PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gracis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kengo Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Royce Gracis had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 187.4lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Kengo Watanabe enters the cage!

Gracis
vs
Watanabe

182 cm
23
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

182 cm
23
193 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Royce Gracis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kengo Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yukihiro Shimada and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Watanabe throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Gracis was covering up waiting for the punch and Watanabe finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Watanabe trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watanabe distracts Gracis with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Watanabe postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Watanabe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Watanabe postures up in Gracis's guard and throws a big left but Gracis blocks it.
Gracis wants to stand and escape but Watanabe is having none of it.
Watanabe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Watanabe connects with a couple of short punches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Watanabe connects with a couple of short punches.
Watanabe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Watanabe is working Gracis over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Watanabe scoring with punches to the head and body.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Watanabe sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gracis's guard.
Gracis is looking to improve his position.
Gracis is refusing to be controlled, as Watanabe sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracis has his hands clasped together around Watanabe's back. He's all about the action.
Gracis is breathing heavily.
Watanabe takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Watanabe lands with a punch from half guard.
Gracis has hold of Watanabe's hands but Watanabe slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Gracis is rocked!
Watanabe looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Oh Gracis is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Gracis is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Watanabe scores with a couple of nice shots.
Watanabe content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Watanabe is sitting in half guard. He's postured up and lands a nice elbow. Oh, Gracis is hurt! He's hurt bad - Watanabe fires away with more strikes and the referee jumps in to save Gracis from any more punishment! Congratulations to Watanabe! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kengo Watanabe!