PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cristobal Watts (ranked 8060 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cane Whitfield (ranked 4538 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Cristobal Watts has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Watts
vs
Whitfield

179 cm
19
177 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
165 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cristobal Watts!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Cane Whitfield!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Hirohito Nitta and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watts shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Whitfield but Whitfield pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Whitfield tries to counter with a clinch but Watts shakes him off and moves away.

Watts shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Watts is trying to work for a kimura but Whitfield is defending well.
Watts is nestled in close to Whitfield, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Whitfield is defending against the submission attempts here by Watts.
Watts not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Watts is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Whitfield doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Watts.

Watts is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Watts stops Whitfield from getting back to his feet.

That's two 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.
Whitfield tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Watts manages to move to mount!

Watts with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Watts goes for an armbar but Whitfield turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Whitfield.
Whitfield prevents Watts from getting back to his feet.

Watts looking for a guillotine here but Whitfield defends easily.
Watts is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitfield wants to stand but Watts is controlling his posture from full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Whitfield stops Watts from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Watts tries to get to full guard but Whitfield has control of the leg.
Whitfield looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Watts is trying to stand back up but Whitfield is controlling him

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Watts tries for a takedown but Whitfield circles away easily
and Whitfield counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Watts gets tackled into the cage by Whitfield. Whitfield maintains the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cane Whitfield will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Whitfield closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch on the inside from Watts fails to land.
Watts tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Whitfield's elbow.
Whitfield blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
The referee is keeping an eye on Whitfield - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Watts looking to stall.

Whitfield pulls Watts into guard.
Watts trying to control but Whitfield is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitfield preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Whitfield is breathing heavily.
Watts trying to control but Whitfield is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Watts drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Whitfield manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Watts has Whitfield in his guard.

Watts working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Whitfield has passed into half guard!
Whitfield wants to stand but Watts has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Watts is looking for a sweep. Whitfield is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Watts is trying to stand back up but Whitfield is controlling him
Watts throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Whitfield manages to pass to side control.
Cane Whitfield has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watts is trying to improve his position.
Watts looks to move to half guard but instead Whitfield has passed into mount! Damn!
Whitfield prevents Watts from getting the reversal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Whitfield stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

Whitfield has closed the distance and engaged Watts in a clinch.
Watts is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Whitfield to keep the fight standing.
A nice left hand lands by Whitfield.
Whitfield is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Watts is defending well for now.
Watts misses with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitfield tries to land knees in the clinch but Watts avoids the damage to the body.
Whitfield wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Whitfield controlling the action here for a moment.
Whitfield misses with a body punch.

Whitfield breaks the clinch.
Whitfield slaps away a takedown attempt from Watts, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Whitfield circles away from the clinch attempt.
Watts tries to clinch up.
Whitfield changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Watts shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Whitfield pinned against the cage. Whitfield gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Whitfield raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cristobal Watts. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Watts is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Whitfield.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Watts throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Whitfield's waist but Whitfield gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Watts off to one side.
Watts shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Whitfield pinned against the cage. Whitfield gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cane Whitfield showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Whitfield instigates a clinch.
Watts keeps control of Whitfield as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Come on Watts - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Watts tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Whitfield avoids it.
Whitfield is trying to break the clinch but Watts has him pressed against the cage.
Whitfield takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watts trying to control the position but instead, Whitfield has worked for underhooks and has pushed Watts into the cage.
Whitfield is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Watts fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts scores a nice knee to the body.

Watts decides to pull guard.
Whitfield tries to stand but Watts is controlling from the bottom.

Whitfield decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Watts fails with a takedown attempt.
Whitfield displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Watts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cristobal Watts. That's going to take a lot out of him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitfield holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Watts misses with some punches.

Whitfield tightens his grip and picks Watts up, before dumping him to the ground. Watts manages to land in guard.

Watts has his feet on Whitfield's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Watts fails with a takedown attempt.
Watts shoots for a takedown but Whitfield saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watts shoots in for a takedown but Whitfield shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Watts sets himself, and Whitfield steps forward looking for the clinch! Watts avoids it this time.
Whitfield misses with a low kick.
Watts looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Whitfield follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.

Whitfield has taken the fight to the clinch.
A body shot lands from Watts.
Watts landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Watts managing to block the knees to the body from Whitfield.
Cane Whitfield is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watts stalling in the clinch.
Watts looking to slow down the pace here.
Watts tries a body shot but Whitfield blocks it.
Cane Whitfield seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Watts misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Whitfield wants to break the clinch but can't.
Whitfield blocking some punches.
Watts stalling in the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A left hand lands to the body for Watts.
Whitfield can't break the clinch.

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 Cristobal Watts.
Well Whitfield has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Cane Whitfield!