PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dakota Royer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Katsuro Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Royer comes into the arena with Speak Militant- Sabac Red blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Royer
vs
Sato

185 cm
37
180 lbs
28 - 11 - 0

187 cm
29
196 lbs
18 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Milwaukee's Best 160 SALE $150

KAISER
Prestige Nutrition (160!)

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 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dakota Royer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Katsuro Sato!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Richard Clark and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Royer fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Sato is out of range.
Royer throws a hook to the side of Sato's head but Sato sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Katsuro Sato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Royer takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Sato drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Sato trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Royer is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Royer pulls Sato in to control the position.

Sato thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Royer on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Royer tries to get out of the position.
Sato connects with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato throws a big right hand that misses.
Sato wants to control from the top but Royer keeps moving.
Sato throws a big elbow that misses.
Sato wants to pass the guard but Royer is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Royer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Royer has control of Sato's left arm, preventing Sato from doing any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Dakota Royer just wasn't active enough.
Sato takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Good shot there by Sato.
Sato scoring well with a low kick there.
An inside leg kick lands from Sato.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Royer tries to land a leg kick but Sato saw it coming and moves away.
Sato takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato is looking to slow Royer down with leg kicks.
Royer jabs Sato right on the nose. Sato blinks but takes it well.
Sato throws a quick inside leg kick.
Royer slips under a jab from Sato.
Royer misses with a low kick.
Sato takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Sato lands a slapping body shot.
Sato throws a leg kick that is checked
and Royer counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sato lands a lovely overhand right.
Royer wants to land a leg kick but Sato is out of range.
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!

Sato looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sato throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sato trying to control but Royer is working from the bottom.
Sato stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Royer swivels though and keeps the full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sato not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Katsuro Sato dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A solid leg kick lands there for Sato.
Sato pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sato throws a hook but Royer blocks it.
Royer is looking to land body kicks.
Sato pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sato tests Royer's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Royer looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Sato jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sato dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Sato there as he acknowledges the shot.

It looks like Katsuro Sato has been cut.
Royer avoids a kick to the body.
Sato fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sato throws a lazy uppercut
and Royer counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Sato looks for a takedown but Royer sprawls well.
Katsuro Sato seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sato dives in and grabs Royer's left leg, looking for a takedown. Royer pushes down on Sato's head and hops out.
Dakota Royer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Katsuro Sato.
Royer lands a jab to the nose.
Sato cracks Royer with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Royer lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Royer throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sato scores with a leg kick.
Sato throws a low kick, looking for Royer's leg but Royer calmly moves out of range.
Sato tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Sato throws a hook but Royer avoids it easily.
Sato displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Royer throws out the jab.
Nice body kick there by Sato.
Sato misses with a low kick as Royer jumps back.
A punch lands to the side of Royer 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Sato ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Royer moves away.
Royer scores with a kick to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato cracks the inside of Royer's front leg.
Royer cracks a nice hook into Sato's ribs.
Sato misses with a low kick.
Royer throws a head kick that Sato semi-blocks.
Sato moves forwards but Royer connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sato waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Royer.
Royer misses with a kick to the body.
Sato has a takedown stuffed.
Sato scores with a jab. Royer acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
A telegraphed right hand from Sato misses the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Royer throws a leg kick but Sato sees it coming and moves out of range.
Royer tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sato was well out of range. Poor timing from Royer.
Royer lands with a slapping head kick.
Royer with a hook.

That has opened up Katsuro Sato's cut even more.
Sato throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Royer sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Sato drives through with a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Royer is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sato with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dakota Royer dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Katsuro Sato's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sato thumps Royer with a low kick.
Royer checks a low kick from Sato.
Sato looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Sato throws a looping overhand right but Royer ducks down to avoid it.
Sato just misses with a punch to the body.
Royer connects with the punch.
Royer moves out of range as Sato strikes.
Royer blocks a head kick by Sato.
Sato shoots in but no luck this time.
An inside leg kick from Sato misses.
Sato throws a sloppy head kick and Royer moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato throws a sloppy head kick and Royer moves out of range easily.
Royer throws an overhand right that lands on Sato's shoulder, as Sato tries to avoid the shot.
Royer lands with a thumping leg kick.
Sato missing with a left hand there. Royer was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sato lands with an overhand left.
Sato takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Royer displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sato.
Sato listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
No joy there for Royer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Royer is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sato has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Royer.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Royer.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Royer lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Sato at a distance.
Royer blocks the body kick.
Sato misses with a low kick.
Sato fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Royer scores with a kick to the midsection.
Sato takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The fighters circle momentarily. Sato darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Nice body kick there by Royer.
Royer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato tries to score with a low kick but Royer moves his leg out of the way.
A lazy body kick from Sato
and Royer makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Royer tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sato throws a leg kick
and Royer cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

The cut above Katsuro Sato's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Sato ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sato on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Royer. Royer obviously looking to wear him down.
Sato jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sato avoids the head kick by Royer.
Sato throws the kick towards the body but Royer avoids it.
Sato misses with a left hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Royer misses with a straight left.
Dakota Royer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sato is trying hard to land a takedown here. Royer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Dakota Royer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Katsuro Sato.
Sato swings widly with a right hand
and Royer counters with a body kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Royer scores with a hook.
Royer checks the leg kick.
Royer blocks a low kick nicely.
Royer cracks a nice hook into Sato's ribs.
Royer misses with an uppercut.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Good work by Sato as he checks the leg kick.
Royer throws the kick towards the body but Sato avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dakota Royer showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Royer 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dakota Royer!
A determined Dakota Royer didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!