Moruti Mthalane vs. Masayuki Kuroda RBR

Alright, twenty-three minutes later, FIGHT BEGINS

 

Kuroda outworking the champ in the 1st, diligent jab work. Mthalane hanging back, mostly looking for single right-handed counters catapulted over the top or missing with hooking flurries. Mthalane a bit disorganized, needs to settle down and pick his spots a little better. Kuroda not ceding any ground, and knocked Mthalane back with a hard 1-2 late.

10-9 Kuroda

 

The dude sitting next to the shrieking woman looks like he wants to shoot himself in the head, which is completely understandable. That yelling is insufferable

 

Is she the chick that used to do intros for Pride?

 

Nah, that’s Lenne Hardt, a weird German woman. This appears to just be some random Japanese fan

 

More disciplined start from Mthalane, banging Kuroda with a nice accurate lead right on the lip and then falling back to a defensive position with a high shell. Mthalane blending offense and defense seamlessly now, darting in, getting shots off and escaping barely touched except for a few Kuroda left hooks downstairs on the way out. Mthalane with an incisive jab on the abdomen. Kuroda loading up with giant hooks but getting caught on the backs of Mthalane's forearms. They swap nasty digs on the waist in the pocket, foreheads ramming together. Mthalane lands a combo up top and backs Kuroda up momentarily. The challenger then backs up the African with a double hook on the ribs. Heavy right hands by Mthalane, seizing control again.

10-9 Mthalane, but Kuroda more than holding his own.

19-19

 

2-0 Kuroda, both rounds razor close though. Good back and forth, expected a stronger start from Mthalane tbh

 

Round 3

Mthalane is spending about ten seconds of each minute behind a turtle shell, another ten stepping forward jabbing, and then about forty seconds getting wailed on by Kuroda hooks to his midsection. Kuroda putting everything into those body shots and then flopping atop Mthalane until gaining a second (or umpteenth) wind. They have a few moments of standing at mid-range tossing dart-like jabs at each other, but the bulk of what's thrown is Kuroda power shots, predominantly on Mthalane's body.

10-9 Kuroda

29-28 Kuroda