PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shinji Katoyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erris Watts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Shinji Katoyama has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Shinji Katoyama seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Katoyama
vs
Watts

170 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

150 cm
25
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinji Katoyama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Erris Watts!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Katoyama shoots in looking for a takedown. Watts tries to sprawl out of it but Katoyama keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Watts manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Watts misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Katoyama.
Watts lunges at Katoyama with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Katoyama's hand.
Katoyama tries to clinch but Watts is having none of it.
Watts pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Shinji Katoyama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Watts shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Katoyama manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Katoyama looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Watts really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Katoyama. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Watts is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Watts landing some decent shots from guard.
Watts is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Katoyama escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Watts gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Katoyama not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Katoyama looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Watts looking to pass the guard.
Watts slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Katoyama looking for a sweep. Not yet Katoyama, not yet.

Watts stands up and waves to Katoyama to follow him.

Watts looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Katoyama wants to improve his position but Watts is controlling well.
Watts controlling the action here.
I looks like Watts might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Watts has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Watts throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Katoyama is trying to control but can't.
Katoyama is not content to let Watts control the position.
Katoyama is looking for a sweep. Watts is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Katoyama tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Watts keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katoyama looks like he's trying to stand up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Katoyama shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Watts decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Katoyama's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watts is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Katoyama wants to sweep but no luck.
Katoyama utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Katoyama not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Watts passes Katoyama's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Katoyama is refusing to be controlled, as Watts sits in half guard.

Katoyama actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Katoyama is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Watts scores with a couple of nice shots.
Katoyama is looking to control Watts's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Katoyama avoid being mounted?

Katoyama actively working from the bottom here.
Katoyama is breathing heavily.
Watts looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Katoyama looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Still in half guard, Watts seems content to control.
Watts looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erris Watts dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Katoyama clinches but Watts breaks the clinch

and Watts decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Katoyama's guard.
Watts missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Watts won't allow Katoyama to sweep him here.
Watts passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Watts taking a breather here.
Watts is working Katoyama over with some ground and pound from side control.
Katoyama is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Watts staying calm.
Katoyama tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Watts wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts takes a little break here. Katoyama wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Katoyama is looking for a sweep.
Watts controlling the position.
Katoyama manages to work his way to half guard, despite Watts's best efforts.
Watts seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Despite being in the dominant position, Erris Watts just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Katoyama keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Katoyama blocks a jab.

Watts drives through and clinches with Katoyama against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watts lands a body punch.

Watts gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Katoyama is looking to control Watts's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Katoyama avoid being mounted?

Katoyama looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Katoyama wants to get back to full guard.
Katoyama taking some punishment here, with Watts in his half guard.
Katoyama blocking the ground and pound attempt from Watts.
Watts keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Katoyama is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Watts performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Katoyama is trying to get back to full guard.
Watts trying to control from half guard but Katoyama is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Katoyama actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Watts slows the pace down in half guard.
Katoyama is trying to get back to full guard.
Watts is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Katoyama is trying to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Watts slips under a jab.

Watts drives through and clinches with Katoyama against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Katoyama blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Watts stalls.

Watts gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Watts looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Watts is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Katoyama!
Katoyama is squirming around, avoiding Watts's attempts to control the action.
Katoyama is in all sorts of trouble here.
Katoyama is working hard here to advance position.
A nice elbow there by Watts.
Katoyama working to try and regain half guard.
Watts dominating with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erris Watts showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Katoyama misses with a takedown

and Watts counters with a nice double leg into side control. Katoyama won't be happy with that.

Watts is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Katoyama knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Watts lands some shots froms side control.
Katoyama struggling a bit here.
Katoyama tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Watts wants to control but Katoyama is keeping him busy.
Watts controlling the position.
Katoyama wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts wants to lay and pray for a moment but Katoyama keeps working.
Watts cracks Katoyama with a big elbow.
Watts wants to control but Katoyama is keeping him busy.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Watts pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Katoyama looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Watts working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Katoyama.

Watts is looking for a triangle but Katoyama pushes his legs off easily.
Katoyama working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Watts takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Katoyama advances position into side control!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Watts can do anything to dispel that myth.

Katoyama is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Watts is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Katoyama looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Erris Watts has got the better of the ground game so far.
Katoyama connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Watts some visible discomfort.
Katoyama trying to control the position but Watts is working away.
Watts is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Katoyama creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Watts sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Katoyama misses with the ground and pound.
Katoyama wants to lay and pray for a moment but Watts keeps working.
Katoyama with the ground and pound but Watts regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Erris Watts is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Katoyama throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Katoyama shoots and misses

and Watts counters with a single leg into guard. Katoyama didn't expect that.
Watts slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Katoyama looking to hit a scissor sweep but Watts is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watts is stalling in the full guard.
Watts stopping the sweep attempt from Katoyama.
Watts slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Shinji Katoyama has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Erris Watts comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Watts 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erris Watts!