PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joe Rau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shin Katama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Katama is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Inject the Venom. Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Shin Katama enters the cage!

Rau
vs
Katama

185 cm
23
197 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

192 cm
22
185 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

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 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joe Rau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Shin Katama!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Leandro Rodrigues and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rau throws a looping overhand right but Katama ducks down to avoid it.
Katama misses with a double jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rau looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rau misses with an uppercut.
Rau swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Katama lands a head kick!
Rau tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Katama paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rau tries to clinch but Katama is having none of it.
Rau falls off balance throwing a combination
and Katama counters with a solid body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rau avoids a kick to the body.
Katama bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Rau wants to clinch
and Katama counters with a nice kick to the body.
Joe Rau seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Katama looks to land a body kick but Rau moved away.
Rau tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Katama counters with a nice kick to the body.
Rau slips a jab and a cross from Katama.
Katama misses with a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rau darts in trying to clinch
and Katama counters with a head kick. That will keep Rau thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rau tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Katama counters with a head kick. That will keep Rau thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Katama pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Katama misses with a body shot.

Rau moves into the clinch.
Rau tries to throw a body punch but Katama avoids it by throwing Rau back against the cage.
Rau can't find room to land a body shot as Katama controls the action.
Rau misses with a hook to the ribs.
Katama wants to get back to striking at distance but Rau won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rau cracks Katama with a nice body shot.
Rau scores with a nice hook to the head.

Katama pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rau uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Katama.
Rau throws the left hand but Katama avoids the punch easily.
Katama misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rau looks to clinch
and Katama finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Katama tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rau looks to clinch
and Katama counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Katama pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rau throws a right hand that Katama ducks under and follows up with a left that Katama also avoids with ease.
Katama comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rau throws a big shot that misses.
Rau tries to bum rush Katama with a series of wild strikes but Katama uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Katama misses with a double jab.
Rau ducks right into an uppercut from Katama.
Katama fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rau looks to clinch
and Katama counters with a nice body shot.
Rau tries to clinch but fails miserably
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shin Katama dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rau uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Katama.
Rau wants to clinch
and Katama counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rau is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Rau lands a slapping body shot.
Katama throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rau counters with a nice uppercut.
Rau looks to clinch
and Katama counters with a head kick. That will keep Rau thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Katama pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Katama throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rau clinches but Katama breaks the clinch
and Katama counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katama throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Katama throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Rau cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rau closes the distance looking to clinch
and Katama counters with a body kick that stops Rau in his tracks momentarily.
Joe Rau is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Katama tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rau tries to close the distance and clinch but Katama swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katama thows a leg kick but Rau checks it
and Rau connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rau throws out a powerful jab.
Katama tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Shin Katama seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Katama looks to throw a body kick
and Rau counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rau tries to clinch but Katama moves away
and Katama finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Katama lands with a kick to the temple. Rau shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Rau is looking to clinch.
Katama throws a sloppy head kick
and Rau makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Rau misses with a double jab
and Katama counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katama fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rau.
Rau throws a series of punches but Katama moves out of range.
Rau misses with the combination.
Rau wants to clinch but Katama slips to the side
and Katama counters with a nice body kick.
Katama thuds his shin into the meat of Rau's side.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Katama circles away from the clinch attempt
and Katama counters with a good, hard body kick but Rau shrugs it off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rau blocks a head kick by Katama.
Katama tries to bum rush Rau with a series of wild strikes but Rau uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rau darts in trying to clinch
and Katama counters with a stiff right hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Good leg kick by Katama there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Rau tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Katama counters with a good, hard body kick but Rau shrugs it off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Shin Katama will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Rau's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Katama feints and then cracks Rau's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rau down.
Rau will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Katama chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rau takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Rau wants to clinch but Katama slips to the side
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Katama scores with a kick to the midsection.
Katama lands with a nice body kick.
Katama throws a head kick that misses
and Rau counters with a stiff right hand.
Katama throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Katama circles away from the clinch attempt
and Katama counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rau just misses with a punch to the body.
Katama throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Rau blocks a head kick by Katama.
Rau missing with a left hand there. Katama was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Katama throws a sloppy head kick and Rau moves out of range easily.
Rau clinches but Katama breaks the clinch
and Katama counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Katama.
Rau tries to clinch but Katama moves away
and Katama counters with a nice body kick.
Katama misses with a two punch combination.
Katama lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Katama misses with a head kick.
Katama throws a head kick but Rau moves out of range.
Rau is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Katama misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rau wants to clinch
and Katama counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rau keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Katama staying out of range there.
Katama pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rau avoids the head kick by Katama.
Rau darts in trying to clinch
and Katama counters with a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rau wants to clinch but Katama slips to the side
and Katama counters with a series of strikes. Rau will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rau closes the distance looking to clinch
and Katama counters with a head kick. That will keep Rau thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rau tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Katama counters with a solid body kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rau tries to clinch
and Katama counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Joe Rau has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shin Katama is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Katama feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rau's calf.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shin Katama comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Katama winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shin Katama!