PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Katsuro Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Lindberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lindberg is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Linkin park What Ive done. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sato
vs
Lindberg

187 cm
22
202 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

184 cm
24
199 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Katsuro Sato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Matt Lindberg!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shirou Masuda and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lindberg ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sato moves away.
Lindberg walks into a stiff left hand from Sato.
Sato looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Lindberg throws a sloppy head kick
enabling Sato to counter with a crisp jab.
Sato misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Lindberg makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Sato pivots, looking for a leg kick but Lindberg is out of range and Sato settles back down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sato throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Lindberg counters with a straight right hand.
Lindberg misses with a hook. Sato ducked under it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lindberg. Sato does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lindberg lands with a hook. Sato tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Lindberg scores with a leg kick.
Sato misses with a straight right.
Lindberg throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Sato's head.
Lindberg uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sato.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lindberg misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sato shoots for a double leg takedown but Lindberg sprawls well. He's pushed Sato's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sato blocks a low kick nicely.

Sato shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Lindberg looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sato is one step ahead there.
Sato wants to control from the top but Lindberg keeps moving.
Sato tries to free his leg and advance position but Lindberg is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato pushing down on Lindberg's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Lindberg manages to get to full guard.
Sato tries to free his leg and advance position but Lindberg is retaining full guard.
Sato is working hard here to advance position.
Sato wants to control from the top but Lindberg keeps moving.
Sato trying to move into half guard but instead Lindberg has managed to sweep!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Sato had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lindberg defends it easily.
Lindberg must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sato is looking to sweep but instead, Lindberg has passed into half guard.

Sato looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sato is pressing down on Lindberg's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sato wants to sweep here but Lindberg controlling him for the moment.
Lindberg trying to control the position from guard on top but Sato is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matt Lindberg will probably get the nod.
That's time! Sato's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Sato shoots for a double leg takedown but Lindberg sprawls well. He's pushed Sato's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sato throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lindberg scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sato doesn't seem bothered though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lindberg wants to clinch.
Sato takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato digs a good hook to Lindberg's body.
Sato throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lindberg takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Sato misses with a takedown attempt - Lindberg sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sato avoids the head kick by Lindberg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sato loads up on a big right hand but Lindberg slips the punch.
Sato thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sato lands with a nice body punch.
Sato misses with an uppercut
and Sato takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lindberg misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lindberg misses with a left hand

and Sato counters with a shoot takedown. Lindberg fights it but they end up in guard.
Lindberg can't keep his opponent in guard - Sato advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Sato working over Lindberg with some ground and pound. Lindberg looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Lindberg keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Sato is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Sato trying to advance position but Lindberg counters by regaining guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sato thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Sato stands and throws Lindberg's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Lindberg is trying to improve his position.

Sato tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Lindberg can do anything to dispel that myth.
Sato throws a strike aimed at the side of Lindberg's head but Lindberg avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Katsuro Sato dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Lindberg throws a sloppy head kick
and Sato cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lindberg thuds a left hand into Sato's body.
Lindberg misses with a head kick.
Lindberg misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lindberg uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sato.
Lindberg throws a lazy head kick

and Sato counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato tries to free his leg and advance position but Lindberg is retaining full guard.
Sato trying to control but Lindberg is working from the bottom.
Sato pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lindberg is keeping the position for now.
Lindberg not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lindberg keeping moving, preventing Sato from controlling successfully.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lindberg fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Sato checks it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sato takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Sato thows a leg kick but Lindberg checks it
and Lindberg counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sato shoots for a double leg takedown but Lindberg sprawls well. He's pushed Sato's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lindberg is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Sato rather than just go for the knockout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lindberg looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sato looks for a takedown but Lindberg sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lindberg fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sato manages to avoid it.

Sato shoots in and gets a takedown into Lindberg's guard.
Lindberg keeping moving, preventing Sato from controlling successfully.
Sato passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Lindberg really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sato. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Lindberg seems a little lost for a moment, as Sato dominates the positioning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sato is looking to take a break and control but Lindberg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lindberg prevents Sato from improving position.
Sato prevents Lindberg from escaping the position.
Sato has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Sato controlling from the full mount.
Sato wants to control the pace but Lindberg is squirming around nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Katsuro Sato showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sato has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Katsuro Sato!