PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thad Aguilar (ranked 6039 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takeshi Watanabe (ranked 8288 p4p, 0 weight class). Watanabe has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Takeshi Watanabe looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Aguilar
vs
Watanabe

154 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thad Aguilar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takeshi Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shirou Masuda and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aguilar misses with an attempted mid kick.
Despite the aggression on Watanabe's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Aguilar closes the distance and clinches.

Aguilar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Watanabe clinches up with Aguilar and pushes him back against the cage.
Aguilar gets underhooks to prevent Watanabe's takedown attempt.
Watanabe looks winded!

Aguilar pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Aguilar is trying to push Watanabe away but Watanabe has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Aguilar stalls.
Watanabe can't get the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Aguilar holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Aguilar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Aguilar really is a fat lump.
Watanabe tries to land a front kick but Aguilar steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Aguilar drives through with a takedown into Watanabe's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aguilar drops back looking for a leg! Watanabe is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Watanabe manages to kick Aguilar off! Aguilar jumps back into Watanabe's guard.

Aguilar thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Aguilar gets to his feet. Watanabe looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Aguilar shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Aguilar gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Some wild striking there from Aguilar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aguilar scores with a body shot.

Aguilar shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Aguilar was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Watanabe bucks up and tries to throw Aguilar off but instead Aguilar has got his back!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
What can Watanabe do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Aguilar seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Watanabe for as long as he can get away with.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thad Aguilar dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Aguilar connects with a body shot that sends Watanabe's belly button to the back.
Aguilar throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Aguilar tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Watanabe was well out of range. Poor timing from Aguilar.

Watanabe clinches with his opponent.
The referee is keeping an eye on Aguilar - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Aguilar is trying to break the clinch but Watanabe has him pressed against the cage.

Aguilar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Aguilar manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Watanabe on his heels. He'll look to pass Watanabe's guard now, I'm sure.
Aguilar really is built like a bowling ball. I wonder if he'd roll if you pushed him down a hill...
Watanabe is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Aguilar gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Aguilar closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Watanabe to the mat! Watanabe manages to get full guard.

Aguilar stands up from guard. Let's bang!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice body kick from Aguilar.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aguilar shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Aguilar showed some decent athleticism there.

Aguilar postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Watanabe to stand up.
Takeshi Watanabe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Watanabe gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Aguilar is standing up over Watanabe. Watanabe looks to escape but Aguilar dives into side control.

Aguilar stands up.

Watanabe rushes Aguilar and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Aguilar pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Aguilar shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Aguilar was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Watanabe bucks up and tries to throw Aguilar off but instead Aguilar has got his back!
This has been an exciting period of action!
A bit of a pause in the action here. Aguilar controlling the positon.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aguilar's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Thad Aguilar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Aguilar continues to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thad Aguilar dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Aguilar misses with a kick to the body.

Aguilar gets the takedown into side control.

Aguilar decides to stand back up. Aguilar steps back and let's Watanabe get back to his feet.

Aguilar closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Watanabe's guard.
Watanabe is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Aguilar dives into side control.

Aguilar stands up and beckons Watanabe to his feet.

Aguilar closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Watanabe to the mat! Watanabe manages to get full guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watanabe being controlled here, momentarily.

Aguilar stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Watanabe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A thudding body kick lands there by Aguilar!
Aguilar misses with a body kick.

Aguilar dives in and scores a takedown into Watanabe's guard.
Aguilar is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Watanabe can do to turn this around?

Aguilar stands up from Watanabe's guard - Aguilar perhaps looking for a knockout.

Aguilar looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Aguilar stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Aguilar closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Watanabe quickly recovers to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Aguilar decides to stand and escape the position.

Aguilar gets the takedown into side control.
Watanabe tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Aguilar has good solid back control here.
Further stalling from Aguilar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aguilar has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Aguilar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Watanabe really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Aguilar. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Takeshi Watanabe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thad Aguilar is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thad Aguilar showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Aguilar 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thad Aguilar!