PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Katsuro Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergiy Sklyar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sklyar has chosen Scarface - No Tears as his entrance music. Katsuro Sato has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Sato
vs
Sklyar

187 cm
31
196 lbs
25 - 12 - 0

160 cm
28
140 lbs
24 - 6 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

KAISER

Reaper Combatwear

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 25 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Katsuro Sato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Sergiy Sklyar!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Sam Margolis and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sklyar fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sato looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sklyar moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Sklyar throws a poor cross that misses

and Sato counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sato.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Sato tries to free his leg and advance position but Sklyar is retaining full guard.
Sklyar trying to control the position.
Sato trying to control the position from guard on top but Sklyar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sato throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sato throws a strike but Sklyar rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sato looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sklyar puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sklyar working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Sato manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Sklyar stopping the sweep attempt from Sato.
Sato has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Sato is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sklyar defends well.
Sklyar wants to control from the top but Sato keeps moving.
Sato looking for a sweep. Not yet Sato, not yet.

Sato working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sklyar doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sklyar manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sklyar wants to control from the top but Sato keeps moving.
Sato wants to sweep here but Sklyar controlling him for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sklyar accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sklyar trying to control but Sato is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sato is on top in guard.
Sklyar working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sato.
Sato throwing strikes but missing.
Sato trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sato wants to control from the top but Sklyar keeps moving.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sato wants to pass the guard but Sklyar is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sato looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Sklyar works his way to full guard. Good work.
Sato with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sato is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sato looking to pass the guard.
Sato wants to control from the top but Sklyar keeps moving.
Sato postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sklyar is looking to land body kicks.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sklyar is defended easily by Sato.
A jab from Sklyar does it's job there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sato misses with a low kick.
Sato throws a jab but it's blocked by Sklyar.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sklyar throws out a loose jab but Sato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Sato thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sato punishes Sklyar's body with a nice straight punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Katsuro Sato dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sklyar throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Sato was covering up waiting for the punch and Sklyar finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Sklyar trying to control but Sato is working from the bottom.
Sklyar is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Sklyar stands and throws Sato's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Sato is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sato is working hard here to advance position.
Sato on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Sato is working to avoid the ground and pound but Sklyar connects with a decent elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sato sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Sato moves into full guard.
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!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sklyar working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sato's head.
Sklyar with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Sato throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Sklyar escapes and throws Sato's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sato is working to avoid the ground and pound but Sklyar connects with a decent elbow.
Sato taking a bit of punishment here - Sklyar scoring with strikes.
Sato is trying to improve his position.
Sato taking punishment in the form of punches.
Sato is trying to get back to half guard.
Sato on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sklyar landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Sato is looking to regain half guard here but Sklyar keeps moving and retains side control.
Sklyar working the head with strikes.
Sklyar is looking to take a break and control but Sato is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sato regains half guard.
Sato is looking for a sweep. Sklyar is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sklyar is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Sklyar lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Nice strikes from Sklyar there.
Sato tries to get to full guard but Sklyar has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sklyar not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sklyar working over Sato with some ground and pound. Sato looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Sato looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sklyar is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sklyar lands with a punch from half guard.
Sato tries to roll over but Sklyar keeps him under control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sklyar is pressing down on Sato's thigh, looking to free his foot. Sato is holding on for now.
Sklyar seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sato does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergiy Sklyar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Sato moves out of range of the leg kick from Sklyar.
Sato throws the left hand but Sklyar avoids the punch easily.
Sato tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sklyar swivels and escapes.
Sato throws a low kick, looking for Sklyar's leg but Sklyar calmly moves out of range.
Sklyar lands a leg kick that knocks Sato off balance momentarily.
Sato throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Sato wants to slow Sklyar down by chopping away at his legs.
Sklyar throws out a powerful jab.

Sklyar shoots in and bounces Sato off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sklyar postures up and lands a big shot to Sato's brow.
Sato is trying to keep Sklyar in close.
Sklyar is in close to Sato's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sklyar wants to control from the top but Sato keeps moving.

Sklyar got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sato has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sklyar has managed to get both his arms back between Sato's legs - danger averted.
Sklyar postures up and lands a big shot to Sato's brow.
Sklyar lands a couple of digs.
Sklyar working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sato's head.
Sato will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sato is trying to keep Sklyar in close.
Sklyar wants to pass the guard but Sato is keeping the position.
Sklyar trying to control but Sato is working from the bottom.
Sato manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sklyar manages to get himself to full guard.
Sklyar keeping full guard, as Sato tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sklyar keeping moving, preventing Sato from controlling successfully.
Sklyar is trying to keep Sato in close.
Sato loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sato looking to pass the guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sato preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sklyar keeping full guard, as Sato tries to pass.
Sklyar wants to sweep here but Sato controlling him for the moment.
Sato pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sklyar is keeping the position for now.
Sato trying to move into half guard but instead Sklyar has managed to sweep!
Sklyar is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sato trying to keep a closed guard but Sklyar is proving a slippery customer.
Sklyar throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sato keeping full guard, as Sklyar tries to pass.
Sato is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Sklyar. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Sklyar wants to control from the top but Sato keeps moving.
Sklyar distracts Sato with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sato is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sklyar lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Sklyar trying to control but Sato is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sklyar throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sato works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sato keeping moving, preventing Sklyar from controlling successfully.
Sklyar missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sergiy Sklyar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sklyar has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sergiy Sklyar!
During a confident post fight interview, Sergiy Sklyar thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.