoven's ribcage but misses.
Van Kerckhoven throwing a counter right hand but Namkhai manages to avoid it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Namkhai misses the jab.
Van Kerckhoven throws a lazy uppercut
and Namkhai counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
Temujin Namkhai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Namkhai 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 47:48
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 46:49
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Temujin Namkhai! Temujin Namkhai retains his heavyweight title!
Our winner, Temujin Namkhai, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.