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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Foster (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Azelja Kajin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.
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190 cm
23
207 lbs
3 - 1 - 0 |
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182 cm
22
205 lbs
5 - 4 - 0 |
BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily |
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BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world! Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner. With a record of
3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ben Foster! And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner. With a record of
5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Azelja Kajin! The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Dean Styles and Columbo Gatti.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway! Foster throws a chopping leg kick but Kajin manages to avoid taking any serious damage. Foster slaps away a takedown attempt from Kajin, before circling back to the center of the mat. Kajin drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Foster is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Kajin is one step ahead and moves to full mount! Foster can't escape the position.
Kajin has control of Foster's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Foster regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Foster tries to hold on but Kajin pushes him away.
That's one minute gone in the round. Kajin looking to control and managing it successfully. Foster tries to hold on but Kajin pushes him away. Foster is in all sorts of trouble here.
Foster doing his best to control the position. Can he escape? Foster is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round. The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so. Foster is writhing around trying to get back to his feet. Kajin looking for a guillotine from mount but Foster is having none of it. Foster is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round. Kajin tries to push Foster's head away but Foster is holding on tight. Foster can't escape the position.
Foster is squirming around, avoiding Kajin's attempts to control the action. Kajin looks gassed! Foster is writhing around trying to get back to his feet. Foster regains half guard. Foster works his way to full guard. Good work.
That's four minutes gone in the round. Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it. Foster is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kajin defends well. Foster will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Foster is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kajin decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Foster, up you get! The crowd thankful this round is nearly over. Foster scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground. Foster is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close round but I would say that Ben Foster will probably get the nod. The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!
Foster fails with the takedown. Foster tries for a takedown but Kajin circles away easily and Kajin counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground. Foster is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here. Kajin wanted to stand there but Foster had control of the position. Foster throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
That's one minute gone in the round. Foster is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive. Foster looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Kajin puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard. Foster with the active half guard here but Kajin passes nicely into side control. Foster sneaks back into half guard. Kajin lands with a punch from half guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round. The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so. Foster looking for submissions off his back. Kajin looking to pass the half guard. Not this time. Kajin stalling away here and it's allowed Foster to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard. Kajin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Foster's guard. The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring. Foster thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
That's three minutes gone in the round. Foster wants to get back to his feet but Kajin is in a dominant position and won't allow it. Kajin wants to control from the top but Foster keeps moving.
Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up. Foster throws a sloppy head kick and Kajin moves out of range easily. Foster tries for a takedown but Kajin circles away easily and Kajin counters with a big head kick but Foster shrugs it off. That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Foster. That's going to take a lot out of him. Kajin has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Kajin there as he acknowledges the shot.
That's four minutes gone in the round. The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight. Foster fails with an attempt to clinch.
Foster throws a front kick aimed at Kajin's knee but Kajin avoids it well. Foster displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination. Foster shoots in and drives through. Kajin sprawls well. Ben Foster is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things. Foster lands with a nice body punch. Kajin slips a jab and a cross from Foster.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kajin looks like he's thinking about clinching though. Kajin stuffs the takedown. And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Azelja Kajin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards. That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.
Kajin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Some wild striking there from Foster.
Kajin closes the distance looking to clinch and Foster counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Foster. Kajin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does. Kajin throws a sloppy head kick and Foster moves out of range easily. We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up. Foster moves in looking to clinch but Kajin pushes him off. Kajin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired. Foster fails with the takedown and Kajin counters with a nice double leg into side control. Foster won't be happy with that.
That's one minute gone in the round. Foster struggling a bit here. The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves. Foster is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Kajin's leg. He's managed it. Nice work. Foster makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Foster. Foster wants to stand but Kajin is controlling the position. Kajin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Foster has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kajin has managed to get both his arms back between Foster's legs - danger averted. Foster keeping moving, preventing Kajin from controlling successfully.
That's two minutes gone in the round. Foster trying to control the position.
Foster is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Kajin is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him. Foster has a closed guard, preventing Kajin from standing up. Foster not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kajin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Foster has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kajin has managed to get both his arms back between Foster's legs - danger averted.
That's three minutes gone in the round. Foster is trying to keep Kajin in close.
Foster tries to land a sweep but no joy. Foster trying to keep a closed guard but Kajin is proving a slippery customer.
That's four minutes gone in the round. The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight. Kajin prevents Foster from getting back to his feet. Foster lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kajin! Kajin is trying desperately to improve position. Foster wants to control the pace but Kajin is squirming around nicely. Foster thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage. And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close third round but Azelja Kajin just about did enough to take it. That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.
Foster throws out a powerful jab. Kajin throws a head kick that misses so Foster counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility. Foster throwing strikes from guard but Kajin blocks nicely. Foster wants to pass the guard but Kajin is keeping the position. Kajin has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall. Foster postures up.
Kajin is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
That's one minute gone in the round. Kajin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Foster. Foster trying to control but Kajin is working from the bottom. A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Foster accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand. Foster forces his way into half guard. Foster seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense. Kajin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
That's two minutes gone in the round. A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd. Foster missing with some ground and pound from the half guard. Kajin is refusing to be controlled, as Foster sits in half guard. It looks like Foster is going to stand back up.
Well, if Foster is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Kajin wants to get back to full guard. Foster thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up. Foster scores with a three punch combo!
Foster forces Kajin back against the ropes and clinches. Foster ties up his opponent against the ropes and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Foster no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard. Kajin trying to control the position from guard on top but Foster is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can. Kajin has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Foster to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Kajin is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Foster pulls down on the head and he's put Kajin to sleep! This one is all over!
Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:48 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Ben Foster! Ben Foster is the new light heavyweight champion!
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S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
51% |
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