PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Richard Kato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maxi Preist (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richard Kato has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Kato
vs
Preist

190 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 Hilo, Richard Kato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Maxi Preist!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Ryoma Takatsuka and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Preist shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kato defends it nicely.
Preist fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Some wild striking there from Preist.
Kato tries for a takedown but Preist sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Preist swats away the attempt to clinch by Kato.
Kato closes this distance looking for a takedown but Preist circles away.

Preist closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Preist lands in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Kato is pulling down on Preist's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kato keeping moving, preventing Preist from controlling successfully.
Kato is controlling Preist's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kato looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Kato closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Kato prevents the takedown attempt.
Richard Kato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maxi Preist.
Preist jumps guard but Kato turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Kato pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kato has Preist pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Preist manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Kato successfully pulls guard.
Kato is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Preist is stalling in the full guard.
Preist tries to stand but Kato is controlling from the bottom.

Kato had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Preist defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Preist manages to get himself to full guard.
Preist wants to sweep here but Kato controlling him for the moment.

Preist looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Preist is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Kato drops back looking for a leg! Preist is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Preist manages to kick Kato off! Kato jumps back into Preist's guard.
Kato trying to control but Preist is working from the bottom.
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.
Preist has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Preist working a defensive guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kato passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Kato is trying to control. Preist wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Richard Kato will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Preist tries to clinch but Kato is having none of it.
Preist tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Kato defends well and Preist ends up having to push Kato into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Kato is struggling to control the position.
Preist tries to score a body lock takedown but Kato shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Kato tries for a takedown but Preist manages to get underhooks.
Kato jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Preist walks away with a smile on his face. Kato gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Preist tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kato counters with a head kick.
Preist takes a kick to the side of the head.
Nice sprawl there from Preist as Kato shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Richard Kato. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kato shoots in looking for a takedown but Preist manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kato's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Preist wants to clinch up but Kato keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kato shoots for a double leg takedown but Preist sprawls well. He's pushed Kato's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kato fails with the takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Kato tries to sprawl but Preist drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Preist not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Preist tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Kato is trying to control but can't.

Preist is trying to work for a kimura but Kato is defending well.
Preist wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kato keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Preist wants to pass to mount but Kato is defending the position.
Kato is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Preist's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Preist's back!
Kato is throwing strikes by Preist counters by rolling into a better position. After a scramble, Preist regains half guard.
Maxi Preist has got the better of the ground game so far.
Preist regains full guard. Nicely done.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kato trying to control but Preist is working from the bottom.

Preist working for a triangle but Kato defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Preist is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kato slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Preist looks to move to half guard but instead Kato has passed into mount! Damn!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kato is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Preist has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Preist is squirming around, avoiding Kato's attempts to control the action.

Kato stands up from mount. Strange move.
Horrible takedown by Preist or perhaps it was just good defense by Kato which made him look bad.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Preist slaps away a takedown attempt from Kato, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kato tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Preist paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richard Kato dominated that second round.
That's time! Kato's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Preist looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Kato displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Preist.
Nice takedown defense from Kato. No joy for Preist on that attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kato.
Richard Kato is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kato shoots in and drives through. Preist sprawls well.
Preist keeps the fight on the outside.
Kato fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Richard Kato. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Preist looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Preist wants to take a breather but Kato is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like Preist is going to stand back up.
Kato controlling the position well.
Kato tries to get to full guard but Preist has control of the leg.

Preist is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Nice strikes from Preist there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Preist is looking to pass Kato's guard but actually Kato recovers to full guard.
Preist wants to pass the guard but Kato is keeping the position.
Kato striking off his back but it's not causing Preist any problems.
Kato keeping moving, preventing Preist from controlling successfully.

Kato looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Preist passes into half guard.
Kato trying to hold on to Preist's head to control him but Preist postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato keeping hold of Preist's head, controlling as best he can.
Preist prevents Kato from improving his position.
Kato is not content to let Preist control the position.
Kato is looking to control Preist's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Kato avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Richard Kato has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Kato throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kato stuffs the takedown attempt from Preist. Preist gets slowly back to his feet.
Kato tries to clinch but Preist moves out of range.
Preist closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kato circles away.
Kato tries to score a power double leg takedown but Preist sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kato somewhat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Preist shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kato pinned against the cage. Kato gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maxi Preist comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kato 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Maxi Preist!