PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hiroki Katsu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hung Sow Loe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hung Sow Loe is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Katsu
vs
Sow Loe

170 cm
20
158 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

150 cm
22
150 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Attliction

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiroki Katsu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hung Sow Loe!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Katsu shoots in but Sow Loe avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sow Loe gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Katsu counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Katsu.
Katsu working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Katsu throwing strikes from guard but Sow Loe blocks nicely.
Katsu knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sow Loe on the ground.
Sow Loe trying to keep a closed guard but Katsu is proving a slippery customer.
Katsu controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Katsu drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sow Loe dives on top into guard.

Katsu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Katsu looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Sow Loe puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katsu is looking to escape.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Sow Loe has eaten all the pies!
Sow Loe prevents Katsu from improving his position.
Sow Loe wants to pass to mount but Katsu is defending the position.
Katsu preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Sow Loe controlling the pace.

Sow Loe stands up and beckons Katsu to join him on the feet.
Sow Loe keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Katsu is breathing heavily.
Katsu with a poor takedown

and Sow Loe counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sow Loe lands a nice short elbow.
Katsu is trying to get back to full guard.
Katsu is in trouble now - Sow Loe has advanced to mount!
Sow Loe landing strikes from the mount and Katsu is in trouble!
Sow Loe controlling from mount.
Sow Loe lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Katsu is squirming around, avoiding Sow Loe's attempts to control the action.
Katsu tries to reverse the position but Sow Loe maintains control.
Sow Loe thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Sow Loe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sow Loe avoids the attempt from Katsu to control.
Katsu is working to get back to half guard.
Katsu wants to control but Sow Loe is having none of it.
Katsu swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Katsu tries to improve his position but instead Sow Loe has taken his back!
Sow Loe throwing strikes and Katsu squirms under the pressure, ending up mounted.
Katsu is desperately trying to improve his position but Sow Loe has a good base and remains in mount.
Sow Loe controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Katsu really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Sow Loe stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Sow Loe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No luck for Sow Loe with that takedown attempt.
Sow Loe misses with a takedown attempt - Katsu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hiroki Katsu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hung Sow Loe.
Sow Loe looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Katsu shoots in but no luck this time.
Katsu darts in trying to clinch

and Sow Loe counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Katsu's guard now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Katsu seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hung Sow Loe dominated that 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.

Katsu shoots in but Sow Loe avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sow Loe on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Katsu scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Sow Loe misses with a takedown

and Katsu counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Katsu trying to control from half guard but Sow Loe is working away.
Katsu not doing much here.
Katsu is looking to take a break and control but Sow Loe is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Katsu lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sow Loe lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sow Loe tries to roll over but Katsu keeps him under control.
Sow Loe trying to hold on to Katsu's head to control him but Katsu postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Sow Loe throws a hook to the side of Katsu's head but Katsu sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sow Loe fails with a takedown attempt.
Hiroki Katsu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sow Loe throws a low kick but Katsu avoids it.
Sow Loe throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Katsu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sow Loe, pushing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Katsu manages to pull guard.
Sow Loe controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sow Loe looking to sit in guard and control but Katsu gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Katsu trying to control the position from guard on top but Sow Loe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Katsu won't allow Sow Loe to sweep him here.
Sow Loe trying to control the position.
Sow Loe is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Katsu trying to control but Sow Loe postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Katsu is looking to improve his position.
Katsu trying to control here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Katsu manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Sow Loe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sow Loe looking to sit in guard and control but Katsu gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Katsu keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sow Loe's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Katsu not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Katsu trying to control but Sow Loe is working from the bottom.
Katsu tries to free his leg and advance position but Sow Loe is retaining full guard.
Sow Loe can't keep his opponent in guard - Katsu advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Sow Loe is trying to stand up here but Katsu is controlling him well.
Katsu working the head and body with strikes.
Sow Loe is trying to control but Katsu manages to pass to mount!
Katsu with shots to the head and body - Sow Loe looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sow Loe is bucking up trying to escape but Katsu cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Katsu takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hiroki Katsu dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Katsu closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Sow Loe goes for a takedown in the clinch but Katsu prevents it.
Sow Loe blocking some punches.

Katsu manages to pull guard.
Sow Loe wants to get up but he can't break Katsu's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Katsu trying to keep a closed guard but Sow Loe is proving a slippery customer.
Sow Loe trying to control but Katsu is working from the bottom.
Katsu working a defensive guard but Sow Loe passes into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Katsu is looking to control Sow Loe's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Katsu avoid being mounted?
Katsu pushes Sow Loe off looking to stand but Sow Loe dives back in and keeps control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katsu has a hand on Sow Loe's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Sow Loe takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

Sow Loe has control of Katsu's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Katsu regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Sow Loe trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Katsu can't escape the position.
Katsu tries to improve his position but instead Sow Loe has taken his back!
Katsu is trying to stand back up.
Katsu breaks Sow Loe's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katsu sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Katsu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sow Loe works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Katsu trying to control the position from guard on top but Sow Loe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Katsu cracks Sow Loe with a solid left hand.
Sow Loe is trying to control the position but Katsu postures up.
Katsu trying to control the position from guard on top but Sow Loe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Katsu is looking to work some ground and pound but Sow Loe has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Katsu decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Katsu wants to control but Sow Loe is keeping him busy.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Katsu in particular looking to stall.
Katsu seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Sow Loe for as long as he can get away with.

Katsu is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Katsu will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Sow Loe is trying to control but can't.
Katsu seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sow Loe does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Sow Loe taking some punishment here, with Katsu in his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katsu stalling.
Katsu wants to stand but Sow Loe has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Sow Loe tries to get to full guard but Katsu has control of the leg.
Well, if Katsu is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Hiroki Katsu overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hiroki Katsu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Katsu 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hiroki Katsu!