PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kostas Charalabous (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Musashi Kato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kato has chosen 神風 Musashi Kato is gyrating in front of the ring girls as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Charalabous
vs
Kato

180 cm
31
195 lbs
28 - 6 - 0

188 cm
29
190 lbs
19 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Reaper Combatwear

Conviction

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 28 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kostas Charalabous!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Musashi Kato!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kato lands a jab.
Kato takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Kato stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Charalabous.
Kato buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Kato looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Charalabous looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Charalabous stuns Kato with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Charalabous fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kato manages to avoid it.
Charalabous scores with a leg kick.
Charalabous staying out of range there.
Kato takes a swing at Charalabous's ribcage but misses.
No joy there for Kato, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Kato fakes the leg kick and cracks Charalabous in the body.
Kato lands with a shot to the body.
Kato tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Charalabous was well out of range. Poor timing from Kato.
Charalabous tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kato was well out of range. Poor timing from Charalabous.
Charalabous lands a leg kick that knocks Kato off balance momentarily.
Charalabous misses with a body shot.
Charalabous is looking to slow Kato down with leg kicks.
Kato fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Charalabous looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kato misses with a series of wild punches.
Charalabous lands a nice shot that snaps Kato's head back.
Charalabous lands a really nice looking cross but Kato seems unphased.
Kato keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Charalabous.
Charalabous looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kato takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
No joy there for Kato, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Charalabous has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kato.
Kato takes a shot to the body in his stride.
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!
Charalabous connects with a looping right hand.
Charalabous throws an overhand right that lands on Kato's shoulder, as Kato tries to avoid the shot.
Kato loads up on a big right hand but Charalabous slips the punch.
Charalabous takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Charalabous is looking to slow Kato down with leg kicks.
Kostas Charalabous is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kato swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Charalabous misses with a body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kato misses with a wild body shot.
Nice cross by Charalabous.
Kato dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Charalabous lands a right hook to the body.
A shot to the liver by Charalabous. Beautiful body shot.
Charalabous throws a good cross that connects.

It looks like Musashi Kato has been cut.
Charalabous takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Charalabous thows a leg kick but Kato checks it

and Kato counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Kato looks to land a strike but Charalabous avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Kato has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kato throws a big right hand that misses.
Charalabous trying to control the position here.
Charalabous wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato is looking to work some ground and pound but Charalabous has wrist control.
Kato pushes down on Charalabous's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Kato not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kato moves into full mount! Charalabous won't be happy about that!
Kato throwing strikes here but Charalabous is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Kato misses with a head shot.
Charalabous blocking the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Charalabous is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kato controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kostas Charalabous dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Musashi Kato's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Charalabous swings for the body but Kato moves out of range.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Charalabous.
A nice inside leg kick there by Charalabous. That's going to slow Kato down.
Kato lands with an overhand left.
Charalabous is looking to land body kicks.
Charalabous goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Charalabous dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kato. That did some damage!
Kato avoids a punch combination nicely.
Charalabous throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kato moves into range and connects with a jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kato misses with a few strikes there.
Charalabous scores with a hook.
Kato steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Charalabous.
Charalabous throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kato lands a slapping body shot.
Kato keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Charalabous.

Charalabous clinches up with Kato and pushes him back against the cage.
Kato prevents a body shot from Charalabous.
Kato tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Charalabous just stands there and leans against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Charalabous fails to land.
Charalabous misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kato blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kato misses with a body punch.
Kato has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

Kato drags the fight down to the ground.
Kato wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Charalabous is now in half guard.
Kato is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charalabous trying to control the pace.
Charalabous wants to pass to mount but Kato is defending the position.
Kato tries to get to full guard but Charalabous has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Kato is pressing down on Charalabous's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Kato looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Kato looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kato not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Musashi Kato has got the better of the ground game so far.

Kato throws his legs up looking for a submission but Charalabous uses it to pass to side control.
Kato is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Charalabous trying to control the action but Kato is working from the bottom.
Kato manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Kato slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kato controls Charalabous momentarily but Charalabous frees himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Kato throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Musashi Kato will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Musashi Kato's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Charalabous misses the body punch

so Kato counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Kato working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kato tries to free his leg and advance position but Charalabous is retaining full guard.
Kato controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kato accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Charalabous keeping full guard, as Kato tries to pass.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Musashi Kato hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Kato looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Charalabous takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Charalabous. That's going to slow Kato down.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Kato.
Kato plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Charalabous is rocked!
Charalabous avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Charalabous scores with a leg kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Kato crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Charalabous - the referee stops the clock and Kato gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Charalabous. Kato manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Kato takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kato moves out of range of the strikes.
Kato's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Charalabous wants to clinch up but Kato keeps it at a distance.
Charalabous thows a body kick. Kato tries to catch it but that hurt him.

Charalabous forces Kato back against the cage and clinches.
Charalabous digs a right hand into Kato's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Kato's gas tank.
Charalabous lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Kato or not.
Charalabous blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kato blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kato prevents a body shot from Charalabous.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kato tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kato working aggressively here.
Charalabous working aggressively here.
Kato tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Charalabous goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kato misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kato blocks an uppercut.
Charalabous tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kato jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Charalabous walks away with a smile on his face. Kato gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kato connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Charalabous's hands.
Kato sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kato.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato ducks under a wild hook from Charalabous.
Charalabous throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Charalabous throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kato throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Charalabous stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Charalabous looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Charalabous pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Charalabous takes a swing at Kato's ribcage but misses.
Kato scores with a body shot.
Charalabous throws a leg kick which misses Kato's front leg but catches the back leg as Kato tries to avoid it.
Kato stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Charalabous.
Kato misses with an uppercut
and Charalabous counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Charalabous chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A nice leg kick lands there from Charalabous.
Kato is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Charalabous rather than just go for the knockout.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kato chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Charalabous can pounce on him.
Charalabous stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Kato tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kato throws a hook to the side of Charalabous's head but Charalabous sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Kato scoring well with a low kick there.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Kato checks a leg kick.
Kostas Charalabous is winning the standup battle so far.
Charalabous throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Charalabous lands with a nice body kick.
Charalabous misses with a low kick.
Kato looks to land a combination but Charalabous avoids it well.
Charalabous thows a body shot but no joy.
Charalabous scores with a jab. Kato acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Charalabous scores with a nice body kick.
Kato staying out of range there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kato throws the left hand but Charalabous avoids the punch easily.
Kato misses with a hook
and Charalabous counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Charalabous swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Kato takes one on the chin but seems OK.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kostas Charalabous showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Charalabous 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kostas Charalabous!
Kostas Charalabous gave a mention to Reaper Combatwear in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).