PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Kato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yin Tao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tao comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Philip Bailey - Walking on the Chinese Wall kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! This should be fireworks!

Kato
vs
Tao

176 cm
28
167 lbs
17 - 6 - 0

175 cm
36
160 lbs
36 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hellbent
Perkele!

Perkele!
Hellbent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kenji Kato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Yin Tao!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kato misses with a body shot.
Tao throws a low kick but it's checked well by Kato.
Kato has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Tao.
Tao misses with a kick to the body.
Tao slips under a jab from Kato.
Tao goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Kato looks for the body kick but Tao saw that one coming.
Nice shot lands for Tao.
Kato checks a low kick from Tao.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tao, right into the meat.
An inside leg kick lands from Kato.
A head kick misses from Tao.
Kato dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Tao. That did some damage!
Kato definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Kato feints and then cracks Tao's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tao down.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kato fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Tao on the side of the head.
Kato throws a leg kick
and Tao counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Tao throws a leg kick but Kato sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tao lands with a cross.
Tao throws a hook but Kato blocks it.
Nice shot lands for Tao.
A jab from Kato misses.
Tao looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tao throws a body punch but Kato moves out of range.
Kato fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Tao has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kato lands a leg kick that knocks Tao off balance momentarily.
Tao throws the kick towards the body but Kato avoids it.
Tao has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Kato avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kato misses with an uppercut. Tao saw that one coming.
Tao checks a leg kick.
Kato throws a leg kick that misses.
Tao fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Kato scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Tao misses with a low kick.
Kato scores with a decent looking hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kato swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Tao counters with a stiff right hand.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tao.
Tao tries a head kick but it misses.
Kato swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Tao throws a push kick but Kato slaps the foot to one side.
Tao walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Kato checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Kato misses with a wild body shot.
A low kick from Kato misses
and Tao counters with a body kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kato. Tao does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kato waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Tao.
Tao takes one on the button.
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.
Tao misses with a body kick.
Kato swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Kato dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Tao. That did some damage!
Tao throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Tao comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Tao connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Kato's hands.
Tao throws a body punch but Kato moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato avoids the head kick by Tao.
Tao throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tao scores with a leg kick.
Kato ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tao moves away.
Tao throws a leg kick but Kato sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Tao throws a head kick that misses.
Tao on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Kato throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Tao on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kato. Kato obviously looking to wear him down.
Tao throws out a leg kick but Kato moves out of range and Tao only half commits.
Kato looks to land a left hand but Tao moved out of range nicely.
Tao flicks out a counter leg kick but Kato steps away.
Tao connects with a high kick.
Kato throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Tao moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kato throws a leg kick that is checked
and Tao counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kato's knee momentarily.
Tao turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tao misses with a body kick.
Kato lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tao circles away quickly and effectively.
Kato misses with a wild body shot.
Tao scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kato is looking to slow Tao down with leg kicks.
Tao keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kato lands with a good body shot.
Kato throws a body kick that misses.
Tao scoring well with a low kick there.
Kato is looking to wear down Tao with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Tao takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Tao slips a jab from Kato.
Tao tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tao looks to score with a jab to the body but Kato is just out of range.
Tao throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Tao missing with a left hand there. Kato was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
An attempted straight right counter from Kato misses the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kato uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tao.
An inside leg kick from Kato misses.
Tao's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
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.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Tao.
Tao has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kato.
Tao pushes Kato away with a front kick.
Kato changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Tao slips a straight right by Kato.
Tao only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Kato swings and misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Tao. Kato shrugs it off though.
Kato looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kato's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Tao connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Kato scrambles back to his feet.
Kato steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Tao. That one must have hurt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kato misses with a leg kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Tao looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Tao looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tao scores with the left hand. Kato knows he should have avoided that one.
Tao checks a leg kick nicely.
Tao changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Tao looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kato takes a swing at Tao's ribcage but misses.
Tao flicks out a counter leg kick but Kato steps away.
A head kick from Tao lands but Kato takes it in his stride.
Tao scores with a body shot.
Tao scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kato throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tao looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Tao misses with an attempted mid kick.
Left hook, right uppercut from Tao.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kato throws a low kick but it's checked well by Tao.
Kato is looking to slow Tao down with leg kicks.
Tao connects with a single shot there.
Kato will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Kato jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tao moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Tao throws a head kick that misses.
Kato appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Tao throws an overhand right that lands on Kato's shoulder, as Kato tries to avoid the shot.
Tao plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Kato might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Tao on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kato. Kato obviously looking to wear him down.
Kato lands a nice leg kick that just misses Tao's sensitive parts.
Tao takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Kato throws a body punch but Tao moves out of range.
Kato misses with an uppercut. Tao saw that one coming.
Kato lands with a nice body punch.
Kato swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Kato is looking to score with low kicks.
Tao tried to score with a low kick but Kato checks it.
Yin Tao is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Some bone on bone action there as Kato checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Kato was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Tao misses the shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kato scores with a jab to the jaw.
A nice leg kick lands there from Tao.
Kato avoids a punch combination nicely.
Some bone on bone action there as Tao checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A head kick misses from Tao.
Tao finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Tao checks the leg kick.
Tao pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kato was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Tao scores with a kick to the midsection.
Kato takes a kick to the side of the head.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Kato connects with a right hand. Tao shakes it off.
Kato throws a half hearted mid kick.
Tao has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tao tries to move into range but Kato moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tao lands a lovely overhand right.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kato scores with a crisp jab that stopped Tao in his tracks.
Kato throws a combination that misses
and Tao makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Kato has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Tao throws a lazy body kick
and Tao takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tao misses the shot to the body.
Tao lands with a nice body kick.
Kato misses with a hook.
Tao pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
A cross from Kato lands.
Tao swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kato misses with a looping right.
Tao is looking for the big counter here.
Tao attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tao throws a leg kick but Kato sees it coming and moves out of range.
Tao jabs at Kato's body.
Yin Tao seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tao displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Kato throws out the jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yin Tao showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kato tries to clinch but Tao moves out of range.
Kato tries to clinch but Tao is having none of it.
Tao appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Kato throws out a leg kick but Tao moves out of range and Kato only half commits.
Tao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kato takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Kato throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Tao counters with a thumping low kick.
Kato connects with a leg kick. Tao looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Kato steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tao.
Kato checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A quick step to the side and Kato tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tao lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Kato backs up against the cage.
Kato throws a good cross that connects.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tao keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kato wants to land a leg kick but Tao is out of range.
An inside leg kick from Tao misses.
Kato fires out a quick counter leg kick but Tao just manages to avoid it.
Tao throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kato tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tao was well out of range. Poor timing from Kato.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tao pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Tao motions for Kato to come forward. Tao throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kato comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Tao throws a half hearted mid kick.
Tao throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kato misses with a straight left.
Tao misses with a wild body shot.
Tao lands with a kick to the ribs.
Tao buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tao throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Tao throws a right hand that Kato ducks under and follows up with a left that Kato also avoids with ease.
Kato scores with a hook to the body. Tao takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Kato throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tao tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Kato is able to avoid easily.
Kato feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Tao tries to land a front kick but Kato steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tao tries to work over Kato's front leg with a kick but Kato checks it.
Kato throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Tao just misses with a punch to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Tao. That's going to slow Kato down.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kato checks a leg kick nicely.
Tao takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Kato blocks a jab.
Kato throws an overhand right that lands on Tao's shoulder, as Tao tries to avoid the shot.
Kato throws a body shot but no joy.
Tao was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Tao looks for the body kick but Kato saw that one coming.
Kato takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Tao loads up on a big right hand but Kato slips the punch.
A counter left hand to the body from Kato misses its target.
Tao scoring well with a low kick there.
Tao pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kato misses with a left hand
and Tao counters with a left to the body.
Kato throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tao sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kato slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Kato connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Tao attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Tao takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Tao throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kato throws a body punch but Tao moves out of range.
Tao connects with a right hand. Kato shakes it off.
Tao is looking to chop away at Kato's legs.
Kato uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tao.
A big left from Kato misses.
Kato misses with a straight left.
Kato chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Kato misses the jab.
Tao tries a quick counter leg kick but Kato is wise to it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tao lands with a slapping head kick.
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!
Kato looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Tao connects with a leg kick. Kato looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Tao looks to throw the jab but Kato is out of range.
A nice inside leg kick there by Tao. That's going to slow Kato down.
Tao scores with a crisp jab that stopped Kato in his tracks.
Kato tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Tao is able to avoid easily.
Kenji Kato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kato is looking to score with low kicks.
Kato throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Tao throws a body shot but no joy.
Tao finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Kato throws a nice inside leg kick.
Tao ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Tao uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kato.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yin Tao comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tao has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yin Tao!
After winning the bout, Yin Tao thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.