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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hiro Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ralph Joaquin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Watanabe's entrance music is Tan Dun- Night Flight. A fine choice. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!
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| 174 cm
31
160 lbs
6 - 7 - 0 |
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225 cm
31
155 lbs
5 - 6 - 0 |
BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin |
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BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Knockout power |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hiro Watanabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ralph Joaquin!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shirou Masuda.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joaquin tries for a takedown but Watanabe circles away easily
and Watanabe counters by clinching up.
Watanabe is trying to trip Joaquin. He has hold of a leg but Joaquin is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Watanabe persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Joaquin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Joaquin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Joaquin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Watanabe sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Watanabe has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Watanabe might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Watanabe tries to free his leg and advance position but Joaquin is retaining full guard.
Watanabe trying to control but Joaquin is working from the bottom.
Joaquin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Joaquin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Hiro Watanabe.
Watanabe tries to clinch but Joaquin moves out of range.
Watanabe feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Watanabe stopping the sweep attempt from Joaquin.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.
Joaquin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Joaquin holds on and takes a little breather.
Joaquin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Joaquin has his foot on Watanabe's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Watanabe works his way back into a safe position though.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.
Watanabe tries to free his leg and advance position but Joaquin is retaining full guard.
Watanabe trying to control but Joaquin is working from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Watanabe avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Joaquin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Watanabe works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Joaquin is not content to let Watanabe control the position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Watanabe is trying to control the action in half guard but Joaquin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Watanabe throws a strike but Joaquin avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
We've been informed that Joaquin has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Joaquin bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Watanabe's guard.
Watanabe avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Joaquin postures up.
Watanabe can't keep his opponent in guard - Joaquin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Watanabe has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Joaquin is working away from the top position though.
Watanabe avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Joaquin.
Joaquin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Joaquin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin trying to mount his opponent but Watanabe defends it.
Watanabe tries to roll over but Joaquin keeps him under control.
Watanabe gets full guard.
Joaquin 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.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watanabe avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watanabe wants to sweep here but Joaquin controlling him for the moment.
Joaquin throws an elbow that misses. Watanabe uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Joaquin's guard. Nice move by Watanabe!
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 Hiro Watanabe will probably get the nod.
That's time! Watanabe's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.
Watanabe gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Joaquin is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Watanabe is defending well.
Watanabe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Watanabe lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Joaquin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Watanabe is fending him off so far but Joaquin persists. Nope, Watanabe circles away and we're back to standing.
Joaquin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Hiro Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralph Joaquin.
Joaquin tries for a takedown but Watanabe circles away easily
and Watanabe moves into the clinch.
Watanabe tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Joaquin can't break the clinch.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Joaquin will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Watanabe up against the cage.
Watanabe has Joaquin pressed against the cage, preventing Joaquin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Joaquin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Joaquin goes for a takedown attempt but Watanabe pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Watanabe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Joaquin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Watanabe wants to clinch.
A combination from Watanabe does no damage.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe clinches up with Joaquin and pushes him back against the cage.
Joaquin successfully pulls guard.
Joaquin looking for a guillotine here but Watanabe defends easily.
Joaquin working a defensive guard here.
Watanabe controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Joaquin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Watanabe got a little sloppy there for a moment and Joaquin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Watanabe has managed to get both his arms back between Joaquin's legs - danger averted.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.
Watanabe is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Watanabe wants to control from the top but Joaquin keeps moving.
Joaquin wants to sweep but no luck.
Joaquin 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.
Watanabe wants to control from the top but Joaquin keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref stands the fighters back up. Hiro Watanabe wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Joaquin avoids the body shot from Watanabe.
Joaquin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Watanabe sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Watanabe fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Joaquin, pushing him back against the cage.
Joaquin prevents a takedown attempt there.
Watanabe drops down looking for an ankle pick but Joaquin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hiro Watanabe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watanabe throws a right and a left that Joaquin avoids nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Joaquin tries to clinch up.
Watanabe clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Hiro Watanabe dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!
Watanabe gets caught flat footed, as Joaquin shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Joaquin is pushing down on Watanabe's leg trying to pass to half guard. Watanabe is fighting to maintain full guard but Joaquin has managed to sneak the leg through.
Joaquin looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Watanabe trying to hold on to Joaquin's head to control him but Joaquin postures up.
Watanabe gets back to full guard.
Joaquin trying to control the position from guard on top but Watanabe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe trying to control the position here.
Joaquin trying to control but Watanabe is working from the bottom.
Watanabe can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Joaquin controls the pace.
The ref stands the fighters back up. Ralph Joaquin was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Watanabe has closed the distance and engaged Joaquin in a clinch.
Joaquin fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A frustrated look appears on Joaquin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Joaquin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Watanabe gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Joaquin jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Watanabe walks away with a smile on his face. Joaquin gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Hiro Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ralph Joaquin.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe clinches up against the cage.
Joaquin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Watanabe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Watanabe lands a takedown into guard.
Joaquin is trying to hold Watanabe in close to prevent damage but Watanabe has managed to pass into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Joaquin is trying to maintain the position but Watanabe is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joaquin is looking to improve his position.
Watanabe has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe trying to control but Joaquin is having none of it.
Watanabe is really struggling to control Joaquin but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Joaquin working to try and regain half guard.
Watanabe avoids the attempt from Joaquin to control.
Joaquin is desperately trying to improve his position but Watanabe has a good base and remains in mount.
Joaquin tries to hold on but Watanabe postures up.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe content just to control the position here.
Joaquin tries to hold on but Watanabe pushes him away.
Hiro Watanabe is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Watanabe prevents Joaquin from getting the reversal.
Watanabe sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ralph Joaquin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joaquin is looking to improve his position but Watanabe isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Joaquin swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Joaquin really wants to buck Watanabe off and get back to his feet.
Watanabe trying to control but Joaquin is having none of it.
And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ralph Joaquin.
I think Watanabe has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:29
In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Hiro Watanabe!
A relieved looking Hiro Watanabe thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
58% |
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