PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Lawrence Mars (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenji Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mars comes into the arena with Avenged Sevenfold's Nightmare blaring out of the sound system. Kenji Watanabe is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Mars
vs
Watanabe

167 cm
25
141 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

172 cm
25
145 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lawrence Mars!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kenji Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Franklyn Lucas and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watanabe defending well as Mars loads up on a big left hand.

Mars scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Mars looks to land a strike but Watanabe avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Watanabe working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mars.
Watanabe wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Mars missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mars controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Mars with a nice head shot there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mars with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Mars is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Watanabe is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mars wants to pass the guard but Watanabe is keeping the position.

Watanabe is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mars is aware though and is defending well.
Watanabe working a defensive guard but Mars passes into half guard.
Mars thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Watanabe's head.
Mars slips a nice elbow through Watanabe's hands, connecting with Watanabe's forehead.
Mars lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Watanabe regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Mars.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mars chips away with some ground and pound.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Watanabe manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mars manages to get himself to full guard.
Mars looking to hit a scissor sweep but Watanabe is one step ahead there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watanabe looking to pass the guard.
Watanabe stopping the sweep attempt from Mars.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mars working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Watanabe doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Watanabe manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watanabe wants to control from the top but Mars keeps moving.
Watanabe seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Mars working a defensive guard here.
Watanabe slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Mars.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe wants to take a breather but Mars is having none of it.
Mars is trying to maintain the position but Watanabe is very close to passing his half guard.
Mars regains full guard. Nicely done.
Watanabe tries to free his leg and advance position but Mars is retaining full guard.

Mars is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Watanabe defends well.
Watanabe controls from within his opponent's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watanabe trying to control but Mars is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lawrence Mars dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Watanabe thuds a left hand into Mars's body.

Mars moves into the clinch successfully.
Nice body punch from Mars - that landed with a thud.
Watanabe throws a knee to the head but misses.
Watanabe misses with a knee to the head.
Watanabe can't find room to land a body shot as Mars controls the action.
Watanabe fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Watanabe doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Come on Watanabe - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Mars blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A hook to the body from Watanabe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mars looking to slow down the pace here.
Watanabe digs a right hand underneath Mars's ribcage. Mars let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Watanabe misses with a knee strike.
Watanabe stops a takedown attempt from Mars.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Watanabe has Mars pressed against the cage, preventing Mars from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Watanabe tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A knee to the head by Watanabe.
Mars blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Watanabe lands with a light punch inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Mars misses with a short punch on the inside.
Watanabe goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Watanabe trying to stall but Mars improves his position.

Mars escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mars. Watanabe does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mars moves out of range of the strikes.
Watanabe looks for the body kick but Mars saw that one coming.
Mars throws out a loose jab but Watanabe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mars shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Mars swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mars checks a low kick from Watanabe.
Kenji Watanabe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mars misses with a straight right.
Mars swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Watanabe.
Mars throws a shot from downtown. Watanabe moves away and avoids it.
Mars takes a swing at Watanabe's ribcage but misses.
Watanabe uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mars.
Mars shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A big left from Watanabe misses.
Mars misses with a wild body shot.
Watanabe defending well as Mars loads up on a big left hand.
Watanabe ducks under a wild hook from Mars.
Mars pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Watanabe tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Watanabe displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mars throws out the jab.
Mars takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Mars takes a swing at Watanabe's ribcage but misses.
Mars throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Watanabe misses with a hook.
Watanabe is looking to slow Mars down with leg kicks.
Mars scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mars just misses with a punch to the body.
Watanabe misses with a straight right.
Nice defenses there by Watanabe.
Mars shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Watanabe pinned against the cage. Watanabe gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lawrence Mars. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mars on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Watanabe. Watanabe obviously looking to wear him down.
Mars is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Watanabe.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watanabe tests Mars's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Watanabe checks a leg kick.
Watanabe takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Watanabe swings for the body but Mars moves out of range.
Watanabe bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Mars is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Watanabe's half guard.
Mars is keen to just control but Watanabe is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Lawrence Mars will probably get the nod.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mars stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Watanabe.
Mars looks to score with a jab to the body but Watanabe is just out of range.
Mars swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Watanabe throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Watanabe throws a low kick but it's checked well by Mars.
Watanabe moves away from the strike by Mars.
Mars slips under a jab.
Mars swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Watanabe swings for the body but Mars moves out of range.
Mars chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Watanabe can pounce on him.
Watanabe blocks a jab.
Mars scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Watanabe turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Mars misses with an uppercut
and Watanabe counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Watanabe tries to clinch there but Mars circles away.
Watanabe clobbers Mars with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A big left from Mars misses.
Watanabe uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Mars.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mars avoids a kick to the body.
Mars shoots in and drives through. Watanabe sprawls well.
Mars tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Watanabe swivels and escapes.
Watanabe connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Watanabe uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mars.
Mars checks a leg kick nicely.
Watanabe misses the jab.
Mars looks to land a left hand but Watanabe moved out of range nicely.
A punch combination from Watanabe misses.
Watanabe with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Mars to score with a decent uppercut.

Watanabe moves into the clinch.
Watanabe tries to throw a body punch but Mars avoids it by throwing Watanabe back against the cage.
Mars is looking to break free of the clinch but Watanabe has double underhooks.
Mars misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kenji Watanabe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe pushes Mars back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Mars working hard to break the clinch.
Watanabe tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Mars blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Mars is trying to trip Watanabe. He has hold of a leg but Watanabe is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Mars persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mars is looking to work some ground and pound but Watanabe has wrist control.

Watanabe looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Watanabe has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Mars doesn't defend quickly enough and Watanabe has managed to lock this one up! Can Mars escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Watanabe on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Kenji Watanabe!
Kenji Watanabe decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.