PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Michael Kato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and CJ Stone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael Kato had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 136.5lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Michael Kato looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Kato
vs
Stone

175 cm
23
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

183 cm
24
135 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Michael Kato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, CJ Stone!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kato throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Stone counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Stone tries to pass to full mount but Kato defends it.
Stone with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Stone is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Stone not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Kato is breathing heavily.
Stone throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kato keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kato has hold of Stone's hands but Stone slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Kato is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Stone scores with a couple of nice shots.
Kato definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Stone is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Stone missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone controlling the action here.
Stone is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Kato!
Stone controlling the pace for now.
Stone lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Kato is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Stone can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kato is looking to escape.
Stone controlling from the full mount.
Stone with the ground and pound from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone tries to control but Kato wriggling away.
Stone scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Kato tries to hold on but Stone postures up.
Stone has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Stone working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Kato looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Stone! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:45 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). CJ Stone!