PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Kazimir Yakov (ranked 7065 p4p, 551 weight class) and Arlind Abazaj (ranked 7120 p4p, 552 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.

Yakov
vs
Abazaj

189 cm
21
192 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

189 cm
20
190 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

World class MT
KO power

Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kazimir Yakov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Arlind Abazaj!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Seu Braga and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yakov takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A low kick from Yakov misses
and Abazaj counters with a slapping leg kick.
Abazaj checks a low kick from Yakov.
Abazaj looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Abazaj uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yakov.
Abazaj swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Yakov is looking to land body kicks.
Abazaj doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Yakov ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Yakov connects with a single shot there.
Yakov misses with a body kick.
Yakov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A lazy left from Yakov finds it's target.
Abazaj looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kazimir Yakov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Abazaj blocks a jab.
Yakov moves out of range of the leg kick from Abazaj.
Abazaj tries to score with a low kick but Yakov moves his leg out of the way.
Yakov throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Abazaj.
Abazaj throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Yakov stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Yakov misses with a body punch
and Abazaj counters with a nice kick to the body.
Abazaj scores with a nice body kick.
Yakov thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yakov scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Abazaj tries to clinch but Yakov moves out of range.
Yakov is looking for a counter combo.
Yakov bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Abazaj's head backwards.
An inside leg kick from Abazaj misses.
Yakov throws a leg kick which misses Abazaj's front leg but catches the back leg as Abazaj tries to avoid it.
Yakov blocks a jab.
Abazaj has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Yakov.
Yakov checks a leg kick.
Yakov stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Abazaj.
Abazaj throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Yakov scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Yakov tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Yakov falls off balance throwing a combination
and Abazaj counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Abazaj throws a front kick that sends Yakov stumbling back into the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters circling - Yakov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Yakov connects with an inside leg kick.
Abazaj tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Abazaj blocks a head kick by Yakov.
Abazaj now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Yakov throws a head kick that misses.
Abazaj throws a leg kick but Yakov checks it.

Abazaj fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Yakov, pushing him back against the ropes.
Yakov blocks a body shot from Abazaj.
Yakov misses with a short punch on the inside.

Yakov manages to break the clinch.
Yakov explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Abazaj takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Yakov connects with an inside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Abazaj throws out a leg kick but Yakov moves out of range and Abazaj only half commits.
Abazaj takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Abazaj fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Yakov.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazimir Yakov dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Abazaj is looking to clinch.
Yakov fires out a quick counter leg kick but Abazaj just manages to avoid it.
Abazaj takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Yakov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Yakov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Abazaj can do to turn this around?
Yakov throws a head kick that misses
and Abazaj counters with a nice leg kick.
Abazaj walks into a jab.
Yakov throws a sloppy head kick and Abazaj moves out of range easily.
Yakov changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Abazaj throws a body kick that misses.
Yakov tries to score with a low kick but Abazaj moves his leg out of the way.
Abazaj tries to close the distance and clinch up but Yakov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Yakov is looking to counter punch.
Yakov throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Arlind Abazaj has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Good leg kick by Abazaj there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Yakov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Yakov keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Abazaj.
Abazaj walks into a stiff left hand from Yakov.
Kazimir Yakov is winning the standup battle so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yakov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Abazaj walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Yakov throws a nice head kick!
Yakov walks into a jab.
Yakov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Abazaj sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Abazaj sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Yakov cracks Abazaj with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A bone on bone clash there as Yakov blocks the leg kick.
Abazaj scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Abazaj clinches.
Abazaj scores with a shot to the side of Yakov's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Abazaj lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Yakov backwards.
Yakov scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Abazaj.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Abazaj.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Abazaj.
Abazaj tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Abazaj fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Abazaj lands a body shot in the clinch.
Abazaj's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Yakov throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A head punch on the inside from Abazaj fails to land.
Good body shot from Yakov.
Yakov blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Abazaj lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Yakov backwards.
Abazaj misses with a hook from the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Yakov.
Abazaj lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Abazaj takes a shot to the head.
Abazaj tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Yakov's elbow.
Yakov misses with a short punch on the inside.

Yakov breaks the clinch.
Yakov bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Yakov buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Yakov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Yakov lands a nice leg kick that just misses Abazaj's sensitive parts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazimir Yakov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Arlind Abazaj's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Abazaj scores with a leg kick.
Yakov lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Abazaj misses with a kick to the body.
Abazaj's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Abazaj blocks a head kick by Yakov.
Abazaj swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yakov lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Yakov throws a half hearted mid kick.
Yakov moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Abazaj is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Yakov rather than just go for the knockout.
Yakov throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Abazaj is rocked!
Yakov uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Abazaj.
Abazaj is still on wobbly legs! Can Yakov finish him?
Look low, kick high! Yakov uses the oldest trick in the book to send Abazaj tumbling to the canvas, in a truly brutal knockout! Yakov is absolutely delighted - when Abazaj wakes up, I doubt he'll be quite so happy!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Kazimir Yakov!