PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Owen Flannigan (ranked 5208 p4p, 4008 weight class) and Datsuro Sato (ranked 418 p4p, 349 weight class). Owen Flannigan could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Datsuro Sato's chin.

Flannigan
vs
Sato

175 cm
19
163
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
19
157
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

BANZAI NUTRITION
⚔️Conquest Nutrition⚔️

BANZAI NUTRITION
KOMBAT KLOTHING

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Owen Flannigan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Datsuro Sato!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yuuki Gou and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sato throws a series of punches but Flannigan avoids them all with ease.

Flannigan darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Sato trying to control but Flannigan postures up.
Sato blocking the ground and pound attempt from Flannigan.
Sato tries to roll over but Flannigan keeps him under control.
Sato looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Sato is still trying to improve position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Flannigan thows a huge punch but Sato dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato trying to control here.
Flannigan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Flannigan working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Sato is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Flannigan is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Flannigan is trying to control the action in half guard but Sato is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sato tries to get to full guard but Flannigan has control of the leg.
Sato trying to control but Flannigan postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Flannigan seems content to control.
Flannigan scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Flannigan takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Flannigan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Flannigan lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Flannigan connects with a nice short shot to Sato's temple.
Flannigan wants to pass the guard but Sato is defending well.
Sato is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Flannigan scores with a couple of nice shots.
Flannigan trying to mount his opponent but Sato defends it.
Sato is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Flannigan slips a nice elbow through Sato's hands, connecting with Sato's forehead.
Flannigan thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sato blocking the ground and pound attempt from Flannigan.
Sato keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sato avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Flannigan.
Flannigan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sato is looking for a sweep. Flannigan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Flannigan working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Flannigan misses with a head shot. Sato uses the momentum to regain guard.
Flannigan wants to pass the guard but Sato is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flannigan passes Sato's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Flannigan is looking for a kimura here.
Flannigan looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Flannigan lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Sato keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Owen Flannigan 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.

Flannigan keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Sato lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Sato misses with an uppercut. Flannigan saw that one coming.
Flannigan moves forwards but Sato connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Sato tries to sprawl but Flannigan drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Flannigan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Flannigan looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sato with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sato is looking to improve his position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sato wants to control but Flannigan passes into side.
Flannigan lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flannigan throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Sato works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Flannigan is trying to control the action in half guard but Sato is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Owen Flannigan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Flannigan working over Sato with some ground and pound. Sato looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Sato avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Flannigan.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Flannigan lands a nice short elbow.
Flannigan throwing shots but Sato is blocking nicely.
Sato moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sato being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flannigan connects with a couple of short punches.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Flannigan's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Flannigan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sato works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Flannigan seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Flannigan lands a couple of elbows.
Flannigan works over Sato with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato is trying to keep Flannigan in close.
Flannigan connects with a couple of short punches.
Flannigan works over Sato with some ground and pound from guard.
Flannigan is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Flannigan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Flannigan cracks Sato with a solid left hand.
Flannigan seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Flannigan chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flannigan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sato swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Flannigan trying to control the position from guard on top but Sato is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Flannigan with a nice head shot there.
Sato wants to sweep but no luck.
Flannigan throws a big right hand that misses.
Flannigan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Flannigan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Flannigan distracts Sato with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sato looking to control.
Flannigan trying to control but Sato is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Owen Flannigan dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Sato misses the shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sato. Flannigan does a little dance to reset his feet.
A jab from Sato misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Flannigan misses the target.
Sato throws a lazy right hand but Flannigan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Flannigan ducks under a wild hook from Sato.
Flannigan missing with a left hand there. Sato was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Flannigan misses the shot to the body.
Sato catches Flannigan with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Sato is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Flannigan.
Sato ducks under a wild hook from Flannigan.
A countering left hand to the body from Sato misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flannigan keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sato.
Flannigan slips a jab and a cross from Sato.
Flannigan throwing a counter right hand but Sato manages to avoid it.
Flannigan thows a left - swing and a miss!
Flannigan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Flannigan throws a shot from downtown. Sato moves away and avoids it.
Sato misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato fails to land with a series of punches.
Sato moves out of range of the strikes.
Flannigan lands with a nice body punch.
Sato misses with a series of wild punches.
Sato lands with a good body shot.
Datsuro Sato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Flannigan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sato.
Sato lands with a nice combination. Flannigan backs away looking to recover.
Flannigan defending well as Sato loads up on a big left hand.
Flannigan tries to counter with a takedown but Sato is quick to defend against it.
Sato is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Flannigan.
Flannigan half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Flannigan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sato can do to turn this around?
Sato lands a two punch combo.
Flannigan misses with a hook
and Sato counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Flannigan shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sato napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Flannigan slows the pace down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flannigan lands some shots froms side control.
Flannigan is chipping away with strikes.
Sato takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Flannigan trying to control the action but Sato is working from the bottom.
Sato is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Flannigan creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Flannigan scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato is looking for a sweep.
Flannigan throws a strike aimed at the side of Sato's head but Sato avoids it well.
Flannigan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sato keeps working.
Sato can't do much from the bottom here.
Sato is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Flannigan scores with a couple of short elbows.
Flannigan is working Sato over with some ground and pound from side control.
An elbow from Flannigan crashes against the mat.
Sato is not content to let Flannigan control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flannigan working the ground and pound.
Datsuro Sato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Flannigan trying to control the position but Sato is working away.
Flannigan scores with a couple of short elbows.
Sato is working to avoid the ground and pound but Flannigan connects with a decent elbow.
Flannigan remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Flannigan lands a few punches from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Owen Flannigan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Flannigan, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Owen Flannigan!
Owen Flannigan thanked the fans post fight for their support.