PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Kato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cody Lundin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Kato
vs
Lundin

176 cm
26
167 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

175 cm
24
161 lbs
10 - 2 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Perkele!
Hellbent

HERITAGE Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kenji Kato!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 1, fighting out of New York, Cody Lundin!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Reed Andrews and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lundin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kato does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Kato on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kato misses with a looping right.
Lundin lands a body shot.
Kato misses with a low kick.
Lundin throws a leg kick but Kato checks it.
Kato lets loose with a powerful body kick. Lundin will feel that in the morning.
Lundin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kato throws a leg kick but Lundin moved away.
Kato thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kato looks to score with a jab to the body but Lundin is just out of range.
Lundin on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kato. Kato obviously looking to wear him down.
A jab from Kato misses.
Kato on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kato takes one to the chin there.
Lundin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
We've been informed that Lundin has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Kenji Kato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kato walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Lundin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Lundin gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Kato counters with a slapping leg kick.
A slow jab from Kato misses its intended target.
Lundin dives in for a single leg takedown but Kato sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Lundin swings wildly with an uppercut but Kato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kato working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Lundin lands a left hand.
Kato stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short uppercut from Lundin.

Lundin breaks from the clinch.
Kato throws a low kick, looking for Lundin's leg but Lundin calmly moves out of range.
Kato lands with a nice body punch.
Kenji Kato is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kato ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lundin moves away.
Kato throws a nice outside leg kick.
Lundin takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
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!

Lundin shoots in and gets a takedown into Kato's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lundin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lundin scoring with punches to the head and body.

Kato working for a triangle but Lundin defends it easily.
Lundin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lundin wants to pass the guard but Kato is keeping the position.
Kato is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lundin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lundin advances to half guard.
Lundin wants to take a breather but Kato is having none of it.
Lundin thows a huge punch but Kato dodges it nicely.
Kato wants to get back to his feet.
Lundin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kato does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Lundin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Lundin scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Kato wants to get back to his feet.

Lundin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Lundin is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kato can't keep his opponent in guard - Lundin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Kato wants to control but Lundin is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Lundin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kato defends it well.
Lundin is looking to advance position but Kato won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kato wants to control but Lundin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Lundin dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kato takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Lundin uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Lundin throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Lundin fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Nice defenses there by Kato.
Lundin explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Kato needs to keep his hands up - Lundin had a free shot at his head there.
Kato steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Lundin. That one must have hurt.
Kato misses the shot to the body.
Kato takes a jab right on the kisser.
Kato fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Kato looks to land a left hand but Lundin moved out of range nicely.
Kato gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kato scores with a body shot.
Kato feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Lundins jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Lundin connects with a single shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lundin throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Lundin takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Lundin checks a low kick from Kato.
Kato throws out a leg kick but Lundin moves out of range and Kato only half commits.
Kato scores with a punch to the head.
Kato misses with a wild body shot.
Lundin takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Lundin wants to clinch.
Lundin throws a one two combo.
Lundin keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Lundin throws out a loose jab but Kato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lundin throws the left hand but Kato avoids the punch easily.
Lundin lands a jab to Kato's midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lundin misses with a looping right.
Cody Lundin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kato connects with a good right hand that stumbles Lundin. Lundin circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Lundin scores with a jab. Kato acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Lundin on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Lundin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kato.
Lundin takes one on the button.
Kato has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Kato looks to throw the jab but Lundin is out of range.
A big right from Kato misses.
Lundin loads up on a big right hand but Kato slips the punch.
Kato misses the jab.
Lundin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kato circles away quickly and effectively.
A good leg kick by Kato.
Lundin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kato has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Lundin finds it's way round the side to connect with Kato's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lundin swinging wildly here.
Kato fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Lundin has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Kato checks a leg kick.
Lundin misses with an uppercut.
Lundin looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kato misses with a hook.
A big left from Lundin misses.
Kato throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Donk. Kato catches Lundin right on the button with a cross.
Lundin checks a leg kick nicely.
Kato takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Lundin takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Lundin moves away from the strike by Kato.
Lundin lands a really nice looking cross but Kato seems unphased.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lundin listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Lundin avoids the body shot from Kato.
Kato throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Kato takes a swing at Lundin's ribcage but misses.
Lundin fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Kato on the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A slapping leg kick lands for Kato.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Lundin checks a leg kick.
Kato scores with a kick to the body.
Lundin lands a jab.

Lundin looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Lundin tries to free his leg and advance position but Kato is retaining full guard.
Lundin throwing strikes from guard but Kato blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Cody Lundin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kato walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Lundin checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Lundin blocks a leg kick.
Kato walks into a straight right hand from Lundin.
Kato takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Lundin slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Kato rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

so Lundin counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Kato pulls Lundin in close to his closed guard and prevents Lundin from doing any damage or advancing position.

Lundin is posturing up here but Kato has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Lundin tries to roll out but it's too tight and Lundin has to tap! Slick submission there by Kato!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Kenji Kato!
Kenji Kato retains his lightweight title!
Kenji Kato thanked the fans post fight for their support.