PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Retri Paladin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hiroshi Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Paladin
vs
Sato

175 cm
25
165 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

175 cm
22
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Retri Paladin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroshi Sato!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Fujiwara and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sato is looking to clinch.
Hiroshi Sato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sato wants to clinch up but Paladin keeps it at a distance.
Paladin swats away the attempt to clinch by Sato.
Sato keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sato tries to clinch but Paladin moves out of range.
Sato tries to clinch but Paladin moves out of range.
Sato ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sato misses with a wild combination.
Sato moves in looking to clinch but Paladin pushes him off.
Sato tries a head kick but it misses.
Sato tries to clinch but Paladin moves out of range.
Sato tries to clinch up.
Paladin fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sato manages to avoid it.
Sato slips a straight right by Paladin.
Sato tries to clinch but Paladin moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paladin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sato.
Paladin throws a lazy right hand but Sato sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sato tries to clinch there but Paladin circles away.
Sato moves in looking to clinch but Paladin pushes him off.
Sato tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Paladin paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Paladin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sato keeps control of Paladin as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sato is trying to maintain a safe position but Paladin gets an underhook and turns Sato into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato has had enough of the clinch but Paladin keeps him there for the moment.
A frustrated look appears on Sato's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Sato misses with a knee to the head.
Sato scores a nice knee to the body.
Sato misses with a knee strike.
Paladin swings wildly with an uppercut but Sato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sato with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Paladin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Paladin lands with a nice combination. Sato backs away looking to recover.
A lazy left from Paladin finds it's target.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sato wants to clinch.
Sato takes one to the chin there.

Paladin lands a left and a right that send Sato crashing to the mat, dazed. Paladin thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Sato darts in trying to clinch

and Paladin counters with a nice right hand that sends Sato toppling to the canvas! Sato scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Paladin finish him?!

Sato is rocked!
Paladin drops a shoulder and throws a monster hook that connects perfectly to the side of Sato's head, knocking him out cold! Paladin is extatic as he celebrates with his cornermen.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:54 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Retri Paladin!