PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cottoneye Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kumina Sato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe comes to the cage accompanied by Cottoneye Joe. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Joe
vs
Sato

175 cm
26
154 lbs
10 - 10 - 0

167 cm
27
153 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good takedowns
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 10 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cottoneye Joe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kumina Sato!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sato avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Joe rushes Sato and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Joe trying to land knees to the body.
Joe misses with a knee strike.
Sato takes a knee right on the jaw!

Joe breaks the clinch.
Joe looks to land a body kick but Sato moved away.
Joe tries to clinch but Sato moves out of range.
Joe throws a right and a left that both miss.
The fight stays on the outside here - Joe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Joe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Joe checks a low kick from Sato.
Joe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Joe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Joe throws out a leg kick but Sato moves out of range and Joe only half commits.
Sato keeps the fight on the outside.
Joe wants to clinch but Sato slips to the side
and Sato counters with a straight right hand.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sato.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sato showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Joe.
Sato throws a chopping leg kick but Joe manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Joe has managed to clinch.
Sato tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sato throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Joes head.

Joe breaks the clinch.
Joe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sato swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Joe tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Sato counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sato throws a nice outside leg kick.
Sato throws a front kick aimed at Joe's knee but Joe avoids it well.
Sato throws a quick inside leg kick.

Sato has taken the fight to the clinch.

Joe turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Joe manages to end up in side control.
Sato wants to control but Joe postures up.
Sato tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Joe thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Joe is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sato is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sato parries the strikes from Joe easily there. Joe is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sato to escape.
Joe has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Joe swings around for an armbar but Sato sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Joe's guard.

Joe throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sato preventing the sweep.
Sato controls from within his opponent's guard.
Sato pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Joe is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sato wants to control from the top but Joe keeps moving.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sato might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Joe kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Joe working for a triangle but Sato defends it easily.
Joe striking off his back but it's not causing Sato any problems.
Sato is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Sato trying to control but Joe is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Joe is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Sato rolls with it to try and escape but Joe cranks on the arm and Sato is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Cottoneye Joe!