PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jake Sully (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenny Katsuragi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jake Sully has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Sully
vs
Katsuragi

172 cm
22
154 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

177 cm
19
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jake Sully!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenny Katsuragi!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Sano and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Katsuragi gets caught flat footed, as Sully shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Sully has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Katsuragi has a closed guard, preventing Sully from standing up.

Katsuragi pushes Sully off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Sully gets a takedown into half guard.
Sully missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Katsuragi is trying to stand up here but Sully is controlling him well.
Sully tries to stand and escape but Katsuragi is controlling the position.
Katsuragi is trying to stand back up but Sully is controlling him
Sully is looking to take a break and control but Katsuragi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katsuragi tries to kick Sully off but Sully keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sully is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Katsuragi doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Sully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Katsuragi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sully shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Katsuragi pinned against the cage. Katsuragi gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sully tries to clinch but Katsuragi is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Katsuragi displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sully.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Sully. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sully is breathing heavily.
Sully tries to clinch there but Katsuragi circles away.

Sully feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Katsuragi has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Sully off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Sully fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Katsuragi is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Sully can't fight it off and eventually Katsuragi manages to take the fight to the floor. Sully looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Katsuragi is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katsuragi sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Sully's guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Katsuragi lands a nice short elbow.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Katsuragi in particular looking to stall.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Katsuragi landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Katsuragi landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Katsuragi working Sully over with strikes.
Katsuragi lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Katsuragi working Sully over with strikes.
Sully is trying to stand.
Katsuragi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Katsuragi controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katsuragi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sully keeps working.
Katsuragi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sully knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Katsuragi on the ground.
Katsuragi winds up and cracks Sully with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Katsuragi prevents Sully from improving his position.
Katsuragi is trying to control. Sully wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Sully closes the distance and clinches up with Katsuragi, looking for a takedown. Sully pushes Katsuragi against the cage but Katsuragi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sully fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Katsuragi has a takedown stuffed.

Katsuragi darts in and clinches Sully up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kenny Katsuragi will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sully misses with a takedown

and Katsuragi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sully's guard.
Katsuragi sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sully wants to stand but Katsuragi is controlling the position.
Katsuragi trying to control but Sully is working from the bottom.
Sully working a defensive guard here.
Katsuragi wants to control from the top but Sully keeps moving.
Katsuragi stands up over Sully, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Katsuragi works over Sully with some ground and pound from guard.
Katsuragi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Sully closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Sully lands in his opponent's guard.

Katsuragi kicks Sully off and gets to his feet.
The crowd cheers as Sully lands an impressive looking overhand right. Katsuragi doesn't seem phased though.

Sully shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sully showed some decent athleticism there.

Katsuragi manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Sully with a poor takedown

and Katsuragi counters by moving into the clinch.

Katsuragi turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sully takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
An elbow from Katsuragi crashes against the mat.
Katsuragi is looking to take a break and control but Sully is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sully is trying to buck Katsuragi off.
Katsuragi scoring with punches and elbows.
Katsuragi cracks Sully with a big right hand but Sully just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Sully sneaks back into half guard.
Katsuragi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Kenny Katsuragi has got the better of the ground game so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Sully scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Sully tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Katsuragi explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

Sully feints and as Katsuragi raises his hands in defense, Sully changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Katsuragi wants to stand and escape but Sully is having none of it.

Katsuragi scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Sully shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sully showed some decent athleticism there.

Katsuragi has one foot on Sully's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Sully has his takedown stuffed

and Katsuragi counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Sully. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Katsuragi distracts Sully with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Katsuragi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sully not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sully keeping moving, preventing Katsuragi from controlling successfully.
Sully is looking to stand up but Katsuragi isn't so interested in that idea.
Sully tries to land a sweep but no joy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Katsuragi's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice sprawl there from Katsuragi as Sully shoots in.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenny Katsuragi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Katsuragi fails with a takedown attempt.
Sully has his takedown stuffed

and Katsuragi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Katsuragi working Sully over with strikes.
Sully is refusing to be controlled, as Katsuragi sits in half guard.
Sully keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Katsuragi working Sully over with strikes.
Sully is looking to control Katsuragi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sully avoid being mounted?
Katsuragi thows a huge punch but Sully dodges it nicely.
Katsuragi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sully is trying to stand.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Katsuragi is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Sully's half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katsuragi slows the pace down in half guard.
Sully wants to get back to his feet.
Sully trying to control but Katsuragi postures up.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Katsuragi lands a nice short elbow.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Sully is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Katsuragi slaps away a takedown attempt from Sully, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Katsuragi feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sully preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Katsuragi throwing strikes from guard but Sully blocks nicely.
Sully on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sully tries to get out of the position.
Katsuragi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Katsuragi is looking to work some ground and pound but Sully has wrist control.
Katsuragi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Katsuragi postures up in Sully's guard and throws a big left but Sully blocks it.
Katsuragi stops Sully from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sully shoots and misses

and Katsuragi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Katsuragi.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Sully. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Katsuragi is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sully is defending well for now.
Katsuragi has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sully is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Katsuragi gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Katsuragi stays in close to Sully's body and controls the position.
Sully looking for a sweep. Not yet Sully, not yet.
Katsuragi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Katsuragi thows a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sully is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Katsuragi lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Katsuragi working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sully wants to stand but Katsuragi is controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sully gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Katsuragi counters by clinching up.
Sully wants to get back to striking at distance but Katsuragi won't allow it.
Katsuragi tries to score a body lock takedown but Sully shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Jake Sully has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sully prevents the takedown attempt.
Sully has a couple of punches blocked by Katsuragi.
A head punch on the inside from Sully fails to land.
Katsuragi tries to score a body lock takedown but Sully shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Katsuragi wants a takedown.
Kenny Katsuragi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Katsuragi goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sully prevents it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kenny Katsuragi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Katsuragi 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenny Katsuragi!