PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fabio Vendetta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Musashi Kato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kato has chosen 神風 as his entrance music. Musashi Kato has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Fabio Vendetta's chin.

Vendetta
vs
Kato

185 cm
26
200 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

188 cm
26
187 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

TWGC Champion
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Brute

Convicted Trap House

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fabio Vendetta!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Musashi Kato!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Aleksandr Martynov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kato waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Vendetta.
A swing and a miss from Vendetta.
Vendetta misses with a straight right.
Vendetta connects with a right hand. Kato shakes it off.

It looks like Musashi Kato has been cut.
Vendetta throws a nice looking combination but Kato bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Vendetta ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kato moves away.
Vendetta throws out a loose jab but Kato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Vendetta takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Vendetta tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Vendetta looks to throw the jab but Kato is out of range.
Kato takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Vendetta throws a lazy right hand but Kato sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Vendetta throws a nice looking combination but Kato bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vendetta throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kato keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice shot by Vendetta.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kato cracks a nice hook into Vendetta's ribs.
Kato with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Vendetta throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kato.
Vendetta misses with a hook

and Kato counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Kato working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kato sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Kato wants to control from the top but Vendetta keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vendetta seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Kato slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Musashi Kato wasn't active enough on the ground.
Kato lands a nice looking body shot.
Kato avoids the head kick by Vendetta.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kato.
Vendetta throws the kick towards the body but Kato avoids it.
A telegraphed right hand from Vendetta misses the target.
Vendetta misses with a straight right.
Kato misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Vendetta swinging wildly here.
Vendetta swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Vendetta swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kato takes one on the button.
Vendetta rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kato moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kato scores with a crisp jab that stopped Vendetta in his tracks.

It looks like Fabio Vendetta has been cut.
Vendetta wants to clinch.
Vendetta on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
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!
Vendetta misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kato cracks the inside of Vendetta's front leg.
Vendetta misses with an uppercut.
Vendetta lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kato at a distance.

Vendetta has Kato up against the cage in a clinch.
Kato doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kato.
Vendetta doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Vendetta lands on the inside with an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Vendetta.
Vendetta tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Still in the clinch, Vendetta scores with a nice short uppercut.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Vendetta takes a shot to the head.
Vendetta slowing the pace effectively.
Vendetta blocking some punches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
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 Fabio Vendetta will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Vendetta misses with a double jab

and Kato counters with a nice double leg into side control. Vendetta won't be happy with that.
The strikes coming from Kato are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Kato misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Kato tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Kato throws an elbow but Vendetta slips to the side and avoids it well.
Kato tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Vendetta can't do much from the bottom here.
The ground and pound from Kato seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kato happy to just control the position for now.
Kato working away.
Kato throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Vendetta wants to get back to his feet.

Kato looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Kato misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kato wants to control but Vendetta is keeping him busy.
Vendetta wants to control but Kato postures up.
Kato has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kato misses with the ground and pound.
Kato is looking to take a break and control but Vendetta is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kato working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato is looking to take a break and control but Vendetta is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kato throws an elbow but Vendetta slips to the side and avoids it well.
Vendetta manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
It looks like Vendetta is going to stand back up.
Kato has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Vendetta is working away from the top position though.
Vendetta prevents Kato from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kato looking for a kimura from the bottom but Vendetta passes into side control!
Kato is trying to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kato is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Musashi Kato showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Vendetta throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Vendetta falls off balance throwing a combination

and Kato counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Vendetta's guard now.
Kato trying to control but Vendetta is working from the bottom.
Kato is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Musashi Kato has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Vendetta throws a left and a right that both miss

and Kato counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Musashi Kato has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kato trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kato won't allow Vendetta to get back to his feet.
Kato trying to control the position from guard on top but Vendetta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kato with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kato wants to control from the top but Vendetta keeps moving.
Kato tries to free his leg and advance position but Vendetta is retaining full guard.
Kato cracks Vendetta with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kato wants to control from the top but Vendetta keeps moving.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kato is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Kato throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vendetta works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Vendetta working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kato.
Kato tries to free his leg and advance position but Vendetta is retaining full guard.
Kato content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kato throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kato tries to free his leg and advance position but Vendetta is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato trying to control the position from guard on top but Vendetta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kato being controlled here momentarily.
Kato sitting in guard here, content to control.

Kato drops back, looking for a kneebar! Vendetta looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Vendetta looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Vendetta!
Kato gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vendetta seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kato gets full guard.
Kato looking to hit a scissor sweep but Vendetta is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Musashi Kato comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kato has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Musashi Kato!
Our winner, Musashi Kato, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.