PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Isamu Katsuki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Koji Hisaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Katsuki comes to the cage accompanied by 10 Years Today by Bullet For My Valentine. Koji Hisaki told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Katsuki
vs
Hisaki

179 cm
18
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

187 cm
19
174 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Isamu Katsuki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Koji Hisaki!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Katsuki lands with a kick to the ribs.
Jab by Hisaki.
Katsuki is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hisaki sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hisaki moves out of range as Katsuki throws a body kick.
Hisaki shoots in looking for a takedown. Katsuki tries to sprawl out of it but Hisaki keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Katsuki manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Katsuki gets a clinch.
Katsuki with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hisaki trying to control the position but instead, Katsuki has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hisaki into the cage.
Katsuki tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Hisaki's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Katsuki tries to land a body kick

and Hisaki counters with a shoot takedown. Katsuki fights it but they end up in guard.
Hisaki not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Hisaki trying to control but Katsuki is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Katsuki pushes Hisaki off and gets back to his feet.
Katsuki gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Hisaki counters with a low kick, right behind Katsuki 's knee.

Hisaki shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Hisaki is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Katsuki throws a right and a left that Hisaki avoids nicely.
Katsuki pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Katsuki misses with a wild combination.
Katsuki lands a head kick. Hisaki smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Hisaki shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Hisaki performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hisaki is looking to stall here but Katsuki recovers full guard.
Hisaki looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katsuki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Katsuki is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hisaki is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hisaki working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hisaki trying to control but Katsuki is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Koji Hisaki was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Hisaki tries to clinch up but Katsuki circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck for Hisaki with that takedown attempt.
Katsuki throws a leg kick which misses Hisaki's front leg but catches the back leg as Hisaki tries to avoid it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hisaki closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Hisaki wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Katsuki, who protects the arm well.
Hisaki looks gassed!
Hisaki prevents Katsuki from escaping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koji Hisaki dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hisaki tries to close the distance and clinch up but Katsuki swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Katsuki clinches up with Hisaki and pushes him back against the cage.
Katsuki scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Koji Hisaki has been cut.
Katsuki misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hisaki.
Katsuki is trying to maintain a safe position but Hisaki gets an underhook and turns Katsuki into the cage.
Katsuki stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Katsuki looking to throw knees to the head but Hisaki is blocking nicely.
A knee to the head by Katsuki.
Katsuki lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Hisaki managing to block the knees to the body from Katsuki.
Katsuki using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hisaki has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Katsuki misses with a knee to the head.
Katsuki tries a knee to the head but Hisaki blocks it.
Katsuki tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hisaki is trying to trip Katsuki. He has hold of a leg but Katsuki is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Hisaki persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Katsuki pushes Hisaki off and scrambles back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Katsuki closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katsuki misses with a combination

and Hisaki counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Katsuki's guard now.
Hisaki is pushing down on Katsuki's leg trying to pass to half guard. Katsuki is fighting to maintain full guard but Hisaki has managed to sneak the leg through.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hisaki in particular looking to stall.
Hisaki throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Katsuki is not content to let Hisaki control the position.
Katsuki is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hisaki is looking to take a break and control but Katsuki is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Hisaki is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Hisaki controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hisaki wants to free his trapped foot but Katsuki is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Katsuki is looking to improve his position.
Katsuki is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Koji Hisaki was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Katsuki shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Katsuki fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hisaki shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Katsuki sprawls well. Katsuki wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hisaki gets slowly back to his feet.

Hisaki gets tackled into the cage by Katsuki. Katsuki maintains the clinch.
Katsuki is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hisaki tries to pull guard but Katsuki holds him up against the cage and eventually Hisaki drops back down to his feet.
Hisaki tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Katsuki smiles and moves away.
Isamu Katsuki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Koji Hisaki.
Katsuki throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hisaki.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koji Hisaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Koji Hisaki's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Hisaki closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Katsuki did well to prevent Hisaki getting side control.
Hisaki is looking to advance position but Katsuki won't allow it.
Hisaki trying to control the action but Katsuki is working from the bottom.
Katsuki trying to control here.

Katsuki manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hisaki throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Katsuki's waist but Katsuki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hisaki off to one side.
Hisaki takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Katsuki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hisaki gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Katsuki holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Katsuki with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Katsuki misses with a knee strike.
The referee calls for Katsuki to work.
Katsuki with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hisaki changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Katsuki fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Isamu Katsuki has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Koji Hisaki.
Katsuki lands a nice leg kick that just misses Hisaki's sensitive parts.
Katsuki lands a leg kick that knocks Hisaki off balance momentarily.
Isamu Katsuki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Katsuki has closed the distance and engaged Hisaki in a clinch.
Katsuki tries to land a knee to the head but Hisaki blocks with his arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katsuki throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hisaki blocks it with crossed arms.
Katsuki throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hisaki blocks it with crossed arms.
Katsuki is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Hisaki is keeping busy.
Katsuki tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hisaki tries for a takedown. No joy.
Katsuki throws an elbow that misses.

Hisaki escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Katsuki lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hisaki circles away quickly and effectively.
Hisaki shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Katsuki but Katsuki pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Katsuki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Katsuki thuds his shin into the meat of Hisaki's side.

Katsuki closes the distance and pushes Hisaki back into the cage.
Katsuki lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Hisaki is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for Katsuki to work.
Katsuki misses with a knee to the head.

Hisaki escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Hisaki is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hisaki.
Katsuki tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Katsuki tries to land a knee to the head but Hisaki blocks with his arms.
Hisaki wants a takedown.
Hisaki fails to pull guard.
Katsuki tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Hisaki escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Katsuki looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Hisaki misses with a few strikes there.
A combination from Katsuki does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Katsuki thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Hisaki if he has to take too many more of those.
Hisaki on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Katsuki. Katsuki obviously looking to wear him down.
Hisaki lands a really nice looking cross but Katsuki seems unphased.
Katsuki misses with a double jab

so Hisaki counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hisaki engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Katsuki wants to stand up but Hisaki is controlling him.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Koji Hisaki.
I've got Hisaki 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Koji Hisaki!