PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tim Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazushi Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Belfort comes to the cage accompanied by Downfall. The crowd seem to be enjoying Sato's choice of entrance music: Slipknot-Wait and Bleed. Tim Belfort has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Belfort
vs
Sato

190 cm
20
235 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

220 cm
20
255 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Hellbent, Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tim Belfort!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kazushi Sato!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Chris Downing and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Belfort shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sato as he jumps to the side.
Sato tries to close the distance and clinch up but Belfort swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Belfort gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Belfort is trying to control the position but Sato postures up.
Belfort throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Belfort wants to stand up but Sato is controlling him.

Belfort looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Belfort looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sato is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belfort trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Belfort is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Belfort has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sato can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Sato scores with a takedown into Belfort's guard.

Sato stands up from Belfort's guard - Sato perhaps looking for a knockout.

Belfort bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Sato is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Belfort is controlling him well.
Belfort creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato parries the strikes from Belfort easily there. Belfort is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sato to escape.
Sato wants to get back to his feet but Belfort drags him back down.
Sato is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sato parries the strikes from Belfort easily there. Belfort is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sato to escape.

Belfort decides to stand back up.
Sato keeps the fight on the outside.
Belfort with a lazy takedown attempt

so Sato counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Belfort is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sato is controlling him.
Sato looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Belfort working for a triangle but Sato defends it easily.
Sato won't allow Belfort to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kazushi Sato dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sato rushes Belfort and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Belfort throws an elbow that misses.
Belfort lands with a left to the head.
Belfort tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sato just stands there and leans against the cage.
Belfort jumps guard but Sato stands there with Belfort around his waist. Belfort gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Sato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Sato moves into the clinch.
Belfort has Sato pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Sato manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tim Belfort. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Belfort tries to score a body lock takedown but Sato shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Sato has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Belfort is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Sato drops down looking for an ankle pick but Belfort pulls his leg out and moves away.
Belfort fails with a takedown attempt.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sato.
Sato is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sato has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Sato keeps the fight on the outside.
Belfort misses with a takedown

and Sato counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sato.
Sato wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Belfort has him pressed against the cage.
Sato wants to break the clinch but can't.

Belfort gets control of Sato's arms and successfully pulls guard. Belfort will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Sato would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Belfort tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Belfort throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Belfort looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sato is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort is working hard here to advance position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sato stuffs the takedown.
Sato wants to clinch

and Belfort counters with a takedown into side control.

Belfort has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Belfort changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sato looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Belfort wants to control but Sato is keeping him busy.
Belfort looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Sato is avoiding damage well.
Belfort wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sato keeps working.
Sato trying to remain calm as Belfort controls from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tim Belfort will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Belfort fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sato, pushing him back against the cage.
Sato gets underhooks to prevent Belfort's takedown attempt.
Belfort drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sato pulls his leg out and moves away.
Sato shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Belfort counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Sato!
BOOM! Belfort connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Belfort misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Belfort dominating with strikes here.
You get the feeling that Sato really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Sato takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Belfort looking to control but Sato is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belfort lands with some strikes.

Belfort working for a submission but Sato is keeping him at bay.
Belfort wants to control the pace but Sato is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Belfort landing strikes, looking to finish!
Belfort throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Belfort landing strikes, looking to finish!
Belfort scoring with strikes but Sato is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Sato that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Belfort throws some wild stikes that Sato manages to avoid easily.
Sato blocking the ground and pound.
Belfort raining down shots from the mount!
Belfort wants to control the pace but Sato is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belfort lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Sato hang on?
Belfort punching from mount but Sato doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Belfort throws some wild stikes that Sato manages to avoid easily.
Belfort tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sato is in a horrible position here. Belfort smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tim Belfort showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Belfort 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight for Tim Belfort!
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight for Tim Belfort!
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight for Tim Belfort!

Tim Belfort wins by unanimous decision!