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. Kenji Watanabe acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Stone
vs
Watanabe

166 cm
32
147 lbs
24 - 16 - 2

172 cm
32
145 lbs
22 - 10 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

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 24 - 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 22 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Kenji Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Ian Loll and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watanabe scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Stone swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A big left from Stone misses.
Stone lands with a good body shot.
Watanabe lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Watanabe lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Watanabe moves out of range as Stone throws a body kick.
Stone takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Watanabe misses with a wild body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Watanabe misses the target.
Stone swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Stone getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Stone thows a body shot but no joy.
Watanabe misses with an attempted mid kick.
Watanabe connects with a right hand. Stone shakes it off.
Stone lands an overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by Watanabe misses
and Stone counters with a stiff right hand.
Watanabe tries to score with a low kick but Stone moves his leg out of the way.
Crunch! Watanabe slams his shin into Stone's torso.
Watanabe moves out of range as Stone strikes.
Watanabe misses with a body kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stone. Watanabe does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kenji Watanabe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watanabe lands a head shot.
Donk. Watanabe catches Stone right on the button with a cross.
Watanabe chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Stone can pounce on him.
Watanabe throws a leg kick but Stone checks it.
Stone throws a leg kick but Watanabe sees it coming and moves out of range.
Watanabe bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Stone's head.
Watanabe throws a half hearted mid kick.
Stone throws out a loose jab but Watanabe uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Watanabe lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
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 throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Watanabe.
Stone moves out of range of the leg kick from Watanabe.
A big right from Stone misses.
Stone tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Watanabe is able to avoid easily.

Watanabe rushes Stone and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Watanabe is trying to maintain a safe position but Stone gets an underhook and turns Watanabe into the cage.
A shot in the inside from Watanabe.
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.
Stone has a couple of punches blocked by Watanabe.
Watanabe blocks an uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Stone.
Watanabe trying to control the position but instead, Stone has worked for underhooks and has pushed Watanabe into the cage.
Watanabe throws a head punch that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe blocking some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Watanabe.
Watanabe can't find room to land a body shot as Stone controls the action.
Watanabe with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Stone lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Watanabe misses with a knee strike.
Stone misses with a short punch on the inside.

Watanabe pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Watanabe wants to clinch.
Watanabe lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Stone fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Watanabe ducks under a wild hook from Stone.
Watanabe ducks right into an uppercut from Stone.
Watanabe is looking to clinch but Stone is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stone has Watanabe up against the cage in a clinch.
Watanabe trying to stall but Stone improves his position.
Watanabe blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Stone as Watanabe tries to tie him up.
Watanabe has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. So far he's outscoring his opponent in the clinch so it seems to have been worthwhile.
Stone misses with a punch on the inside.
Stone lands a hook that snaps the head of Watanabe backwards.
Stone lands a nice uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Watanabe struggles to land a body shot inside as Stone controls his hands.
Stone misses with some punches.
Watanabe stalling in the clinch but Stone improves position.
Watanabe misses with a hook from the clinch.

Watanabe pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stone lands with a hook. Watanabe tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Watanabe is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Stone.
Stone punishes Watanabe's body with a nice straight punch.
Watanabe misses with a straight right.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kenji Watanabe will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Stone tries to clinch up but Watanabe circles away and keeps his distance.
Watanabe swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Watanabe fails with an attempt to clinch.
Stone cracks a nice hook into Watanabe's ribs.
Kenji Watanabe seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Watanabe looks for the body kick but Stone saw that one coming.
Watanabe checks a leg kick.
Watanabe cracks the inside of Stone's front leg.
Stone throws a nice outside leg kick.
Watanabe scores with a kick to the midsection.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stone looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A telegraphed right hand from Watanabe misses the target.
Stone scores with a body shot.
Stone throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone walks into a jab.
Nice shot by Watanabe.
Stone takes a swing at Watanabe's ribcage but misses.
Watanabe looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Watanabe takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A head kick misses from Watanabe.
An inside leg kick lands from Watanabe.
Stone pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Watanabe buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Watanabe dodges the punch combination from Stone.
Stone misses with a left hand

and Watanabe counters by moving into the clinch.
Stone misses with a short punch on the inside.
Watanabe blocks an uppercut.
Watanabe misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Stone has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Still in the clinch, Stone scores with a nice short uppercut.
Watanabe looking to slow down the pace here.
Stone swings wildly with an uppercut but Watanabe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Watanabe misses with a knee to the head.
Watanabe will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Stone up against the cage.
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 blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Stone blocks an uppercut.
Stone lands a hook that snaps the head of Watanabe backwards.
Stone tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Stone misses with some punches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Stone.
Watanabe takes a shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Stone misses with a punch on the inside.
Watanabe taking a breather.
Stone throws a head punch that misses.
Stone trying to control the position but instead, Watanabe has worked for underhooks and has pushed Stone into the cage.
Stone throws a head punch that misses.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Stone is trying to maintain a safe position but Watanabe gets an underhook and turns Stone into the cage.
Stone swings wildly with an uppercut but Watanabe uses good head movement to avoid it.

Watanabe breaks from the clinch.
Watanabe avoids the body shot from Stone.
A big right from Watanabe misses.
Watanabe motions for Stone to come forward. Watanabe throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Stone slips a straight right by Watanabe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stone keeps the fight on the outside.
Watanabe throws a jab but it's blocked by Stone.
Watanabe throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Watanabe misses with a body kick.
Stone pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A low kick from Watanabe misses
and Stone counters with a low kick, right behind Watanabe 's knee.
Watanabe swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Watanabe swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Watanabe looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Stone throws a low kick, looking for Watanabe's leg but Watanabe calmly moves out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Watanabe.
Stone lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Crunch! Watanabe slams his shin into Stone's torso.
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.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Stone takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Watanabe misses with an attempted mid kick.
Watanabe's jab looks to have found its range, popping Stone under the eye.
Stone connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Stone's corner calls for a 1-2. Stone obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Stone will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
A jab from Watanabe finds it's way through Stone's defenses.
Stone tries to score with a low kick but Watanabe moves his leg out of the way.
Watanabe throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A thudding body kick lands there by Watanabe!
Stone staying out of range there.
Watanabe takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Watanabe lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A punch lands to the side of Watanabe 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Stone fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Watanabe manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe scores with a jab to the jaw.
Watanabe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Stone swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Watanabe throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Stone lands a nice leg kick that just misses Watanabe's sensitive parts.
Stone moves out of range as Watanabe strikes.
Stone throws a big shot that misses.
Nice defenses there by Stone.
Watanabe swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Watanabe explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
A slapping leg kick lands for Stone.
Watanabe misses with a low kick as Stone jumps back.
Stone cracks the inside of Watanabe's front leg.
Stone throws a jab but it's blocked by Watanabe.
Kenji Watanabe is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Watanabe.
A swing and a miss from Stone.
Stone moves out of range as Watanabe strikes.
Stone fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Stone is looking to clinch but Watanabe is avoiding it.
Stone has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Stone there as he acknowledges the shot.
Watanabe throws a leg kick but Stone moved away.
Watanabe throws a lazy right hand but Stone sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Stone lands with a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watanabe misses with a low kick.
Watanabe throws a head kick but Stone moves out of range.
Watanabe lands a nice looking body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Watanabe.
Watanabe misses the shot to the body.
Watanabe avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Stone misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Watanabe.
Stone has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Watanabe.
Watanabe tries to clinch up but Stone circles away and keeps his distance.
Watanabe moves out of range as Stone strikes.
Knuckle Stone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Watanabe slips a straight right by Stone.
Watanabe ducks under a wild hook from Stone.
Watanabe with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Stone to score with a decent uppercut.
Watanabe connects with a leg kick. Stone looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Watanabe throws a jab when Stone was well out of range.
Watanabe tries to land a front kick but Stone steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe is looking to land body kicks.
Stone is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Watanabe throws a leg kick that is checked
and Stone counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Watanabe lands a nice leg kick that just misses Stone's sensitive parts.

Stone rushes Watanabe and presses him up against the cage.
Stone lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Stone tries to work over Watanabe's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Stone lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch on the inside from Stone fails to land.
Stone tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stone can't find room to land a body shot as Watanabe controls the action.
Stone misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Watanabe.
Stone doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Knuckle Stone.
I think Watanabe has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenji Watanabe!
A victorious Kenji Watanabe thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.