PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hannibal Lecter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luigi Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Watanabe comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Run This Town Tonight kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Hannibal Lecter has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Lecter
vs
Watanabe

173 cm
23
155 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
20
149 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hannibal Lecter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Luigi Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watanabe misses with a jab, cross combination.

Watanabe gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Lecter avoids a wild elbow strike from Watanabe.
Lecter taking a breather.
Watanabe keeps control of Lecter as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Lecter dodges an elbow strike from Watanabe.
Watanabe creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Lecter's defenses.

It looks like Hannibal Lecter has been cut.
Watanabe wants a takedown but no success here.

Lecter manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Watanabe is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Watanabe won't allow Lecter to sweep him here.
Watanabe looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lecter managing to control the position.
Watanabe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lecter is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Watanabe drops back, looking for a kneebar! Lecter looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Lecter looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Lecter!
Watanabe tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Watanabe controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

That's two 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.

Watanabe fending off the submission attempt from Lecter.
Lecter misses with a punch to the head.

Lecter is looking for a choke. Watanabe gets to his feet with his opponent on his back and slams him to the mat. Watanabe manages to squirm out of the attempted choke and turns into his opponent's guard.
Lecter keeping full guard, as Watanabe tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lecter is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Watanabe tries to free his leg and advance position but Lecter is retaining full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
No joy there for Watanabe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Watanabe connects with a high kick.
Lecter is looking to clinch.
Watanabe throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lecter.
Lecter looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Lecter clinches with his opponent.

Lecter pulls Watanabe into guard.
Watanabe slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Watanabe advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lecter is wriggling around trying to escape.

Watanabe goes for an armbar but Lecter turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Lecter.
Watanabe wants to stand but Lecter is controlling the position.

Lecter drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Watanabe dives on top into guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Watanabe looking to pass the guard.
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 Hannibal Lecter will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Hannibal Lecter's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Watanabe closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Watanabe swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Watanabe throws a right and a left that both miss.
Watanabe showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Lecter.
Watanabe closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Lecter tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Watanabe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lecter takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Luigi Watanabe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watanabe throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Lecter counters with a nice body shot.
Lecter throws a right hand that Watanabe ducks under and follows up with a left that Watanabe also avoids with ease.
Lecter shoots in but no luck this time.
Lecter fails with the takedown.
Watanabe lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Watanabe.

Watanabe shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Lecter napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Lecter wants to control but Watanabe postures up.
Watanabe advances to mount.

Watanabe wants to finish this one by submission but Lecter is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Watanabe.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Watanabe goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Lecter turns into him and now he's in Watanabe's guard.

Watanabe pushes Lecter off and gets back to his feet.
Watanabe throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lecter dives in and grabs Watanabe's left leg, looking for a takedown. Watanabe pushes down on Lecter's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hannibal Lecter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Watanabe misses with a two punch combination.
Watanabe fails with the takedown

so Lecter counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Lecter postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lecter trying to control the position from guard on top but Watanabe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Watanabe has his feet on Lecter's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Watanabe's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Watanabe duly obliges.
Watanabe scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Watanabe swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Lecter counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lecter is trying to control the action in half guard but Watanabe is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Watanabe looks like he's trying to stand up.

Watanabe pushes Lecter off and gets back to his feet.
Watanabe misses with a two punch combination.
Watanabe misses with a combination

and Lecter counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Watanabe kicks off Lecter and gets to his feet.
Watanabe is breathing heavily.

Watanabe clinches with his opponent.

Lecter breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Watanabe misses with a jab, cross combination.
Lecter changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Watanabe tries to avoid it but Lecter manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Watanabe to the ground. Watanabe escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Watanabe throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Lecter counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Lecter.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lecter stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Watanabe swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watanabe keeping moving, preventing Lecter from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lecter loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hannibal Lecter dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Hannibal Lecter's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Lecter takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Watanabe throws a combination that misses

and Lecter counters with a single leg into guard. Watanabe didn't expect that.
Lecter has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lecter postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Watanabe has a closed guard, preventing Lecter from standing up.
Lecter postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lecter is looking to advance position but Watanabe has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Watanabe goes for an armbar but Lecter turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Lecter.
Lecter 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.
Lecter stops Watanabe from standing up.
Lecter wants to get up but he can't break Watanabe's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Lecter wants to control from the top but Watanabe keeps moving.
Hannibal Lecter overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Watanabe is wriggling around but Lecter manages to pass to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lecter throws a strike but Watanabe avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Lecter throws a strike but Watanabe rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Watanabe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lecter is keeping the position for now.
Lecter controls Watanabe momentarily but Watanabe frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lecter keeping full guard, as Watanabe tries to pass.
Lecter trying to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Watanabe will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Watanabe shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Lecter napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Watanabe tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Watanabe has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Watanabe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Watanabe working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Watanabe goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Lecter rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Watanabe's guard! Nice work there by Lecter!

Watanabe is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Lecter pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Watanabe throws a right and a left that both miss.
Watanabe throws a series of punches but Lecter moves out of range.
Lecter shoots for a double leg takedown but Watanabe sprawls well. He's pushed Lecter's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Watanabe displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Watanabe keeps the fight on the outside.

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 Hannibal Lecter.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lecter, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 William Peck scores the fight for Hannibal Lecter!
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight for Hannibal Lecter!
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight for Hannibal Lecter!

Hannibal Lecter wins by unanimous decision!