PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Alexander Vij (ranked 4424 p4p, 3406 weight class) and Jerome Spong (ranked 450 p4p, 382 weight class). Spong has chosen In Loving Memory as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Jerome Spong has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Vij
vs
Spong

187 cm
26
201
15 - 5 - 1

185 cm
28
186
13 - 7 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Hawaii Nutrition

Kore Fight Nutrition
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 4 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Vij!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jerome Spong!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Aafke Stam and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Vij fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Spong manages to avoid it.
A big right from Spong misses.
Vij lands a head shot.

It looks like Jerome Spong has been cut.
Spong misses with a left hand
and Spong takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Spong throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vij on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A head kick by Spong misses
and Vij counters with a leg kick.
Vij showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Spong.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spong uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Vij.
Spong is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Vij.
Spong tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Vij was well out of range. Poor timing from Spong.
Good leg kick by Spong.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vij uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Spong.

Spong tries to keep at a distance but Vij has taken the fight into the clinch.
Spong wants to get back to striking at distance but Vij won't allow it.
Vij swings wildly with an uppercut but Spong uses good head movement to avoid it.
Spong blocks a body shot from Vij.
A head punch on the inside from Vij fails to land.
Vij throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Vij tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Spong breaks from the clinch.
Spong throws a head kick that misses.
A swing and a miss from Spong.
Vij on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Spong misses with a hook
and Vij counters with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vij takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Nice cross by Vij.
Spong throws a hook but Vij blocks it.
Spong throws a leg kick but Vij sees it coming and checks it nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Spong tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Spong misses with a lunging right hand
and Vij counters with a straight right hand.
Spong misses with a few strikes there.
Vij swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Spong.
Spong throws a jab but it's blocked by Vij.
Vij was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Vij takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Vij uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Spong.
Vij fires out a quick counter leg kick but Spong just manages to avoid it.
Spong throws a head kick but Vij moves out of range.
Vij looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jerome Spong will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jerome Spong's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Vij tries to clinch up but Spong circles away and keeps his distance.
Spong misses with a right hand
and Vij counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Spong lands a jab to Vij's midsection.
Spong lands a slapping body shot.
Spong throws a hook but Vij blocks it.
Vij is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Spong.
Spong scores with a body shot.
Spong throws a head kick but Vij moves out of range.
Vij was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Vij takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nice cross by Spong.
Spong misses with an uppercut
and Vij counters with a stiff right hand.

Spong gets tackled into the ropes by Vij. Vij maintains the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vij swings wildly with an uppercut but Spong uses good head movement to avoid it.
Vij can't find room to land a body shot as Spong controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Spong pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Spong moves out of range as Vij throws a body kick.

Vij clinches with his opponent.
Vij misses with the head strike.
Vij tries to work over Spong's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Vij is working Spong over against the ropes.
Vij is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Spong is defending well for now.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Spong.
Spong has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Vij seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Spong can turn it around.
Spong is trying to break the clinch but Vij is controlling him.
Spong looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Vij misses with a hook from the clinch.
Vij lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the ropes.
Vij is leaning against Spong and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Vij lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Spong or not.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vij taking a breather.
Vij swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Spong breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
It looks like Vij has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Spong is looking to score with low kicks.
Spong throws a leg kick that is checked
and Vij counters with a two punch combo.
Spong throws a head kick but Vij moves out of range.
Spong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Vij.
Jerome Spong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Spong throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Vij dodges the punch combination from Spong.
Spong misses with a left hand

and Vij counters with a nice uppercut that drops Spong onto his backside! Spong bounces straight back to his feet before we have a chance to even start the count. He'll get the standing 8 count anyway before we get back underway.

Spong is rocked!
Spong misses with a few strikes there.
Vij throwing a counter right hand but Spong manages to avoid it.
Spong is still on wobbly legs! Can Vij finish him?
Spong misses with a left hand
and Vij counters with a huge right that knocks Spong out cold! Vij is running around with a crazed look on his face - you can see how much that meant to him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Alexander Vij!
Our winner, Alexander Vij, 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.