PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Taikan Katsumoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gabriel Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alves has chosen Drowning Pool - Bodies as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Gabriel Alves is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Katsumoto
vs
Alves

185 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Taikan Katsumoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gabriel Alves!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Katsumoto avoids the head kick by Alves.

Alves drives through with a takedown into guard.
Alves must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Alves thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Alves postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Alves stopping the sweep attempt from Katsumoto.
Katsumoto keeping moving, preventing Alves from controlling successfully.
Alves is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Alves with a flurry of punches that miss.
Katsumoto looking to control.
Alves tries to free his leg and advance position but Katsumoto is retaining full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Katsumoto misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alves drives through and clinches with Katsumoto against the cage.
Katsumoto is trying to drag Alves to the mat but Alves just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Alves with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Alves prevents Katsumoto from breaking the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Alves.
Katsumoto changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Alves fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Katsumoto has his takedown stuffed

and Alves counters with a shoot takedown. Katsumoto fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taikan Katsumoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alves has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Katsumoto is proving hard to escape from.

Alves gets to his feet - Katsumoto follows without any prompting.
Katsumoto swats away the attempt to clinch by Alves.
Katsumoto throws a head kick that misses

and Alves counters with a single leg into guard. Katsumoto didn't expect that.
Alves looks gassed!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alves working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Alves stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Katsumoto swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katsumoto is trying to control the position but Alves postures up.
Alves trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Alves is looking to work some ground and pound but Katsumoto has wrist control.
Katsumoto seems keen to control Alves's posture.
Alves trying to control but Katsumoto is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Alves throws a nice inside leg kick.
Alves has a takedown stuffed.
Alves misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katsumoto fails to land with a series of punches.
Katsumoto misses with a takedown

and Alves counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Katsumoto!
Katsumoto is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Katsumoto manages to control the position for a moment.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Alves landing shots from mount.
Katsumoto flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

Alves wants to finish this one by submission but Katsumoto is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Alves.
Katsumoto taking shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katsumoto regains half guard.
Alves with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Katsumoto pushes Alves off and gets back to his feet.
Alves tries to land a body kick

and Katsumoto counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Katsumoto.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alves thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Alves controlling Katsumoto's posture.
Alves is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Alves dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Katsumoto gets caught flat footed, as Alves shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Katsumoto is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Alves trying to control here.

Katsumoto seems to be working for a kimura but Alves defends the submission attempt.
Katsumoto not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Alves manages to get to full guard.

Alves wriggles free and stands up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves throws a head kick that Katsumoto semi-blocks.

Alves scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Alves working the ground and pound from side control.
Alves trying to control the position but Katsumoto is working away.

Alves tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Alves has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Katsumoto trying to remain calm as Alves controls from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Alves goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Katsumoto has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Alves but great work by Katsumoto.

Katsumoto stands up and beckons Alves to his feet.

Alves clinches.
Alves is trying to drag Katsumoto to the mat but Katsumoto just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Katsumoto is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Alves is pushing Katsumoto up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Alves tries to pull guard but Katsumoto holds him up against the cage and eventually Alves drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katsumoto taking a breather.
Alves softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Katsumoto wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Alves has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Katsumoto regains guard immediately.
Alves postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Katsumoto keeping moving, preventing Alves from controlling successfully.
Alves trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Alves slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Katsumoto keeping full guard, as Alves tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves wants to control from the top but Katsumoto keeps moving.
Alves pushing down on Katsumoto's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Katsumoto is refusing to be controlled, as Alves sits in half guard.
Katsumoto tries to roll over but Alves keeps him under control.
Katsumoto is trying to control but can't.
Alves uses his free foot to push down on Katsumoto's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Katsumoto.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Alves 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Alves fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Alves tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Katsumoto just misses with a punch to the body.

Katsumoto takes the fight into the clinch.
Alves blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Alves lands a body shot.

Alves breaks from the clinch.
Gabriel Alves seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Katsumoto clinches up with Alves and pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alves lands a knee to the head.
Alves gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Katsumoto.

Alves breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katsumoto tries to clinch up

and Alves counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Katsumoto wants to control but Alves is keeping busy.

Alves is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Katsumoto sees it coming and defends easily.
Katsumoto won't allow Alves to pass to mount.
Alves not doing much here.

Alves is trying to work for a kimura but Katsumoto is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves is trying to control the action in half guard but Katsumoto is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Katsumoto is trying to maintain the position but Alves is very close to passing his half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A shot to de liver by Alves. Beautiful body shot.
Katsumoto avoids the head kick by Alves.
Katsumoto throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Alves's waist but Alves gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Katsumoto off to one side.
Alves shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Alves misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Katsumoto gets caught flat footed, as Alves shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Alves pushes down on Katsumoto's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Katsumoto regains full guard. Nicely done.

Alves decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Katsumoto tries for a takedown but Alves circles away easily

and Alves counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Katsumoto's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Taikan Katsumoto. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Katsumoto pushes a forearm under Alves's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Alves is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:01 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Taikan Katsumoto!