PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Justina Vanovcan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takeshi Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vanovcan's entrance music is Moskau. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Vanovcan
vs
Watanabe

153 cm
41
130 lbs
30 - 18 - 0

175 cm
30
135 lbs
13 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin

Just Fight (Everything 8$)

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 30 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Justina Vanovcan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Takeshi Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Frank Dennis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vanovcan misses with an attempted mid kick.
Watanabe is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Watanabe looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Vanovcan pushes Watanabe up against the cage in a clinch.
Still in the clinch, Vanovcan scores with a nice short uppercut.
Watanabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
With the fighters up against the cage, Vanovcan throws an elbow but misses.

Watanabe's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Vanovcan has managed to clinch.
Nice elbow from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Watanabe's elbow.
A frustrated look appears on Watanabe's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Vanovcan throws a head punch that misses.
Vanovcan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Watanabe is trying to force a seperation but Vanovcan has the dominant position.
Vanovcan comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vanovcan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Watanabe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Watanabe is trying to break the clinch but Vanovcan is controlling him.
Vanovcan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Vanovcan lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Watanabe is trying to push Vanovcan away but Vanovcan has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Vanovcan can't find room to land a body shot as Watanabe controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vanovcan pushes off an throws an elbow but Watanabe leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Watanabe is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Vanovcan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Vanovcan lands with a left to the head.
Vanovcan is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Vanovcan using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Watanabe has had enough of the clinch but Vanovcan keeps him there for the moment.
Vanovcan lands a knee to the head.
Vanovcan lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Vanovcan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Vanovcan swings wildly with an uppercut but Watanabe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Watanabe wants to break free but Vanovcan has control.
Vanovcan tries to work over Watanabe's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Vanovcan tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Watanabe avoids it.
Watanabe wants to get back to striking at distance but Vanovcan won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Watanabe's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Vanovcan creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Watanabe's defenses.
Watanabe working hard to break the clinch.
Vanovcan is working Watanabe over against the cage.
Vanovcan lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Watanabe backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vanovcan lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Vanovcan scores with a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe wants to get back to striking at distance but Vanovcan won't allow it.
Vanovcan with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Watanabe working hard to break the clinch.
Vanovcan lands a left hand.
Watanabe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Vanovcan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Watanabe wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Knees to the body from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan keeps control of Watanabe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Vanovcan keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Watanabe's efforts to push away.
Watanabe takes an elbow to the forehead.
Watanabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Vanovcan has double underhooks.
A nice left hand lands by Vanovcan.
Watanabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vanovcan using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Watanabe has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Vanovcan lands an elbow that stopped Watanabe in his tracks for a moment.
Vanovcan works on Watanabe's body with a couple of short punches.
Good body shot from Vanovcan.
Watanabe is trying to force a seperation but Vanovcan has the dominant position.
Vanovcan keeps control of Watanabe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Watanabe swings wildly with an uppercut but Vanovcan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Watanabe is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe wants to get back to striking at distance but Vanovcan won't allow it.
Vanovcan is working Watanabe over against the cage.
Watanabe tries to circle away but Vanovcan has him pinned against the cage.
Watanabe has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Watanabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vanovcan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Vanovcan scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Vanovcan.
Vanovcan misses with a knee to the head.
A short right from Vanovcan on the inside.
Vanovcan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Watanabe blocks it with crossed arms.
Watanabe takes an elbow to the forehead.
Vanovcan lands a left hand that snaps the head of Watanabe backwards.
Watanabe tries to break the clinch but Vanovcan is controlling the position.
Watanabe is trying to push Vanovcan away but Vanovcan has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Watanabe lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Vanovcan tries to land knees in the clinch but Watanabe avoids the damage to the body.
Watanabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Watanabe tries to break the clinch but Vanovcan is controlling the position.
Watanabe takes an elbow to the forehead.
Vanovcan unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vanovcan misses with the head strike.
Vanovcan lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Vanovcan lands with a left to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Vanovcan.
Vanovcan softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Watanabe is trying to force a seperation but Vanovcan has the dominant position.
Vanovcan scores with a nice hook to the head.
Watanabe wants to break free but Vanovcan has control.
Vanovcan prevents Watanabe from breaking the clinch.
Vanovcan lands a right hand that snaps the head of Watanabe backwards.
Vanovcan lands a right hand that snaps the head of Watanabe backwards.
Watanabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Vanovcan has double underhooks.
Vanovcan digs a right hand underneath Watanabe's ribcage. Watanabe let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Vanovcan has Watanabe pressed against the cage, preventing Watanabe from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Vanovcan has Watanabe pressed against the cage, preventing Watanabe from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Vanovcan can't find room to land a body shot as Watanabe controls the action.
Vanovcan scores with a hook to the body.
Vanovcan working Watanabe over with knees to the body.
Watanabe looks winded!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A short left from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan scores with a knee to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Vanovcan.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justina Vanovcan dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A nice combination there by Vanovcan.
Vanovcan tries to clinch up.
Watanabe tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Vanovcan misses with a wild body shot.
Despite the aggression on Watanabe's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Vanovcan swinging wildly here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Vanovcan. Watanabe does a little dance to reset his feet.
Vanovcan throws a big shot that misses.
Watanabe throws a counter combo.
Vanovcan throws a leg kick that is checked
and Watanabe counters with a left and a right that stings Vanovcan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watanabe slips under a jab.

Vanovcan clinches up against the cage.
Vanovcan lands an elbow just above Watanabe 's eye.
Vanovcan tries to throw a body punch but Watanabe avoids it by throwing Vanovcan back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Vanovcan swings wildly with an uppercut but Watanabe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Vanovcan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Vanovcan.
Watanabe is trying to force a seperation but Vanovcan has the dominant position.
A nice right hand lands inside from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Vanovcan working Watanabe over with knees to the body.
Vanovcan with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Watanabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Vanovcan has double underhooks.
Vanovcan gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Vanovcan crunches a lovely knee into Watanabe's ribcage.
Watanabe is trying to push Vanovcan away but Vanovcan has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Vanovcan lands a nice shot to the body.
Watanabe working hard to break the clinch.
Watanabe is trying to break the clinch but Vanovcan is controlling him.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Vanovcan creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Vanovcan lands an elbow inside.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A nice left hand lands by Vanovcan.
Justina Vanovcan has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A head punch on the inside from Watanabe fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Vanovcan lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Watanabe has had enough of the clinch but Vanovcan keeps him there for the moment.
Watanabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Vanovcan has double underhooks.
Watanabe has had enough of the clinch but Vanovcan keeps him there for the moment.
Vanovcan lands a damaging elbow.
Vanovcan struggles to land a body shot inside as Watanabe controls his hands.
Vanovcan lands a damaging elbow.
Vanovcan makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Watanabe blocks an elbow strike.
Nice body punch from Vanovcan.
Watanabe is breathing heavily.
Watanabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Vanovcan using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Watanabe has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Watanabe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vanovcan throws a body punch but Watanabe moves out of range.
Vanovcan wants to clinch up but Watanabe keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A cross from Vanovcan lands.

Watanabe gets tackled into the cage by Vanovcan. Vanovcan maintains the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Vanovcan.
Watanabe misses with a punch on the inside.
Watanabe wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Vanovcan.
Watanabe tries to circle away but Vanovcan has him pinned against the cage.
Vanovcan creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Watanabe's defenses.
Watanabe blocks the elbow strike.
Watanabe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Vanovcan has him pressed against the cage.
Vanovcan lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Watanabe.
Watanabe takes an elbow to the forehead.
Vanovcan tries a body shot but Watanabe blocks it.
Vanovcan throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Watanabes head.
Vanovcan lands a shoulder strike.
Watanabe wants to get back to striking at distance but Vanovcan won't allow it.
Watanabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Vanovcan has double underhooks.
Vanovcan lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Watanabe or not.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vanovcan lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vanovcan lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Vanovcan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Vanovcan works on Watanabe's body with a couple of short punches.
Watanabe takes an elbow to the temple.
Vanovcan gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Watanabe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vanovcan lands a nice shot that snaps Watanabe's head back.
Vanovcan tries to clinch but Watanabe moves out of range.
Vanovcan swings for the body but Watanabe moves out of range.
Vanovcan scores with a jab to the body.
Vanovcan walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Watanabe checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vanovcan wants to land a leg kick but Watanabe is out of range.
Watanabe is looking for the big counter here.
Vanovcan is looking to wear down Watanabe with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Watanabe checks the leg kick nicely there.

Vanovcan darts in and clinches Watanabe up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justina Vanovcan dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Watanabe checks a leg kick nicely.
Vanovcan misses with an attempted mid kick.
Watanabe drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Vanovcan defends it well.

Vanovcan has managed to clinch.
Watanabe is trying to break free.
Vanovcan lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Vanovcan prevents Watanabe from breaking the clinch.
Watanabe blocking some punches.
Vanovcan keeps control of Watanabe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Watanabe working aggressively here.
Vanovcan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Watanabe working hard to break the clinch.
Vanovcan has Watanabe pressed against the cage, preventing Watanabe from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watanabe is trying to break the clinch but Vanovcan has him pressed against the cage.
Vanovcan lands a nice elbow.
Watanabe blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Vanovcan lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Vanovcan working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Vanovcan with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Watanabe blocks a body shot from Vanovcan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vanovcan keeps control of Watanabe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Still in the clinch, Vanovcan scores with a nice short uppercut.
Vanovcan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Watanabe can do to turn this around?
A head punch on the inside from Vanovcan fails to land.
Vanovcan lands a damaging elbow.
Vanovcan throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Vanovcan creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Watanabe's defenses.

Watanabe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vanovcan looks for the body kick but Watanabe saw that one coming.
Vanovcan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Watanabe is looking for the big counter here.
Vanovcan is looking to clinch but Watanabe is avoiding it.
Watanabe slips a jab from Vanovcan.
Watanabe is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Vanovcan fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Watanabe looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Vanovcan moves into the clinch.
Vanovcan misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe wants to break free but Vanovcan has control.
Vanovcan scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Watanabe manages to break the clinch.
Watanabe doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vanovcan stuns Watanabe with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Vanovcan throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Vanovcan has managed to clinch.
Vanovcan cracks Watanabe with a nice body shot.
Watanabe is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Vanovcan.
Watanabe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Vanovcan has him pressed against the cage.
Watanabe tries to break free but Vanovcan pushes him back against the cage.
Watanabe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vanovcan scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Watanabe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Vanovcan closes the distance and pushes Watanabe back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe wants to break free but Vanovcan has control.
Vanovcan crunches a lovely knee into Watanabe's ribcage.
Watanabe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Vanovcan works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Vanovcan lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A hook to the body from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan lands a hook to the side of the head.
Vanovcan lands a good knee to the midsection. Watanabe won't want to take too many of those.
Vanovcan lands a left hand.
Vanovcan keeps control of Watanabe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Watanabe takes an elbow to the forehead.
Watanabe has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Watanabe is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Watanabe takes a knee right on the jaw!
A short body shot lands from Vanovcan as the two fighters clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Vanovcan.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Vanovcan.
Justina Vanovcan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vanovcan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Watanabe blocks it with crossed arms.
Vanovcan gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vanovcan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Watanabe wants to break free but Vanovcan has control.
Vanovcan landing knees to the body.
Watanabe looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A shot in the inside from Vanovcan.
Vanovcan lands an uppercut.
Watanabe is trying to break the clinch but Vanovcan is controlling him.
Vanovcan scores a nice knee to the body.
Watanabe wants to break free but Vanovcan has control.
Vanovcan digs a right hand underneath Watanabe's ribcage. Watanabe let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Watanabe looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Vanovcan lands an elbow inside that Watanabe shrugs off.
Vanovcan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Vanovcan misses with a punch to the body.
Takeshi Watanabe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vanovcan creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Watanabe's defenses.
Vanovcan lands an elbow that stopped Watanabe in his tracks for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justina Vanovcan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Vanovcan 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:25
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:25
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justina Vanovcan!
Justina Vanovcan decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.