PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dale Bellido (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kumina Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Bellido
vs
Sato

178 cm
27
168 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

167 cm
22
168 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dale Bellido!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kumina Sato!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Bellido looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bellido loads up on a big right hand but Sato slips the punch.
Bellido checks the leg kick.
Sato slaps away a takedown attempt from Bellido, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bellido chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sato can pounce on him.
Sato shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Bellido counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bellido.
Bellido preventing the sweep.
Bellido trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sato looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bellido is one step ahead there.
Sato wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bellido slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Bellido stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sato swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bellido throws a strike but Sato rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Bellido working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sato.
Sato lands a couple of elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Bellido keeping full guard, as Sato tries to pass.
Sato stops Bellido from standing up.
Bellido keeping moving, preventing Sato from controlling successfully.

Sato drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Bellido dives on top into guard.
Sato manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Bellido manages to get himself to full guard.
Sato stands and throws Bellido's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Bellido struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellido is looking for a sweep.
Sato working the ground and pound from side control.
Bellido is trying to improve his position.
Sato trying to control the position but Bellido is working away.
Sato lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Sato in the domination position with Bellido hanging on.
Sato trying to control the action but Bellido is working from the bottom.
Bellido is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Sato wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Bellido, who protects the arm well.
Sato trying to control the position but Bellido is working away.
Bellido is trying to improve his position.
Sato wants to control but Bellido is keeping him busy.
Bellido is trying to buck Sato off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dale Bellido will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Sato!
Sato scores with a spinning back kick!
Sato lands a body shot.
Sato lands a nice looking body shot.
Bellido stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Sato.
Bellido walks into a left hand.
Bellido on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Bellido tries to clinch up but Sato circles away and keeps his distance.
Sato throws a wild body kick that Bellido sees coming a mile off.
Sato stuffs the takedown attempt from Bellido. Bellido gets slowly back to his feet.

Bellido 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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bellido looking to sit in guard and control but Sato gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sato looking to sit in guard and control but Bellido gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sato is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bellido defends well.
Sato seems keen to control Bellido's posture.
Sato manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sato trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Bellido regains half guard.
Sato is trying to control the action in half guard but Bellido is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Bellido tries to kick Sato off but Sato keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Sato not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Bellido wants to control but Sato is keeping busy.
Well, if Sato is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Sato is looking for a kimura here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sato.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bellido throws a combination that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
A shot to the liver by Sato. Beautiful body shot.
An inside leg kick from Sato misses.
Bellido looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sato tries to clinch up but Bellido circles away and keeps his distance.
Sato fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bellido manages to avoid it.

Bellido shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sato's guard.
Sato working a defensive guard here.
Sato controlling Bellido's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bellido working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sato's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kumina Sato will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Sato misses with a wild body shot.
Sato throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Sato fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bellido checks a leg kick nicely.
Bellido shoots for a takedown but Sato saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sato throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Bellido on the side of the head.
Sato keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Good leg kick by Sato there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Kumina Sato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sato. That's going to slow Bellido down.
Sato throws a series of punches but Bellido avoids them all with ease.
Sato keeps the fight on the outside.
Bellido tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Dale Bellido is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato shoots in for a takedown but Bellido shows good takedown defense.
Bellido shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dale Bellido. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sato misses with a straight right.
Bellido checks a low kick from Sato.
Good leg kick by Sato there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Sato thuds his shin into the meat of Bellido's side.

Sato forces Bellido back against the cage and clinches.
Bellido tries a body shot but Sato blocks it.
Sato lands a right hand.
Sato keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Bellido's efforts to push away.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Bellido wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sato lands a body punch in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Sato.
Sato with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sato is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Bellido is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Sato is keeping busy.
Sato can't get the takedown.
Bellido tries a body shot but Sato blocks it.
Bellido blocking some punches.
Bellido looking to stall.
Sato lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bellido leaning his opponent against the cage.
Bellido is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Sato is keeping busy.
Sato goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellido trying to control the position but instead, Sato has worked for underhooks and has pushed Bellido into the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Dale Bellido.
Bellido ducks under a wild hook from Sato.
Bellido is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sato sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Bellido tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bellido takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Bellido takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
No joy there for Bellido, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Bellido takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Sato lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bellido's sensitive parts.
Sato lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Bellido backs up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sato.
Dale Bellido overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bellido is trying to get back to half guard.
Sato controlling the position.
Bellido dodges the ground and pound from Sato.
Sato tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Sato works to advance to full mount. Bellido defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kumina Sato comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sato has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Kumina Sato!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Kumina Sato!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Kumina Sato!

Kumina Sato wins by unanimous decision!