PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Ukyo Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Baak Siko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ukyo Sato has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Sato
vs
Siko

175 cm
27
140 lbs
14 - 11 - 0

170 cm
28
147 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ukyo Sato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Baak Siko!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sato swings for the body but Siko moves out of range.
Siko moves away from the strike by Sato.
Siko throws the kick towards the body but Sato avoids it.
Siko tries to clinch up but Sato circles away and keeps his distance.
Siko avoids the body shot from Sato.
Sato uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Siko moves in looking to clinch but Sato pushes him off.
Siko swings for the body but Sato moves out of range.
Sato misses with the combination.
Siko misses with a leg kick
and Sato counters with a head kick.
Siko takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Sato throws a hook to the side of Siko's head but Siko sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Siko throws a sloppy head kick and Sato moves out of range easily.
Sato misses the shot to the body.
Siko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Good shot there by Sato.
Siko lands a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato throws the kick towards the body but Siko avoids it.
Sato connects with a high kick.
Siko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sato paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Siko fails with an attempt to clinch.

Siko gets tackled into the cage by Sato. Sato maintains the clinch.
Sato misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sato scores with a shoulder strike.
Sato stalling in the clinch but Siko improves position.
Sato struggles to land a body shot inside as Siko controls his hands.
Siko controlling the action here for a moment.
Siko blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Sato looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sato lands with a right to the head.
Siko blocks the elbow strike.
Siko takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Baak Siko has been cut.
Siko wants to break the clinch but can't.
Siko wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Siko tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Siko.
Siko avoiding damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Siko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sato ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Siko moves away.
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 Ukyo Sato will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Baak Siko's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Siko misses with a body kick.
Siko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Siko tries to clinch there but Sato circles away.
Siko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sato swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sato scores with a kick to the midsection.
Siko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Siko misses with a few strikes there.
Sato motions for Siko to come forward. Sato throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Siko wants to clinch.
Sato swings widly with a right hand
and Siko makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Siko closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sato counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Nice straight punches there by Sato. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Sato.
A slow jab from Sato misses its intended target.
Siko looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Siko manages to avoid it.
Siko lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sato throws a shot from downtown. Siko moves away and avoids it.
Siko avoids the head kick by Sato.
Siko walks into a left hand.
Siko gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Sato.
A head kick misses from Siko.
Siko doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Ukyo Sato is winning the standup battle so far.
Sato lands a nice shot to the body.
Baak Siko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Siko tries to clinch but Sato moves out of range.
Siko tries to bum rush Sato with a series of wild strikes but Sato uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Sato lands a slapping body shot.
Siko wants to clinch.
Siko scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sato misses the shot to the body.
Siko tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sato paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Siko closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sato counters with a low kick, right behind Siko 's knee.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Sato rushes Siko and presses him up against the cage.
Sato tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Siko avoids it.
Sato cracks Siko with a nice body shot.
Sato crunches a lovely knee into Siko's ribcage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Siko lands a shot to the body.
Siko wants to get back to striking at distance but Sato won't allow it.
Sato comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Siko breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ukyo Sato dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Baak Siko's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sato getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Siko scores with a jab to the head.
Sato lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Nice defenses there by Siko.
A slow jab from Sato misses its intended target.
Siko misses with an uppercut. Sato saw that one coming.
Sato lands a nice shot to the body.
A left and a right from Sato both land. Nice combination.
Siko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sato swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Siko tries a low kick but Sato avoids it.
Sato throws a right and a left that both miss.
Siko wants to clinch.
Siko throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Siko clinches with his opponent.
Sato lands a good knee to the midsection. Siko won't want to take too many of those.
Siko prevents a body shot from Sato.
Siko working hard to break the clinch.
Sato misses with a punch to the body.
A short uppercut from Sato.
Siko tries to break the clinch but Sato is controlling the position.
Siko slowing the pace effectively.
Sato misses with the head strike.
Sato gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Siko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ukyo Sato is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Siko misses with a body kick.
Siko looks for the body kick but Sato saw that one coming.

Siko drives through and clinches with Sato against the cage.
Siko lands a body punch in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Siko breaks the clinch.
Siko fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sato looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Siko tries to clinch up
and Sato counters with a good low kick that Siko was not able to check.
Sato digs a good body shot into Siko's ribs.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Siko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A lazy left from Siko finds it's target.
Sato throws a front kick that sends Siko stumbling back into the cage.
Siko is looking to clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sato. Siko does a little dance to reset his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sato has closed the distance and engaged Siko in a clinch.
Siko blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sato misses with some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Ukyo Sato did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The cut man is working on Baak Siko's cut.
That's time! Sato's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Siko gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sato misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sato lands a hook to the side of the head.
Siko stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Sato digs a right hand into Siko's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Siko's gas tank.
Sato doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Sato.
Sato misses with some punches.
Sato tries to work over Siko's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Siko is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Siko is looking to break free of the clinch but Sato has double underhooks.
Sato lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Siko manages to break the clinch.
Siko is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato lands a head shot.
Siko fails to land with a series of punches.

Sato tries to keep at a distance but Siko has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sato lands an elbow just above Siko 's eye.
Sato misses with a body punch.
Siko has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Sato misses with an elbow over the top.
Sato tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Sato misses with a body punch.
Siko tries a knee to the head but Sato blocks it.
Sato working aggressively here.
Sato throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Siko.
Sato lands a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Siko is trying to stall.
Siko crunches a lovely knee into Sato's ribcage.
Sato misses with a short punch on the inside.
Siko lands a knee to the body.
Sato blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Siko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Siko darts in and clinches Sato up against the cage.
Siko has Sato pressed against the cage.
Sato keeps control of Siko as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sato lands a nice elbow.
Siko blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sato misses with some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close fourth round but Baak Siko will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Baak Siko's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Siko throws a leg kick but Sato moved away.
Siko doesn't manage to clinch there - Sato circles away.
Siko lands with an overhand left.
Sato connects with an inside leg kick.
Sato throws a head kick that misses.
Siko tries to clinch but Sato is having none of it.
Sato doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Siko wants to clinch up but Sato keeps it at a distance.
Siko throws a sloppy head kick and Sato moves out of range easily.
Sato tests Siko's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sato fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Sato tries to land a front kick but Siko steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Siko fails with an attempt to clinch.
Siko throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato tries to clinch up but Siko circles away and keeps his distance.

Sato closes the distance and pushes Siko back into the cage.
Sato tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Siko tries to circle away but Sato has him pinned against the cage.
Sato makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Sato swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Siko blocks an uppercut.
A short right from Siko on the inside.
Sato swings wildly with an uppercut but Siko uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sato lands a damaging elbow.
Sato landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Sato keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Siko's efforts to push away.
Siko tries to circle away but Sato has him pinned against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sato lands a right hand that snaps the head of Siko backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sato.
Siko is looking to control Sato's arms but Sato gets an underhook and turns him. Now Siko has his back to the cage.
A body shot lands from Siko.
Sato throws a head punch that misses.
Sato lands an uppercut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sato misses with an elbow over the top.
Sato misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Siko.
Sato scores with a shoulder strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sato prevents Siko from breaking the clinch.
Siko lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sato backwards.
Sato tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Baak Siko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Siko misses with a punch to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ukyo Sato.
Well Sato has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 50:46
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 50:45
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 50:45

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