PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Tommy Asikainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gaston Means (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Asikainen
vs
Means

192 cm
20
279 lbs
3 - 9 - 0

189 cm
24
240 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tommy Asikainen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gaston Means!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Radbod Blank and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Means's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Means duly obliges.
Asikainen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Means swinging wildly here.
Means misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Means misses with a head kick.
Means misses with a head kick.
Means has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Asikainen is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Means wants to clinch up but Asikainen keeps it at a distance.
A punch combination from Means misses.

Means takes the fight into the clinch.
Asikainen is trying to stall.
Means lands with a short shot to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Means.

Means breaks from the clinch.
Means throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Asikainen throws a sloppy head kick and Means moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Means. Those never looked like landing.

Means has Asikainen up against the ropes in a clinch.
Asikainen avoiding damage.

Means manages to break the clinch.
Means throws a combination. Asikainen tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

It looks like Tommy Asikainen has been cut.
Means misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Means lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Asikainen circles away quickly and effectively.
A slapping leg kick lands for Means.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Means tries to clinch but Asikainen moves out of range.
Asikainen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Means swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Asikainen tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Means paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Asikainen is looking to clinch but Means is avoiding it.

Asikainen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Means fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Means misses with a short punch on the inside.
Means misses with a short punch on the inside.
Asikainen looking to slow down the pace here.
Asikainen tries to circle away but Means has him pinned against the ropes.

Asikainen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Means throws a head kick but Asikainen moves out of range.
Both fighters circling a little - Means finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Means misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Means throws a leg kick but Asikainen moved away.
Means tries to bum rush Asikainen with a series of wild strikes but Asikainen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Means will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Means throws a right and a left that Asikainen avoids nicely.
Means misses with an attempted mid kick.
Means misses with a few strikes there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaston Means dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tommy Asikainen's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Means looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Asikainen darts in and clinches Means up against the ropes.
Asikainen lands a body shot.
Means lands a left hand.
Asikainen is stalling here.
Asikainen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Means lands with a left to the head.
Asikainen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Means is keeping busy.

Asikainen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Means throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Tommy Asikainen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Means lands a nice looking kick to the body. Asikainen takes a step back to recover.

Means clinches with his opponent.
Asikainen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asikainen prevents a body shot from Means.
Asikainen taking a breather.
Asikainen misses with a knee strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Asikainen.
Means working aggressively here.

Means's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Asikainen throws a head kick that misses.

Means has closed the distance and engaged Asikainen in a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Asikainen.
Means has a couple of punches blocked by Asikainen.
Asikainen trying to stall but Means improves his position.
Asikainen is trying to force a seperation but Means has the dominant position.

Means escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Means tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Means throws a series of punches but Asikainen avoids them all with ease.
Gaston Means seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Means cracks the inside of Asikainen's front leg.
Asikainen throws a sloppy head kick and Means moves out of range easily.
Asikainen throws the kick towards the body but Means avoids it.
Means tries a head kick but it misses.
Means fails to land with a series of punches.
Means throws a series of strikes that have Asikainen backpedaling.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Asikainen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Asikainen lands a high kick!

Means takes the fight into the clinch.

Asikainen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Asikainen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Asikainen moves in looking to clinch but Means pushes him off.
Means throws a series of punches but Asikainen moves out of range.
Means uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaston Means showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Tommy Asikainen's cut.
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.

Some bone on bone action there as Means checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Asikainen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Asikainen blocks a head kick by Means.
Means looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A right-left combo lands from Means.
Means displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Asikainen closes the distance and pushes Means back into the ropes.
Means digs a right hand into Asikainen's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Asikainen's gas tank.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Means blocks a body shot from Asikainen.

Means's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A head kick misses from Asikainen.
Means throws a sloppy head kick and Asikainen moves out of range easily.
Means swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Means with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Nice shot lands for Means.
Means tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Means lands a front kick.

Means instigates a clinch.

Means breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Asikainen blocks a head kick by Means.
Asikainen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Means tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Asikainen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Means throws a series of punches but Asikainen moves out of range.

Means clinches up with Asikainen and pushes him back against the ropes.
Means softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Means lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Asikainen misses with a knee strike.
Asikainen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Means is defending well for now.
Means misses with a short punch on the inside.
Means working aggressively here.
Asikainen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Asikainen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Means throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Tommy Asikainen's cut is getting worse.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Means tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Asikainen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Means tries to clinch up.
Means misses with a head kick.

Asikainen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Means has Asikainen pressed against the ropes, preventing Asikainen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Means lands a left hand that snaps the head of Asikainen backwards.
Means goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Asikainen lands with a short shot to the head.
Means misses with a short punch on the inside.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Means lands with a right to the head.
Asikainen is looking to break free of the clinch but Means has double underhooks.
Asikainen taking a breather.
Means misses with a punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaston Means really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tommy Asikainen'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.

Means connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Asikainen momentarily.
Asikainen checks a low kick from Means.
Means swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Means will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Means throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Means lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Asikainen backs up against the ropes.
Means pushes Asikainen away with a front kick.
Means wants to clinch up but Asikainen keeps it at a distance.
Means rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Asikainen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Asikainen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Means misses with the combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fight stays on the outside here - Asikainen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Asikainen tries to clinch up but Means circles away and keeps his distance.
Asikainen's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Asikainen duly obliges.
Means looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Asikainen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Means, pushing him back against the ropes.
Asikainen scores a nice knee to the body.
Means has a couple of punches blocked by Asikainen.
Asikainen will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Means up against the ropes.

Asikainen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Means tries to close the distance and clinch but Asikainen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Means looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sloppy strikes from Means. Those never looked like landing.
Asikainen dodges the punch combination from Means.
Asikainen wants to clinch.
Asikainen tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Means misses

and Asikainen counters by clinching up.
The referee calls for Asikainen to work.
Means fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Means breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Means throws a right and a left that both miss.
Asikainen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Means moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Means misses with a head kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Means throws a right hand that Asikainen ducks under and follows up with a left that Asikainen also avoids with ease.
Means misses with a few strikes there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Asikainen tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Means manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Asikainen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Means throws a right hand that Asikainen ducks under and follows up with a left that Asikainen also avoids with ease.

Means moves into range and clinches up with Asikainen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gaston Means dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Tommy Asikainen's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Asikainen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Asikainen wants to clinch.

Asikainen clinches with his opponent.
Means lands with a right to the head.
Means fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Means lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Means lands an uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Means swings wildly with an uppercut but Asikainen uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short left from Means.
Asikainen has Means pressed against the ropes, preventing Means from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Asikainen taking a breather.
Means avoiding damage as Asikainen throws knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Asikainen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Means throws a quick inside leg kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Means.
Means throws a right and a left that both miss.
The fight stays on the outside here - Asikainen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Asikainen tries to close the distance and clinch but Means swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Asikainen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Means thows a body kick. Asikainen tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Asikainen throws a head kick that misses.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Asikainen tries to clinch but Means is having none of it.
Gaston Means seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Means misses with a wild combination.
Asikainen lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Gaston Means is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Means clinches up against the ropes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Means tries to circle away but Asikainen has him pinned against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Means has a couple of punches blocked by Asikainen.
Means misses with a hook from the clinch.
Asikainen throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Means misses with some punches.
Means misses with some punches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Gaston Means is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Means throws a punch but it's blocked by Asikainen.
Means wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Asikainen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Gaston Means comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Means has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 45:50
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 45:50
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gaston Means!
After winning the bout, Gaston Means thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.