PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sakurai Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Euthanasia Atheist (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Sakurai Sato has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Sato
vs
Atheist

174 cm
20
150 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
152 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sakurai Sato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Euthanasia Atheist!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Sano and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Atheist fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sato avoids it really well and circles away.

Sato gets a clinch.
Atheist tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sato smiles and moves away.
Sakurai Sato seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sato misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Atheist.

Sato has closed the distance and engaged Atheist in a clinch.
Atheist changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sato fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sakurai Sato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Euthanasia Atheist.

Sato moves into the clinch successfully.
Sato lands a body shot.
Sato lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Atheist.
Sato is looking to break free of the clinch but Atheist has double underhooks.
Sato leaning his opponent against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atheist is trying to pull guard but Sato turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Sato works on Atheist's body with a couple of short punches.
The referee calls for Sato to work.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Sato for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Sato stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Sato slowing the pace effectively.
Sato lands a body shot.
Atheist looks gassed!
Atheist has had enough of the clinch but Sato keeps him there for the moment.

Sato breaks from the clinch.
Atheist takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sato has Atheist up against the cage in a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sato stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sato lands a body shot in the clinch.

Sato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sato works over Atheist's head and body with a nice combination.

Sato gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A hook to the body from Sato.

Sato's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Atheist with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Sato to score with a decent uppercut.

Atheist is rocked!

Sato fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Atheist, pushing him back against the cage.
Atheist is still on wobbly legs! Can Sato finish him?
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Sato takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Atheist seems to have recovered his senses.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Sato.

Sato breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sato lands with a good body shot.
Sato misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sato jabs Atheist right on the nose. Atheist blinks but takes it well.

Sato feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sato controls from within his opponent's guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sato's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sato works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sato winds up and cracks Atheist with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sato controlling the action here.
Sato drops an elbow to the side of Atheist's head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sato keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Atheist is refusing to be controlled, as Sato sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sato prevents Atheist from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Atheist fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sato avoids it really well and circles away.
Sato gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Sato takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sato throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sato throws a left and a right that both miss

and Atheist counters with a single leg into guard. Sato didn't expect that.
Atheist preventing the sweep.
Sato pulls Atheist in to control the position.
Sato knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Atheist on the ground.
Sato has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Atheist is breathing heavily.
Sato is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Sakurai Sato wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Sato forces Atheist back against the cage and clinches.
Atheist tries to pull guard but Sato won't allow it.
Sato misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short body shot lands from Sato as the two fighters clinch.
Sato cracks Atheist with a nice body shot.
Sato stalls.
Sato pushes Atheist back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A right hand to the body from Sato.
Atheist jumps guard but Sato stands there with Atheist around his waist. Atheist gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sakurai Sato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Euthanasia Atheist.
Sato pushes Atheist back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sato pressing his opponent against the cage.

Sato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Sato moves into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sato digs a right hand underneath Atheist's ribcage. Atheist let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Sato working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Atheist tries to pull guard but Sato holds him up against the cage and eventually Atheist drops back down to his feet.
Sato lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Sato pushes Atheist back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Sato is leaning against Atheist and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Sakurai Sato has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short body shot lands from Sato as the two fighters clinch.

Sato's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sato ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Sato.
Sato lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Atheist backs up against the cage.
Sato tries to clinch up.
Sato is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Atheist can do to turn this around?

Sato shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Atheist manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Sato is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sato is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sato postures up.
Sato wants to control from the top but Atheist keeps moving.
Sato keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Atheist's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sato stands up over Atheist, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
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 distracts Atheist with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sato working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Atheist's head.
Sato connects with a couple of short punches.
Sato chips away with some ground and pound.
Sato stopping the sweep attempt from Atheist.
Atheist keeping moving, preventing Sato from controlling successfully.
Sato has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sato pushing down on Atheist's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sato lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sakurai Sato dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Sato moves in looking to clinch but Atheist pushes him off.
Sato lunges at Atheist with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Atheist's hand.
Sato is looking to wear down Atheist with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Sato wants to clinch up but Atheist keeps it at a distance.

Sato darts in and clinches Atheist up against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Sato.
Atheist throws an elbow but it misses.
Sato is trying to break free.
Sato has had enough of the clinch but Atheist keeps him there for the moment.
Sato is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Sato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sato tries for a takedown but Atheist sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Atheist showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sato.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato swinging wildly here.
Atheist takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sato moves in looking to clinch but Atheist pushes him off.
Sato scores with a one two! Atheist had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Sato tries to clinch but Atheist moves out of range.
Atheist tries a head kick but it misses.
Sato fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Sato rushes Atheist and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sato has Atheist pressed against the cage.
Sato lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atheist jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Sato walks away with a smile on his face. Atheist gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Sato gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A left hand lands to the body for Sato.
Sato lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Atheist or not.
Sato presses Atheist against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A body shot lands from Sato.
Sato lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Atheist or not.
A right hand to the body from Sato.
Sato is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sato lands a shot to the body.
A right handed body shot lands from Sato.
Sato lands a nice shot to the body.
Sato wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sato stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sato breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sato tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sato misses with a two punch combination.
Sato scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Sato tries for a takedown but Atheist sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sato misses with a takedown attempt - Atheist sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sakurai Sato. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Atheist circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sato tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Atheist paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Sato shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Sato makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sato is looking to work some ground and pound but Atheist has wrist control.
Sato looking to sit in guard and control but Atheist gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Atheist scoring with some ground and pound.
Sakurai Sato overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Sato wriggles free and stands up.
Euthanasia Atheist has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sato falls off balance throwing a combination
and Atheist counters with a leg kick.
Sakurai Sato is winning the standup battle so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sato tries to close the distance and clinch up but Atheist swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sakurai Sato is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sato doesn't manage to clinch there - Atheist circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sakurai Sato showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sato has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:26
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:26
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sakurai Sato!
Our winner, Sakurai Sato, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.