PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Knuckle Stone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenji Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stone comes to the cage accompanied by Gimme Shelter. Watanabe has chosen Love Hate Love as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stone
vs
Watanabe

166 cm
32
147 lbs
23 - 16 - 2

172 cm
32
145 lbs
21 - 9 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Alpha-Male Nutritional Supplements (q160)

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry
Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 23 - 16 - 2, fighting out of London, Knuckle Stone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Kenji Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Gregory Folan and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stone connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Watanabe throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Watanabe throws the kick towards the body but Stone avoids it.
A telegraphed right hand from Stone misses the target.
Watanabe has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
A solid leg kick lands there for Watanabe.
Stone moves out of range as Watanabe throws a body kick.
Stone looks to score with a jab to the body but Watanabe is just out of range.
Watanabe takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Stone slips under a jab from Watanabe.
Watanabe fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Stone has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Watanabe throws a push kick but Stone slaps the foot to one side.
Stone moves out of range of the body kick.
Watanabe misses with a straight left.
Stone thows a body shot but no joy.
Watanabe swings widly with a right hand
and Stone counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone misses the shot to the body.
Watanabe fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Watanabe fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Stone.
A low kick from Stone is predictable there
and Watanabe counters with a nice body kick.
Watanabe avoids the head kick by Stone.
Stone misses with a wild combination.
Watanabe takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Crunch! Watanabe slams his shin into Stone's torso.
Watanabe ducks under a wild hook from Stone.
Watanabe lands with a nice body kick.
Watanabe pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Stone looks to score with a jab to the body but Watanabe is just out of range.
Watanabe tries to land a front kick but Stone steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Watanabe fails with a takedown attempt.
Watanabe checks a low kick from Stone.
Watanabe is looking to land body kicks.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stone motions for Watanabe to come forward. Stone throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Jab from Watanabe.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Watanabe.
Watanabe loads up on a big right hand but Stone slips the punch.
Stone looks to score with a jab to the body but Watanabe is just out of range.
A slapping body kick lands there for Watanabe.
Watanabe misses with a low kick.
Stone finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe throws a chopping leg kick but Stone manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Stone moves out of range of the strikes.
Watanabe lands with a cross.
Stone lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Watanabe at a distance.
Stone checks a low kick from Watanabe.
Watanabe thows a body shot but no joy.
Stone uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Watanabe.
Stone throws out a powerful jab.
Watanabe takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Watanabe misses with an uppercut. Stone saw that one coming.
A swing and a miss from Watanabe.
No luck for Watanabe with that takedown attempt.
Watanabe with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Stone to score with a decent uppercut.

It looks like Kenji Watanabe has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Stone counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Stone cracks Watanabe with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Some bone on bone action there as Stone checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Stone throws a jab but it's blocked by Watanabe.
Watanabe missing with a left hand there. Stone was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Stone misses with a straight right.
Kenji Watanabe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watanabe lands a nice leg kick that just misses Stone's sensitive parts.
The fighters circling - Stone throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Watanabe bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watanabe has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Watanabe there as he acknowledges the shot.
Stone lands with a good body shot.
Stone looks to land a right hand but Watanabe moved out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Knuckle Stone will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kenji Watanabe's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Watanabe connects with a crisp jab.
Watanabe lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Watanabe throws a head kick that misses.
Stone fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Watanabe throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Watanabe fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Stone checks it well.
Watanabe with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Watanabe throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Watanabe is looking to chop away at Stone's legs.
Watanabe connects with a solid leg kick.
Watanabe connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Watanabe connects with a solid leg kick.
Stone is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Stone takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe misses with a right hand
letting Stone counter with a right hand.
An inside leg kick lands from Watanabe.
Stone will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Stone tests Watanabe's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Stone throws a leg kick that is checked
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Watanabe showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Stone.
Watanabe shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Stone eats them both and turns towards Watanabe to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Kenji Watanabe seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Watanabe throws a push kick but Stone slaps the foot to one side.
Watanabe takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Watanabe throws a series of punches but Stone moves out of range.
Watanabe checks the leg kick.
Watanabe scores with a nice head shot.
Stone throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Watanabe sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jab from Stone.
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!
Stone misses with a looping right.
Watanabe slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Watanabe scores with a nice right hand.
Watanabe waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Stone.
Watanabe looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Watanabe connects with a looping right hand.
Stone missing with a left hand there. Watanabe was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Stone takes a swing at Watanabe's ribcage but misses.
A nice inside leg kick there by Stone. That's going to slow Watanabe down.
Stone misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Stone throws a head kick but Watanabe moves out of range.
A slapping body kick lands there for Watanabe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe pushes Stone away with a front kick.
Watanabe is looking to clinch.
Stone misses with a low kick.
Stone looks to land a right hand but Watanabe moved out of range.
Stone defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Watanabe.
Jab, jab by Stone - just one landing.
Stone misses with a low kick.
Watanabe misses the jab.
Jab, jab by Watanabe - just one landing.
Watanabe throws a nice outside leg kick.
Watanabe misses with a double jab
and Stone counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone throws a leg kick that misses.
Stone scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Watanabe cracks the inside of Stone's front leg.
Stone throws a leg kick

and Watanabe holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
I was talking to Stone's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Watanabe misses with a knee strike.
Stone lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Watanabe tries to land a knee to the head but Stone blocks with his arms.
Watanabe with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Stone lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Watanabe backwards.
A short right from Stone.
Watanabe is pushing Stone up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Watanabe misses with a knee to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watanabe misses with a hook from the clinch.
Stone lands a body punch.
Stone lands a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kenji Watanabe will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Kenji Watanabe's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Watanabe throws a front kick that sends Stone stumbling back into the cage.
Stone throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Watanabe on the side of the head.
Stone lunges at Watanabe with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Watanabe's hand.
Watanabe throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Stone throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Stone.
Stone throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Watanabe throws a half hearted mid kick.
Stone jabs at Watanabe's body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Stone.
Some bone on bone action there as Watanabe checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Watanabe throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Watanabe looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone moves out of range as Watanabe throws a body kick.
Stone circles away from the clinch attempt.
Watanabe throws a quick inside leg kick.
Stone throws a big shot that misses.
Watanabe on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Watanabe uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stone.
Stone throws a right and a left that Watanabe avoids nicely.
Watanabe connects with an inside leg kick.
Stone swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Watanabe looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Watanabe gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Stone.
Good shot there by Stone.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone lands a lovely overhand right.
Watanabe takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Stone throws a sloppy head kick and Watanabe moves out of range easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Stone on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Watanabe has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Stone fakes the leg kick and cracks Watanabe in the body.
Watanabe tries a low kick but Stone avoids it.
Watanabe moves away from the strike by Stone.
Stone lands a nice leg kick that just misses Watanabe's sensitive parts.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Watanabe.
Stone jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Stone misses with a series of wild punches.
Watanabe on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe tries to land a front kick but Stone steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Stone connects with a right hand. Watanabe shakes it off.
Watanabe throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Watanabe avoids the body shot from Stone.
Watanabe scores with a crisp jab that stopped Stone in his tracks.
Watanabe lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Stone's jab looks to have found its range, popping Watanabe under the eye.
A chopping leg kick lands by Stone.
Stone throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Watanabe goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Watanabe pushes Stone away with a front kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone throws a front kick aimed at Watanabe's knee but Watanabe avoids it well.

Watanabe gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Watanabe misses with a knee strike.

Stone escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stone swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Stone scores with a leg kick.
Watanabe keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Watanabe fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Stone on the side of the head.
Watanabe swings widly with a right hand
and Stone counters with a slapping leg kick.
Watanabe stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Stone.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stone misses with an uppercut.
Stone with a hook.
Stone stuns Watanabe with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Knuckle Stone showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Stone has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Knuckle Stone!
A relieved looking Knuckle Stone thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.