PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Shim Changmin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Saku Katsumoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Changmin
vs
Katsumoto

189 cm
30
197 lbs
11 - 11 - 0

180 cm
25
190 lbs
12 - 9 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shim Changmin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Saku Katsumoto!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Katsumoto closes the distance but Changmin moves to the side
and Changmin counters with a nice body shot.
Changmin blocks a low kick nicely.
Saku Katsumoto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Changmin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Decent striking displayed by Katsumoto there.
Nice straight punches there by Changmin. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Changmin.
Katsumoto shoots for a double leg takedown but Changmin sprawls well. He's pushed Katsumoto's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Changmin lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katsumoto throws a looping overhand right but Changmin ducks down to avoid it.
Katsumoto ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Katsumoto misses with a combination
and Changmin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Katsumoto throws a jab when Changmin was well out of range.
Changmin slaps away a takedown attempt from Katsumoto, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Shim Changmin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Changmin gets caught napping as Katsumoto dives in and scores a takedown. Changmin manages to retain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Changmin keeping full guard, as Katsumoto tries to pass.
Katsumoto pushing down on Changmin's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Katsumoto tries to pass the half guard into mount. Changmin knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Katsumoto is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Changmin has managed to free his arm - good work.
Katsumoto trying to control from half guard but Changmin is working away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Changmin is looking for a sweep. Katsumoto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Katsumoto is trying to control. Changmin wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Katsumoto is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Changmin doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Katsumoto.

Katsumoto is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Katsumoto is trying to work for a kimura but Changmin is defending well.
Changmin is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Changmin on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Changmin tries to get out of the position.
Katsumoto stops Changmin from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katsumoto is trying to control the action in half guard but Changmin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Katsumoto is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Katsumoto is pressing down on Changmin's thigh, looking to free his foot. Changmin is holding on for now.

Katsumoto looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Katsumoto is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Changmin is just riding it out for now. Katsumoto eventually gives up the hold.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saku Katsumoto dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Changmin throws a nice looking combination but Katsumoto bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Changmin slaps away a takedown attempt from Katsumoto, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Changmin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Changmin wants it to stay on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katsumoto closes this distance looking for a takedown but Changmin circles away.
Shim Changmin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saku Katsumoto.
Changmin stuffs the takedown.
A right-left combo lands from Katsumoto.
Katsumoto waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Changmin.
Katsumoto misses with a wild combination.
Changmin throws out a powerful jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katsumoto tries to clinch there but Changmin circles away.
Katsumoto throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Katsumoto throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Changmin.
Katsumoto tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Changmin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Katsumoto scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Changmin doesn't seem bothered though.
Katsumoto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Changmin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Katsumoto wants to clinch.
Katsumoto swings for the body but Changmin moves out of range.
Katsumoto shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Changmin pinned against the cage. Changmin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Changmin jabs at Katsumoto's body.
Katsumoto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Katsumoto shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Changmin but Changmin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Katsumoto lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Katsumoto throws a right and a left that Changmin avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saku Katsumoto showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Katsumoto misses with a head kick.
Changmin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A combination from Katsumoto does no damage.
Katsumoto throws a jab but it's blocked by Changmin.
Katsumoto shoots in for a takedown but Changmin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Katsumoto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Katsumoto throws a looping overhand right but Changmin ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katsumoto moves forwards but Changmin connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Katsumoto tries for a takedown but Changmin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Katsumoto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Katsumoto tries to score a power double leg takedown but Changmin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Katsumoto somewhat.
Shim Changmin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saku Katsumoto.
Katsumoto throws a body punch but Changmin moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Changmin catches Katsumoto with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Katsumoto fails with an attempt to clinch.
Katsumoto ducks under a wild hook from Changmin.
Changmin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Changmin bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Katsumoto throws a head kick but Changmin moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katsumoto misses with a jab, cross combination.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Katsumoto.

Katsumoto tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Katsumoto has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Katsumoto is trying to get an arm triangle but Changmin is defending well.
Changmin is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Changmin is looking to escape.

Katsumoto is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Changmin defends it well.
Shim Changmin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Katsumoto is trying for a kimura here. Changmin looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Katsumoto wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Saku Katsumoto!
After winning the bout, Saku Katsumoto thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.