PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Takeshi Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bret Donovan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Watanabe
vs
Donovan

175 cm
24
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
146 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takeshi Watanabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bret Donovan!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yuuki Gou and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watanabe swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Donovan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Watanabe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Watanabe swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Donovan counters with a takedown into side control.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The referee asks Donovan politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Donovan prefers to stall for the moment though.
Donovan's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Donovan scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Watanabe to see if he's OK.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Donovan working the ground and pound.
Donovan happy to just control the position for now.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Donovan working the ground and pound.
Watanabe is letting Donovan control him for a moment.
Donovan is working Watanabe over with some ground and pound from side control.
Watanabe is trying to improve his position.
Watanabe on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
A lull in the action here.
Watanabe takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Donovan cracks Watanabe with a big right hand but Watanabe just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Donovan working the head with strikes.
Donovan advances to mount.
Donovan in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Donovan landing punches.
Donovan lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Watanabe is desperately trying to improve his position but Donovan has a good base and remains in mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Donovan in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Donovan landing strikes from the mount.
Donovan with shots to the head and body - Watanabe looks very uncomfortable down there.
Donovan scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Donovan controlling the pace for now.
Donovan has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Watanabe is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Donovan fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Donovan controlling from mount.
Watanabe is bucking up trying to escape but Donovan cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Watanabe takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
BOOM! Donovan connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Donovan unloading with bombs!
Donovan pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Donovan working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Donovan sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donovan working Watanabe over with strikes here.
Watanabe on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Watanabe tries to get out of the position.
Donovan pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Donovan cracks Watanabe with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Donovan lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Donovan controlling his opponent.
Donovan lands a nice shot to the head.
Donovan controlling the position easily from mount.
Watanabe is wriggling around trying to escape.
Donovan controlling the pace for now.
Watanabe is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donovan working the ground and pound effectively.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Donovan cracks Watanabe with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Donovan is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Watanabe can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Donovan raining down hammerfists from mount.
Donovan lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Donovan scoring with strikes but Watanabe is staying in there.
Donovan lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Watanabe in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Donovan lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Donovan controlling from mount.
Watanabe really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Donovan in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Donovan in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bret Donovan dominated that round.
That's time! Watanabe's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Watanabe misses with a double jab
and Donovan counters with a nice uppercut.
Watanabe falls off balance throwing a combination
and Donovan counters with a stiff right hand.
Watanabe swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

so Donovan counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Donovan is pushing down on Watanabe's leg trying to pass to half guard. Watanabe is fighting to maintain full guard but Donovan has managed to sneak the leg through.
Watanabe on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Donovan scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Donovan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Watanabe scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Donovan manages to mount him!
Donovan lands a nice shot to the head.
Watanabe takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
You get the feeling that Watanabe really doesn't like being in this position too much.
The referee warns Watanabe that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Donovan scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Watanabe?
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Donovan cracks Watanabe with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donovan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Donovan punishing his opponent with strikes.
Donovan in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Watanabe knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Donovan on the ground.
Donovan lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Donovan takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Donovan is landing with some decent strikes but Watanabe is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Donovan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Donovan punishing his opponent with strikes.
Donovan content just to control the position here.
Watanabe swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Donovan lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Donovan with shots to the head and body - Watanabe looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Donovan breaks from Watanabe's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Donovan connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Donovan punishing his opponent with strikes.
Donovan working Watanabe over with strikes here.
Donovan looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Donovan working the ground and pound effectively.
A nice elbow there by Donovan.

Watanabe is rocked!
BOOM! Donovan connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Oh Watanabe is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Donovan cracks Watanabe with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Donovan scoring with strikes but Watanabe is staying in there.
BOOM! Donovan connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Donovan in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Donovan scoring with strikes but Watanabe is staying in there.
Donovan fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Donovan working Watanabe over with strikes here.
Donovan lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Watanabe hang on?
Donovan landing shots from mount.
Donovan controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donovan lands a nice shot to the head.
Donovan is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Watanabe can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Donovan lands a nice shot to the head.
Donovan with the ground and pound from mount.
Donovan raining down hammerfists from mount.
Donovan content just to control the position here.
Donovan looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Donovan with shots to the head and body - Watanabe looks very uncomfortable down there.
Donovan with a couple of short strikes.
Watanabe seems to have got his legs back now.
Donovan sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Donovan is landing with some decent strikes but Watanabe is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Donovan landing strikes from the mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Donovan cracks Watanabe with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Donovan takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Donovan with shots to the head and body - Watanabe looks very uncomfortable down there.
Donovan with good strikes from the mount here!
Donovan lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Watanabe hang on?
Donovan takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Donovan cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Donovan raining down shots from the mount!
Donovan scoring with strikes but Watanabe is staying in there.
Donovan is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Watanabe can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Donovan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Watanabe in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bret Donovan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Donovan lands with a straight right. Watanabe didn't see that one coming.
Watanabe throws a left and a right that both miss
and Donovan counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Watanabe throws a combination that misses
and Donovan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Watanabe swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Donovan counters with a left and a right that stings Watanabe.
Takeshi Watanabe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Watanabe falls off balance throwing a combination
and Donovan scores with a counter punch that sends Watanabe to the canvas! Donovan smells blood - he's punishing Watanabe with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Watanabe has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Bret Donovan!