PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leroy Bater (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Katsuo Fujikage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Katsuo Fujikage has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bater
vs
Fujikage

190 cm
21
205 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

185 cm
19
216 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

The Red Eye

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leroy Bater!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Katsuo Fujikage!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, George Francis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fujikage tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bater lands the left hand.

It looks like Katsuo Fujikage has been cut.
Fujikage is looking to clinch.
Fujikage shoots in but no luck this time.

Bater clinches up against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Fujikage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fujikage can't find room to land a body shot as Bater controls the action.
Fujikage gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Fujikage fails to pull guard.
Bater lands a right hand that snaps the head of Fujikage backwards.
Fujikage tries a knee to the head but Bater blocks it.
Fujikage tries a knee to the head but Bater blocks it.
Fujikage tries a knee to the head but Bater blocks it.
Bater tries to score a body lock takedown but Fujikage shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Fujikage pushes off an throws an elbow but Bater leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Bater has hold of one of Fujikage's legs. Fujikage is fighting the takedown attempt but Bater gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Bater controls from within his opponent's guard.
Bater tries to free his leg and advance position but Fujikage is retaining full guard.
Fujikage preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Bater throwing strikes from guard but Fujikage blocks nicely.

Fujikage escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bater gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bater stays in close to Fujikage's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bater sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Fujikage's guard.
Bater content to control rather than advance.
Fujikage is trying to maintain the position but Bater is very close to passing his half guard.
Bater performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Fujikage trying to control but Bater postures up.
Bater looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ground and pound from Bater.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bater is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Fujikage!
Bater in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Fujikage is desperately trying to improve his position but Bater has a good base and remains in mount.
Bater controlling his opponent.
Fujikage tries to hold on but Bater pushes him away.
Fujikage is desperately trying to improve his position but Bater has a good base and remains in mount.
Bater lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Fujikage is desperately trying to improve his position but Bater has a good base and remains in mount.
Fujikage tries to lock up and control but Bater gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bater punishing his opponent with strikes.
Fujikage is in all sorts of trouble here.
Fujikage looks gassed!
Bater sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
BOOM! Bater connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Bater.
Bater lands a big elbow.
Bater blocks Fujikage's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Fujikage is in all sorts of trouble here.
Bater with shots to the head and body - Fujikage looks very uncomfortable down there.
Fujikage tries to hold on but Bater postures up.
Fujikage working to try and regain half guard.
Bater content just to control the position here.
A nice elbow there by Bater.
Fujikage can't escape the position.
Bater tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Fujikage regains half guard.
Fujikage has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bater is working away from the top position though.
Bater 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bater lands a nice short elbow.
Fujikage trying to control but Bater postures up.
Bater lands with a punch from half guard.
Fujikage wants to get back to his feet.
Bater is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bater looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Fujikage with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Bater lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fujikage is staying active underneath Bater, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bater scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Bater is taking a breather. Fujikage says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leroy Bater dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Katsuo Fujikage's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bater tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Fujikage paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Fujikage wants to clinch.
Bater tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fujikage swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fujikage tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bater swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Bater takes the fight into the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Bater.
Fujikage unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bater lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Fujikage scores a nice knee to the body.
Bater is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Fujikage lands a nice knee to the body.
A knee to the head by Fujikage.

It looks like Leroy Bater has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A nice right hand lands inside from Fujikage.

Fujikage breaks the clinch.
No luck for Fujikage with that takedown attempt.

Fujikage takes the fight into the clinch.

Fujikage pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bater tries to clinch up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bater shoots for a double leg takedown but Fujikage sprawls well. He's pushed Bater's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fujikage tries to clinch but Bater is having none of it.
Fujikage tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bater swivels and escapes.

Fujikage moves into the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Fujikage jumps guard and drags Bater to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Fujikage looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Bater content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Fujikage being controlled here, momentarily.
Bater looking to pass the guard.

Fujikage had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Bater is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Fujikage Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Bater's back instead.

Fujikage looking for the RNC.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fujikage doesn't have the hooks in and Bater manages to turn into his guard.
Bater preventing the sweep.
Fujikage is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bater stands and throws Fujikage's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Bater controlling the position from side mount.
Bater wants to control but Fujikage is keeping him busy.
Bater sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Fujikage is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Fujikage is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Bater has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Fujikage struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fujikage is looking to reverse the position.
Bater controls the position.
Bater scores with a couple of short elbows.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Fujikage is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bater shoots in but Fujikage avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leroy Bater. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fujikage shoots in and drives through. Bater sprawls well.

Bater shoots in and bounces Fujikage off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Bater showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Bater passes into half guard.
Fujikage is looking to control Bater's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Fujikage avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bater sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Fujikage keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Bater in particular looking to stall.
Bater is thwarting Fujikage's attempts to control the position.
Fujikage is pressing down on Bater's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Fujikage is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bater controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Bater loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Katsuo Fujikage showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Fujikage closes the distance and clinches.

Fujikage pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fujikage throws a head kick but Bater moves out of range.
Bater takes a swing at Fujikage's ribcage but misses.

Bater closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Fujikage looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Fujikage is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bater lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Fujikage on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fujikage has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Bater is working away from the top position though.
Bater performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Fujikage looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fujikage tries to roll over but Bater keeps him under control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Bater clinches up with Fujikage and pushes him back against the cage.

Bater has Fujikage pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Bater pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Fujikage tumbling to the mat - Bater dives into Fujikage's guard.
Fujikage can't keep his opponent in guard - Bater advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Bater performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Fujikage wants to get back to full guard.
Fujikage on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Bater is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fujikage looking for submissions off his back.
Fujikage is in trouble now - Bater has advanced to mount!
Bater avoids the attempt from Fujikage to control.
Bater looking to finish Fujikage with some ground and pound. This is bad for Fujikage!
Bater lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Fujikage is looking to get to half guard.
Bater takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Fujikage wants to control but Bater is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bater looking to control and managing it successfully.
Fujikage is looking to get to half guard.
Bater controlling from the full mount.
Bater pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Fujikage is working to get back to half guard.
Bater lands a heavy elbow.

That's four 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.
Fujikage taking shots to the head.
Bater tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Fujikage tries to lock up and control but Bater gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bater scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Fujikage wants to hold on but Bater pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bater cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Bater prevents Fujikage from getting the reversal.
Fujikage is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Fujikage wants to hold on but Bater pushes him away.
Bater content just to control the position here.
Bater with a couple of short strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leroy Bater showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bater has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leroy Bater!