PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eldoth Kron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Katsu Saito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kron comes to the cage accompanied by Afterworld. Katsu Saito is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Kron
vs
Saito

189 cm
25
189 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
27
186 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Eldoth Kron!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Katsu Saito!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Josh West and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saito fails with an attempt to clinch.
Saito throws a right and a left that both miss.

Kron tries to keep at a distance but Saito has taken the fight into the clinch.
Saito connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Eldoth Kron has been cut.

Saito breaks the clinch.
Saito lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Saito moves in looking to clinch but Kron pushes him off.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Kron is defended easily by Saito.

Kron shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Kron trying to control but Saito is having none of it.
Kron looking to finish with strikes here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kron thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Kron with good strikes from the mount here!
Saito squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Kron misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Kron punching from mount but Saito doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Kron with shots to the head and body - Saito looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kron controlling the pace for now.
Kron thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Kron lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kron controlling his opponent.
Kron sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kron looking to control and managing it successfully.
Saito wants to get back to his feet.
Kron content just to control the position here.
Saito really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kron. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kron jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Saito manages to avoid the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kron swings around for an armbar but Saito sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Kron's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eldoth Kron dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Eldoth Kron's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kron shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Saito clinches up with Kron and pushes him back against the cage.

Saito pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Saito moves into the clinch.

Saito breaks from the clinch.

Saito tries to sprawl but Kron drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Kron seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Saito does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Saito looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kron lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kron perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kron trying to control from half guard but Saito is working away.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Kron takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Eldoth Kron just wasn't active enough.
Saito digs a good hook to Kron's body.
Saito is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Saito clinches up against the cage.
Saito connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kron's face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Saito pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Saito tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kron paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Saito lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Kron shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Kron controlling the pace.
Kron moves nicely into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kron with the ground and pound but Saito regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kron thows a huge punch but Saito dodges it nicely.
Kron seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Kron is working for a kimura but Saito is defending it quite comfortably.

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.
Kron stalling away here and it's allowed Saito to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Kron tries to free his leg and advance position but Saito is retaining full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kron trying to move into half guard but instead Saito has managed to sweep!
Saito trying to stand up but can't free himself from Kron's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eldoth Kron dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Eldoth Kron's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Kron misses with a takedown attempt - Saito sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Katsu Saito is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saito stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Saito wants it to stay on the feet.
Kron shoots in looking for a takedown but Saito manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kron's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eldoth Kron. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saito tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Kron manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Saito is looking to clinch but Kron is avoiding it.
Saito slaps away a takedown attempt from Kron, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Danga de danga de dang - Saito scores with a four punch combination!
Saito connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Saito moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Kron shoots for a double leg takedown but Saito sprawls well. He's pushed Kron's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A right-left combo lands from Saito.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Saito tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saito doesn't manage to clinch there - Kron circles away.
Kron shoots in but no luck this time.

Saito moves into the clinch.
Saito wants to break the clinch but can't.
Saito unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Saito connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kron's face.
Saito manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Saito lands a damaging elbow.

Saito escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Saito rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kron moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Saito tries to close the distance and clinch but Kron swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saito misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kron fails to land the takedown.
Saito's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Saito duly obliges.
Saito lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Saito clinches.

Saito's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Saito lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Saito moves in looking to clinch but Kron pushes him off.

Kron fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Saito sprawls well initially but Kron persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kron moves nicely into side control.
Saito takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kron remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saito is working to avoid the ground and pound but Kron connects with a decent elbow.
Kron tries to score with some ground and pound. Saito controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Kron wants to control but Saito is keeping him busy.
Saito pushes Kron away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Kron gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saito defending against the ground and pound.
Kron throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Saito works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Well, if Kron 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saito pushes Kron off looking to stand but Kron dives back in and keeps control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Katsu Saito comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kron 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Josh West scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eldoth Kron!
In his post fight interview, Eldoth Kron gave a big smile as he said 'Submission? We talking bout submission?'.