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STRIKE! 24 PBP Commentary |
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ahai scores with a jab.
Ahai 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.
Ahai misses with a straight right.
A big right from Ahai misses.
Ali'i tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ahai manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A thudding body kick lands there by Ali'i!
The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ali'i breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ali'i slips under a jab from Ahai.
Ali'i looks to throw a body kick
and Ahai counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ali'i tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ahai connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ahai avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ali'i paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Ahai throws the left hand but Ali'i avoids the punch easily.
Ali'i quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Ali'i has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ahai trying to stall but Ali'i improves his position.
Ahai letting Ali'i take a breather here.
Ahai fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Ali'i blocks an uppercut.
Ahai blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ahai lands a shot to the body.
Ali'i can't find room to land a body shot as Ahai controls the action.
Ahai throws a punch but it's blocked by Ali'i.
Ali'i has a couple of punches blocked by Ahai.
Ahai lands a right hand that snaps the head of Ali'i backwards.
Ahai throws a head punch that misses.
Ali'i struggles to land a body shot inside as Ahai controls his hands.
Ali'i fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ahai as Ali'i tries to tie him up.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ali'i creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ahai misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ahai.
Ahai is leaning against Ali'i and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
I was talking to Ali'i's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Ali'i misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ahai lands on the inside with an uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ahai.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ali'i - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ali'i misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ali'i misses with a hook from the clinch.
A short right from Ahai on the inside.
Ali'i doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ahai lands a left hand.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ali'i.
Ahai stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ahai.
Ali'i tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Azor Ahai dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!
Ahai turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
A big right from Ahai misses.
Kekoa Ali'i seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ali'i fails to land with a series of punches.
Ahai blocks the body kick.
Ali'i swats away the attempt to clinch by Ahai.
Ahai scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Ali'i thuds his shin into the meat of Ahai's side.
Nice body punch from Ali'i.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ali'i drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Ali'i tries to clinch there but Ahai circles away.
Azor Ahai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ali'i scores with a nice body kick.
Ahai lands a glancing blow to the side of Ali'i's head.
Kekoa Ali'i has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali'i has Ahai up against the cage in a clinch.
A shot in the inside from Ahai.
Ali'i pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A shot to the liver by Ali'i. Beautiful body shot.
Ali'i doesn't manage to clinch there - Ahai circles away.
Ali'i throws a body kick that misses.
Ali'i takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Ali'i closes the distance and clinches.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ali'i creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ahai working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ali'i tries to throw a body punch but Ahai avoids it by throwing Ali'i back against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ahai creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ali'i taking a breather.
Ali'i misses with a punch on the inside.
Ahai has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Ali'i seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Ahai can turn it around.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ahai is trying to force a seperation but Ali'i has the dominant position.
Ahai manages to break the clinch.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali'i closes the distance looking to clinch
and Ahai counters with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ali'i wants to clinch.
Ahai smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Azor Ahai is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Ahai connects with a leg kick.
Ali'i thuds his right hand into Ahai's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Ahai takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Ali'i darts in trying to clinch
and Ahai counters with a straight right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Azor Ahai will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. This is the final round!
Ahai takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Ali'i misses with an attempted mid kick.
Ali'i throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Ahai walks forward, straight into a front kick from Ali'i.
Ahai throws a quick inside leg kick.
Ahai misses with a hook.
Ali'i tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ali'i connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Ahai closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ali'i tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch on the inside from Ali'i fails to land.
Ali'i throws a punch but it's blocked by Ahai.
Ahai lands a hook that snaps the head of Ali'i backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ahai.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Ali'i is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
A short right from Ali'i.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ali'i.
Ahai misses with a hook from the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ali'i.
Ali'i stalling against the cage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ali'i struggles to land a body shot inside as Ahai controls his hands.
Ahai blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ali'i working aggressively here.
Ali'i has a couple of punches blocked by Ahai.
Ahai blocks an uppercut.
Ali'i lands a hook that snaps the head of Ahai backwards.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ali'i throws a head punch that misses.
Ali'i displaying some good clinch control by pressing Ahai up against the cage.
Ali'i misses with the head strike.
Ali'i goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ahai misses with some punches.
Ali'i makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ahai misses with a punch on the inside.
Ali'i is looking to control Ahai's arms but Ahai gets an underhook and turns him. Now Ali'i has his back to the cage.
Ahai throws a punch but it's blocked by Ali'i.
Ali'i tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Ahai blocks an uppercut.
Ahai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ahai cracks a nice hook into Ali'i's ribs.
And that's the end of the fight!
Kekoa Ali'i showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ahai 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Azor Ahai!
Azor Ahai decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well. |
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