PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Strasser (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenji Kato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rashad Strasser has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Strasser
vs
Kato

178 cm
20
180 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

176 cm
19
167 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rashad Strasser!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kenji Kato!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Roosa Järviläinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Strasser. Kato does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kato throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Strasser.
Strasser throws a hook to the side of Kato's head but Kato sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kato throws a leg kick which misses Strasser's front leg but catches the back leg as Strasser tries to avoid it.
Kato scores with a nice right hand.
A telegraphed right hand from Strasser misses the target.
Strasser looks to throw the jab but Kato is out of range.
Kato on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Rashad Strasser seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kato walks into a straight right hand from Strasser.
Kato throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kato lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Strasser throws an off balance right hand
and Kato counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Strasser swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Kato counters with a nice leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kato scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Strasser takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Strasser just misses with a punch to the body.
Kato avoids the body shot from Strasser.
Strasser lands a jab to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Kato, as that shot connected.
Kato dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kato lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Strasser misses with a straight right.
Kato tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kato keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Strasser.
Kato throws a shot from downtown. Strasser moves away and avoids it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kato.
Kato is looking to slow Strasser down with leg kicks.
Strasser looks to throw the jab but Kato is out of range.
Strasser blocks a head kick by Kato.
Strasser fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kato throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kenji Kato is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kato fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kato takes a swing at Strasser's ribcage but misses.
Kato thumps Strasser with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strasser misses with a wild body shot.
Some wild striking there from Strasser.
Strasser misses with an uppercut
and Kato counters with a nice body kick.
Kato is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Strasser rather than just go for the knockout.
Kato's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Kato duly obliges.
Good standup being displayed there by Strasser as he connects with a hook.
Kato tries to bum rush Strasser with a series of wild strikes but Strasser uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kato cracks Strasser with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Kato's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Kato duly obliges.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Kato.
Kato misses with a body kick.
Strasser is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Kato throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Strasser stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Strasser looks to throw the jab but Kato is out of range.
Strasser throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Strasser misses with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Strasser loads up on a big right hand but Kato slips the punch.
Kato keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A jab from Kato does it's job there.
Nice uppercut there from Kato.
Kato slips under a jab from Strasser.
Strasser misses with a wild body shot.
Kato feints and then cracks Strasser's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Strasser down.
Kato ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Kato with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Strasser throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kato throws a hook but Strasser avoids it easily.
Kato ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Kato is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kato feints and then cracks Strasser's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Strasser down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strasser misses the shot to the body.
Kato fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Strasser has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kato is looking to slow Strasser down with leg kicks.
Kato connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Kato lands a right hook to the body.
Strasser on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Kato throws a hook but Strasser blocks it.
Kato dips to his left and cracks Strasser with an uppercut!

Strasser is rocked!
Kato thuds a left hand into Strasser's body.
Strasser is breathing heavily.
Kato pushes Strasser away with a front kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Kato.
Strasser takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kato swinging wildly here.
Strasser misses with a left hand
and Kato counters with a good low kick that Strasser was not able to check.
Strasser takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Oh Strasser is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Strasser gets clipped by a big right hand and goes down spinning to the canvas! Kato gets the back mount and begins to drop bombs on his rocked foe! Strasser is too out of it to defend against the strikes and the referee jumps in to save him from the beatdown!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kenji Kato!
A victorious Kenji Kato thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.