TBS + UFC FP: Kazuto Ioka vs. Aston Francis Melos Palicte & Hiroto Kyōguchi vs. Tanawat Nakoon RBR

Round 4

Ioka meets Palicte in the center of the ring and flurries off the jab, carefully rolling laterally off-line. Palicte is missing with a stone-skipping right hand on the front-foot. Ioka too slippery with his footwork, not giving Palicte a stationary target. Palicte is getting smacked with counter hooks as Ioka sidesteps him, but Palicte switches tacks and begins to lean in with uppercuts on the body, slowing Ioka's circling down somewhat. Ioka with a triple jab darting in, blinding Palicte and letting him land a solid body shot. Palicte counters with an uppercut. Ioka very effective with the push-jab on Palicte's navel, sending him an involuntary step backward. Palicte reaching in, left hand dangling, wrist limp, then feigning the jab, occasionally snapping it out after lulling Ioka, but Ioka too smart to fall prey, keeping a safe distance, scoring his own nice jabs only after moving to his side. Nice counter right by Palicte.

10-9 Ioka

38-38

 

Super high skill level fight, as expected.

 

There's been a strong argument for either guy in all four rounds so far.

 

Round 5

Palicte is hurling in the right hand from outside, Ioka drawing the lead, bobbing in place in front of him and then veering out the side hatch at the last second. Ioka working straight volleys on the body. Very nice slick mid-range defensive work by Ioka, slipping & countering in one concatenation of movement. Ioka ducking virtually all of Palicte's long stabs with the lead right from outside, seeing everything coming. Palicte starting to get away from his jab, looking frustrated.

10-9 Ioka

48-47 Ioka

 

I'd say the 5th was the first crystal-clear round all day.