PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Xiao Wang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akira Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Wang
vs
Emelianenko

201 cm
25
262 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

205 cm
25
304 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good knees
Granite chin

Dangerous knees
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Xiao Wang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akira Emelianenko!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Emelianenko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A head kick misses from Wang.
Emelianenko avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Emelianenko moves into the clinch successfully.
Emelianenko with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Emelianenko missing with knees to the body.
Emelianenko stalling in the clinch but Wang improves position.
Emelianenko stalling against the cage.

Wang breaks the clinch.
Wang tries to clinch there but Emelianenko circles away.
Emelianenko throws a head kick but Wang moves out of range.
Wang misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Emelianenko tries to clinch but Wang moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Wang.
Emelianenko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Emelianenko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Wang swats away the attempt to clinch by Emelianenko.
Emelianenko slips a jab and a cross from Wang.
Wang throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Akira Emelianenko has been cut.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Wang breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Akira Emelianenko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Emelianenko avoids a punch combination nicely.
Emelianenko takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Wang tries to close the distance and clinch up but Emelianenko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Xiao Wang seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wang tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Emelianenko goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Emelianenko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Emelianenko tries to close the distance and clinch but Wang swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Emelianenko moves into the clinch.
Wang takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Xiao Wang has been cut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Emelianenko.
Wang looking to stall.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Emelianenko with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Emelianenko misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Wang.
Emelianenko working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Akira Emelianenko will probably get the nod.
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!

Emelianenko connects with a body shot.
Emelianenko tries to clinch up.
Emelianenko wants to clinch but Wang slips to the side

and Wang counters by moving into the clinch.

Emelianenko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Wang scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Emelianenko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Emelianenko lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Wang circles away quickly and effectively.
Emelianenko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Emelianenko is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Emelianenko has Wang up against the cage in a clinch.
Emelianenko looking to throw knees to the head but Wang is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wang is trying to break the clinch but Emelianenko is controlling him.
Emelianenko trying to land knees to the body.
Wang tries to stall but Emelianenko uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Emelianenko keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Wang's efforts to push away.
Emelianenko blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Wang breaks the clinch.
Emelianenko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wang tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Emelianenko manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Wang throws a sloppy head kick and Emelianenko moves out of range easily.

Emelianenko takes the fight into the clinch.
Emelianenko prevents Wang from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Emelianenko's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Emelianenko gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Emelianenko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wang swats away the attempt to clinch by Emelianenko.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Emelianenko scores with a knee to the head.
Emelianenko pressing his opponent against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Wang escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Emelianenko closes the distance and clinches.
The referee is keeping an eye on Emelianenko - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Emelianenko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Emelianenko scores with a nice strike.
Wang throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Wang wants to clinch but Emelianenko slips to the side

and Emelianenko counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Emelianenko.

Emelianenko breaks from the clinch.
Emelianenko wants to clinch up but Wang keeps it at a distance.
Emelianenko rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Wang moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Wang lands with a shot to the body.
Emelianenko swats away the attempt to clinch by Wang.
Wang misses with a head kick.

Emelianenko clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wang can't break the clinch.
Emelianenko looking to throw knees to the head but Wang is blocking nicely.
Wang trying to land knees to the body.
Emelianenko tries to land a knee to the head but Wang blocks with his arms.

Emelianenko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wang tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Emelianenko takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Wang swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Emelianenko rushes Wang and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Emelianenko lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Wang pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Emelianenko tries to clinch there but Wang circles away.
Emelianenko tries to clinch but Wang is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wang throws a head kick that misses.

Emelianenko moves into range and clinches up with Wang.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Emelianenko misses with a knee to the head.
Emelianenko wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Wang has him pressed against the cage.
Akira Emelianenko is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Emelianenko tries to land a knee to the head but Wang blocks with his arms.
Akira Emelianenko seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Wang wants to break the clinch but can't.
Wang wants to break free but Emelianenko has control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Xiao Wang has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Emelianenko lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

And that's the end of the fight!
Akira Emelianenko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Emelianenko 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Akira Emelianenko!