PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Roberto Congo (ranked 2944 p4p, 3479 weight class) and Israel Adesanya (ranked 333 p4p, 399 weight class). Adesanya is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Israel Adesanya Entrance Music. Israel Adesanya acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the ring.

Congo
vs
Adesanya

188 cm
35
197
35 - 10 - 1

193 cm
30
184
21 - 7 - 3

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent MT
Good gas tank

KOMBAT KLOTHING
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 10 - 1, fighting out of New York, Roberto Congo!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 7 - 3, fighting out of Helsinki, Israel Adesanya!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Ryoma Takatsuka and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Congo misses with a body shot.
Adesanya is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Congo lands with an uppercut that bounces Adesanya off the ropes and back into range.

It looks like Israel Adesanya has been cut.

Adesanya gets tackled into the ropes by Congo. Congo maintains the clinch.
Adesanya tries to break the clinch but Congo is controlling the position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Congo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Congo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Adesanya.

Adesanya escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Roberto Congo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Congo tries to clinch up but Adesanya circles away and keeps his distance.
Congo looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Adesanya misses with a looping right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloppy strikes from Adesanya. Those never looked like landing.
Adesanya throws an overhand right that lands on Congo's shoulder, as Congo tries to avoid the shot.
Congo catches Adesanya with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Adesanya moves out of range of the strikes.
Congo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adesanya moves out of range as Congo strikes.
Congo just misses with a punch to the body.
Congo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Adesanya sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Adesanya lands a jab.

It looks like Roberto Congo has been cut.
Congo swings for the body but Adesanya moves out of range.
Congo thuds his right hand into Adesanya's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Adesanya scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Congo doesn't seem bothered though.
A thudding body kick lands there by Adesanya!
Adesanya takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Congo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Adesanya swats him away and circles back towards the center.
No joy there for Adesanya, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Congo tries to clinch up.
Adesanya circles away from the clinch attempt.
A lazy left from Congo finds it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Adesanya drops his hands momentarily and Congo takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That has opened up Israel Adesanya's cut even more.
Congo wants to clinch.
Congo misses with a left hand
and Adesanya counters with a series of strikes. Congo will be more careful next time no doubt.
Adesanya throws a body kick that misses.
Congo swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Adesanya scores with a one two! Congo had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Adesanya slips under a jab.
Adesanya swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Adesanya lands with a cross.
Congo misses with a hook
and Adesanya counters with a thumping low kick.
Congo is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Congo misses with an uppercut
and Adesanya counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Adesanya swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Adesanya throws a body punch but Congo moves out of range.
Adesanya fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Congo looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Congo misses with an uppercut.
Congo misses with a looping left.
Adesanya shapes to counter with a head kick.
Congo moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Adesanya throws a shot from downtown. Congo moves away and avoids it.
Congo throws a nice outside leg kick.
Adesanya uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Congo.
Adesanya tries to move into range but Congo moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Adesanya catches Congo with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Congo avoids the body shot from Adesanya.
Congo misses with a lunging right hand
and Adesanya finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Adesanya keeps the fight on the outside.
It seemed like Adesanya was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Adesanya scores with a decent looking hook.
Adesanya throws a body shot but no joy.
A looping hook to the body misses from Adesanya. Congo does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Congo misses with a jab to the body
enabling Adesanya to counter with a crisp jab.
The fighters circling - Congo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Congo drives through and clinches with Adesanya against the ropes.
Congo misses with a body punch.
Congo throws a punch but it's blocked by Adesanya.
Adesanya wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Adesanya blocking some punches.
Congo prevents Adesanya from breaking the clinch.

Adesanya manages to break the clinch.
Congo misses with an uppercut. Adesanya saw that one coming.
Adesanya lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Nice straight punches there by Congo. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Congo.
Adesanya throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick misses from Adesanya.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Israel Adesanya will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Congo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Congo throws a hook to the side of Adesanya's head but Adesanya sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Congo misses with a looping right.
Adesanya changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Adesanya throws a leg kick that misses.

Congo rushes Adesanya and presses him up against the ropes.
Congo misses with the head strike.
Congo missing with knees to the body.
Adesanya wants to break free but Congo has control.
Congo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Adesanya's efforts to push away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right handed body shot lands from Congo.
Congo misses with a body punch.
Adesanya wants to break free but Congo has control.
Congo lands a good knee to the midsection. Adesanya won't want to take too many of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Congo scores a nice knee to the body.
Adesanya blocks an uppercut.
Congo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Adesanya blocks it with crossed arms.
Adesanya tries to break free but Congo pushes him back against the ropes.
Congo presses Adesanya against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Adesanya wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Congo has him pressed against the ropes.
A frustrated look appears on Adesanya's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A short right from Congo.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Adesanya as Congo tries to tie him up.

Adesanya breaks the clinch.
A left lands for Congo.
Congo throws a good cross that connects.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Adesanya takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Congo moves into range and clinches up with Adesanya.
Congo misses with a knee strike.
Congo keeps control of Adesanya as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Adesanya stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Congo leaning against his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Adesanya looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Congo swings wildly with an uppercut but Adesanya uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch on the inside from Congo fails to land.
A frustrated look appears on Adesanya's face as he tries to break the clinch.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Congo tries to land knees in the clinch but Adesanya avoids the damage to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Congo misses with a hook from the clinch.
Adesanya scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Adesanya has had enough of the clinch but Congo keeps him there for the moment.
Congo trying to stall but Adesanya improves his position.
Congo misses with a punch on the inside.

Adesanya's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Adesanya misses with a looping left.
Congo with a hook.

The cut above Israel Adesanya's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Congo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Israel Adesanya seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Adesanya throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Congo throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Adesanya counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Congo avoids the body shot from Adesanya.
Adesanya steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Congo.
Adesanya looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Congo rushes Adesanya and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Adesanya wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Congo has him pressed against the ropes.

Adesanya breaks the clinch.
Israel Adesanya is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick misses from Adesanya.
Congo dips to his left and cracks Adesanya with an uppercut!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Congo lands a jab to the head.

Israel Adesanya's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Adesanya uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Congo.
Congo swings widly with a right hand
and Adesanya counters with a nice uppercut.
Congo tries to clinch up.
Congo tries to clinch up.
Adesanya now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Congo with a hook.
Adesanya ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Adesanya now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Congo throws a poor cross that misses
and Adesanya counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Congo dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Congo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Adesanya sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Adesanya tries to land a leg kick but Congo saw it coming and moves away.
Congo is looking to counter punch.
Adesanya walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Congo moves into range and connects with a jab.

Adesanya is rocked!

Congo darts in and clinches Adesanya up against the ropes.
Adesanya is still on wobbly legs! Can Congo finish him?
Congo taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Adesanya seems to have recovered his senses.
Adesanya wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Congo lands a hook to the side of the head.
Congo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Congo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Congo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Adesanya.
A head punch on the inside from Congo fails to land.
Congo presses Adesanya against the ropes and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adesanya throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Congo blocks it with crossed arms.

Adesanya breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Adesanya lands with a shot to the body.
Congo with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Adesanya to score with a decent uppercut.
Adesanya defending well as Congo loads up on a big left hand.
Congo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Adesanya misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Adesanya takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Congo throws a poor cross that misses
and Adesanya counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Congo scores with a hook.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Israel Adesanya's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Roberto Congo!
Roberto Congo retains his middleweight title!
Roberto Congo spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.
Israel Adesanya was interviewed post fight and said 'Ya me conoces mantengo la misma energía. Estoy agradecido y orgulloso, pero sabes que la mierda pasa. Es una gran historia para él, pero no ha terminado, esto sigue siendo una guerra. Felicidades a él y a su equipo. Gracias a todos por venir, nos vemos la próxima vez, adiós.'.