PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kumina Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nelson Liriano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sato
vs
Liriano

167 cm
23
168 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

167 cm
28
169 lbs
17 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Powerful

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kumina Sato!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Nelson Liriano!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sato lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Sato throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Liriano digs a good body shot into Sato's ribs.
Liriano throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Liriano has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sato.
Liriano steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Sato. That one must have hurt.
Liriano ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sato moves away.
Sato connects with a leg kick. Liriano looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Liriano throws a jab when Sato was well out of range.
Liriano throws a lazy right hand but Sato sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Sato.
Liriano takes a swing at Sato's ribcage but misses.
Liriano fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Sato looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sato moves out of range as Liriano strikes.
Liriano throws an overhand right that lands on Sato's shoulder, as Sato tries to avoid the shot.
Liriano swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Liriano misses with a looping right.
Liriano throws a hook to the side of Sato's head but Sato sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sato uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Liriano.
Sato with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Liriano throws a series of punches but Sato avoids them all with ease.

Sato instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Sato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sato slips under a jab from Liriano.
Liriano misses with a hook.

Sato clinches up with Liriano and pushes him back against the cage.
Liriano tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sato softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Liriano lands with a short shot to the head.
Liriano lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A hook to the body from Sato.
Liriano looks gassed!
Liriano can't find room to land a body shot as Sato controls the action.
Sato tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Sato jumps guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Sato keeping moving, preventing Liriano from controlling successfully.
Sato looking for a sweep. Not yet Sato, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sato pulls Liriano in close to his closed guard and prevents Liriano from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sato looking for a guillotine here but Liriano defends easily.

Sato is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sato is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kumina Sato dominated that round.
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.

Liriano tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sato was well out of range. Poor timing from Liriano.
Sloppy strikes from Liriano. Those never looked like landing.

Sato closes the distance and clinches.
Sato tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Liriano's elbow.
Sato lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Liriano.
Sato scores with a shot to the side of Liriano's head.
Liriano lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Sato breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sato avoids the body shot from Liriano.
A looping hook to the body misses from Liriano. Sato does a little dance to reset his feet.
Liriano throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Liriano thows a body shot but no joy.
Liriano misses with a looping left.

Sato feints and as Liriano raises his hands in defense, Sato changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sato thows a big elbow that misses.
Sato wants to control from the top but Liriano keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liriano keeping full guard, as Sato tries to pass.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Sato working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sato stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Liriano swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sato throws a big right hand that misses.
Sato trying to move into half guard but instead Liriano has managed to sweep!
Sato looking to control.
Sato seems keen to control Liriano's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sato looking for a guillotine here but Liriano defends easily.
Sato not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Liriano is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sato throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Liriano escapes and throws Sato's legs to the side, diving into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sato slips a jab from Liriano.

Sato shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Sato was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Liriano avoids a series of strikes thrown by Sato.

Sato working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Sato looking to control but Liriano is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Liriano is desperately trying to improve his position but Sato has a good base and remains in mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Sato throws some wild stikes that Liriano manages to avoid easily.
Sato punching from mount but Liriano doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Liriano avoids a series of strikes thrown by Sato.

Sato is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Liriano has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Liriano!

Sato looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Sato is looking for a triangle but Liriano pushes his legs off easily.
Sato keeping full guard, as Liriano tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sato throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Liriano wants to control from the top but Sato keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Sato is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kumina Sato clearly takes that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Liriano misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sato.
Sato ducks under a wild hook from Liriano.
Sato throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Liriano takes one to the chin there.
Liriano throws a big shot that misses.
Sato pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Liriano lands with an overhand left.
Sato tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Liriano swivels and escapes.

Sato shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sato showed some decent athleticism there.
Liriano wants to improve his position but Sato is controlling well.
Liriano is looking to control Sato's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Liriano avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato wants to lay and pray for a moment but Liriano keeps working.
Sato throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Sato is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Liriano is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Sato thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sato wants to advance to full mount but Liriano doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sato trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Sato trying to control but Liriano is working from the bottom.
Sato postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sato postures up in Liriano's guard and throws a big left but Liriano blocks it.
Liriano can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Sato controls the pace.
Sato stopping the sweep attempt from Liriano.
Liriano is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Sato stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Liriano swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sato looking to sit in guard and control but Liriano gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sato is looking for a triangle but Liriano pushes his legs off easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sato looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Kumina Sato will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Sato feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Liriano's calf.
Liriano cracks Sato with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Sato wants to clinch.
Sato steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Liriano.
Nelson Liriano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Liriano throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A jab from Sato finds it's way through Liriano's defenses.
Liriano stuns Sato with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Liriano. Sato does a little dance to reset his feet.
Liriano thows a body shot but no joy.
Liriano thows a body shot but no joy.
Sato takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Sato connects with an inside leg kick.

Sato has taken the fight to the clinch.
Liriano can't find room to land a body shot as Sato controls the action.

Sato successfully pulls guard.
Liriano looking to pass the guard.
Liriano is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liriano trying to control the position from guard on top but Sato is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Sato looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Liriano passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Sato looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Kumina Sato is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato is looking to control Liriano's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sato avoid being mounted?
Liriano perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Nelson Liriano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sato is looking to control Liriano's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sato avoid being mounted?
The fighters are battling for position here. Sato manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sato is pulling down on Liriano's head. It's preventing any offense from Liriano, at least for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nelson Liriano.
I think Sato 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 49:46
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 49:46
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kumina Sato!
Kumina Sato is the new lightweight champion!