PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Vanderlei Branco (ranked 25394 p4p, 2465 weight class) and Tomomi Tsuruta (ranked 185 p4p, 81 weight class). Vanderlei Branco could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Tomomi Tsuruta's chin.

Branco
vs
Tsuruta

190 cm
18
250
0 - 3 - 0

192 cm
27
209
11 - 7 - 0

Brawler
Good chin

Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vanderlei Branco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tomomi Tsuruta!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Ben Watson and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Branco moves to clinch but Tsuruta breaks away
and Tsuruta counters with a right hand to the body.
Branco tries to clinch but Tsuruta moves away
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Branco with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Tsuruta to score with a decent uppercut.
Branco tries to clinch but Tsuruta moves away
and Tsuruta counters with a left to the body.
Tsuruta throws a good cross that connects.
Tsuruta throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Branco stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Branco moves to clinch but Tsuruta breaks away
and Tsuruta counters with a stiff right hand.
Tsuruta connects with a single shot there.
Branco wants to clinch but Tsuruta slips to the side
and Tsuruta connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
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!
Tsuruta circles away from the clinch attempt
and Tsuruta counters with a three punch combo that has Branco backing up. Branco nods at Tsuruta to acknowledge the strikes.
Branco tries to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branco tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tsuruta counters with a straight right hand.
Branco tries to clinch up
and Tsuruta counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Branco darts in trying to clinch
and Tsuruta makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Branco wants to clinch but Tsuruta slips to the side
and Tsuruta counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Branco thinking.
Branco swings away with a body shot that misses
and Tsuruta counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Branco closes the distance looking to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tsuruta cracks Branco with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Branco tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Tsuruta circles away from the clinch attempt
and Tsuruta counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
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!

Branco gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Tsuruta tries to stall but Branco uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Branco is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Tsuruta is keeping busy.

Tsuruta's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tsuruta has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Branco is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Branco tries to clinch but Tsuruta moves away
and Tsuruta makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tomomi Tsuruta 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.

Branco darts in trying to clinch
and Tsuruta cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tsuruta lands a body shot.
Branco closes the distance looking to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a nice uppercut.
Tsuruta scores with a sloppy right hand. Branco should have avoided that one.
Branco wants to clinch but Tsuruta slips to the side
and Tsuruta counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Branco closes the distance but Tsuruta moves to the side
and Tsuruta counters with a right hand to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Branco tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tsuruta counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tsuruta fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Tsuruta punishes Branco's body with a nice straight punch.
Tomomi Tsuruta seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Branco tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Tsuruta counters with a nice body shot.
A shot to the body from Branco misses
and Tsuruta counters with a stiff right hand.
Branco darts in trying to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Branco wants to clinch but Tsuruta slips to the side
letting Tsuruta counter with a right hand.
Branco closes the distance but Tsuruta moves to the side
and Tsuruta counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Branco tries to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Branco throws a poor cross that misses
and Tsuruta makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
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!
Branco looks to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a straight right hand.
Branco closes the distance looking to clinch
and Tsuruta cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Branco wants to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Tsuruta scores with a jab. Branco acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Tsuruta has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Branco tries to clinch but Tsuruta moves away
and Tsuruta counters with a right hand to the body.
Tsuruta lands with an overhand left.
Nice body punch from Tsuruta.
Branco tries to clinch but Tsuruta moves away
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Vanderlei Branco is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A cross from Tsuruta lands.
Branco's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Tsuruta connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Branco scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Branco moves to clinch but Tsuruta breaks away
and Tsuruta 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.

Tomomi Tsuruta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Branco tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Tsuruta counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vanderlei Branco has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tsuruta scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Branco tries to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Tsuruta scores with a body shot.
Branco throws a poor cross that misses
and Tsuruta counters with a left to the body.
Branco wants to clinch but Tsuruta slips to the side
and Tsuruta counters with a left to the body.
Branco tries to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a left to the body.
Branco looks to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Branco throws a combination that misses
and Tsuruta counters with a nice body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tsuruta scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A right-left combo lands from Tsuruta.
Tsuruta jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Tsuruta slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Tomomi Tsuruta is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Branco takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Branco could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branco looks to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Branco looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Tsuruta lands a nice shot that snaps Branco's head back.
Branco tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tsuruta counters with a left to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tsuruta works Branco's body with a nice hook.
Tsuruta stuns Branco with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Branco looks to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Branco with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Tsuruta to score with a decent uppercut.
Branco darts in trying to clinch
and Tsuruta counters with a series of strikes. Branco will be more careful next time no doubt.
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!
Tsuruta comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Branco tries to grapple but his opponent circles
letting Tsuruta counter with a right hand.
Branco moves to clinch but Tsuruta breaks away
and Tsuruta counters with a left to the body.
Branco closes the distance but Tsuruta moves to the side
enabling Tsuruta to counter with a crisp jab.
Branco tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Tsuruta counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Tsuruta jabs Branco to the body, keeping him at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Branco falls off balance throwing a combination
and Tsuruta counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Branco tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Tsuruta cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Branco misses with a body shot
and Tsuruta counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tomomi Tsuruta comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tsuruta winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 24:30
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 24:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tomomi Tsuruta!
Tomomi Tsuruta took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Shadow Realm Apparel for their support in the buildup to the fight.