PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between David Long (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tatsuya Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Long
vs
Watanabe

172 cm
19
155 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
150 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, David Long!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tatsuya Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Watanabe darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Watanabe tries to pass to full mount but Long defends it.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
It looks like Watanabe 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tatsuya Watanabe was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Long scores with the left hand. Watanabe knows he should have avoided that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long lands with a nice combination. Watanabe backs away looking to recover.
A lazy left from Long finds it's target.

Watanabe closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Long to the mat! Long manages to get full guard.
Watanabe stays in close to Long's body and controls the position.
Watanabe passes Long's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Long trying to control here.
Watanabe seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Well, if Watanabe is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Watanabe looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Long is fending him off so far but Watanabe persists. Nope, Long circles away and we're back to standing.
Watanabe tries for a takedown but Long sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Watanabe shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Long as he avoids it easily.
David Long has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tatsuya Watanabe.
Watanabe walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe ducks right into an uppercut from Long.
Watanabe has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Long.

Watanabe scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Watanabe controlling from side mount.
Long is looking to regain half guard here but Watanabe keeps moving and retains side control.
Watanabe moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Long!
Watanabe tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Long blocking the ground and pound.
Long tries to hold on but Watanabe pushes him away.
Watanabe takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Long wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Watanabe.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Long listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Watanabe fails to land the takedown.
Watanabe looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Long is fending him off so far but Watanabe persists. Nope, Long circles away and we're back to standing.
Long misses with a jab to the body

and Watanabe counters with a shoot takedown. Long fights it but they end up in guard.
Watanabe tries to free his leg and advance position but Long is retaining full guard.
Watanabe is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Watanabe sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Long's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Watanabe seems content to control.

Tatsuya Watanabe has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Long is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Watanabe tries for a takedown but Long sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
David Long has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tatsuya Watanabe.
Watanabe shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Long pinned against the cage. Long gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Watanabe misses with a lunging right hand
and Long counters with a series of strikes. Watanabe will be more careful next time no doubt.
Watanabe misses with an uppercut
and Long counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Long stuffs the takedown.
Watanabe gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Long stuffs the takedown.

Watanabe shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Watanabe was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Watanabe controlling the position easily from mount.
Watanabe's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Tatsuya Watanabe has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tatsuya Watanabe wasn't active enough on the ground.
Watanabe looks for a takedown but Long sprawls well.
Long connects with a right hand. Watanabe shakes it off.
David Long is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Long displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Watanabe.
A good leg kick by Long.
Watanabe shoots in but Long avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Watanabe.
Watanabe cracks Long with a good jab.
Long punishes Watanabe's body with a nice straight punch.
Watanabe closes this distance looking for a takedown but Long circles away.
Watanabe is breathing heavily.
Long connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Watanabe throws a poor cross that misses
and Long counters with a straight right hand.
Tatsuya Watanabe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watanabe fails with a takedown attempt.
Watanabe throws a poor cross that misses
and Long cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jab from Long.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Watanabe fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Long avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that David Long will probably get the nod.
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!

Watanabe shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Long sprawls well. Long wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Watanabe gets slowly back to his feet.
Long displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Watanabe.
Long leaves Watanabe with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
David Long has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tatsuya Watanabe.
Watanabe takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Watanabe dives in and grabs Long's left leg, looking for a takedown. Long pushes down on Watanabe's head and hops out.
Long's jab looks to have found its range, popping Watanabe under the eye.
Watanabe takes one on the button.
Watanabe gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Watanabe feints and as Long raises his hands in defense, Watanabe changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Watanabe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Long is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Watanabe not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tatsuya Watanabe wasn't active enough on the ground.
Watanabe closes this distance looking for a takedown but Long circles away.
Watanabe misses with a left hand
and Long counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Watanabe thinking.
Watanabe changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Long tries to avoid it but Watanabe manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Long to the ground. Long escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Long ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Long scores with a hook.
Watanabe drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Watanabe throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Long counters with a stiff right hand.
Watanabe shoots for a takedown but Long saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nice cross by Long.
Long lands with an uppercut that bounces Watanabe off the cage and back into rage.
Long scores with a jab. Watanabe acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
David Long is winning the standup battle so far.
Watanabe shoots for a takedown but Long saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Long lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Watanabe at a distance.
Nice takedown defense from Long. No joy for Watanabe on that attempt.
Long scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Watanabe shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Long but Long pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Watanabe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long throws a leg kick which misses Watanabe's front leg but catches the back leg as Watanabe tries to avoid it.
Watanabe has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Watanabe there as he acknowledges the shot.
Watanabe takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Watanabe fails with the takedown.
A punch lands to the side of Watanabe 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Watanabe will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nice uppercut lands for Long. That snapped Watanabe's head back.
A jab lands there for Long.
Long scores with a jab. Watanabe acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Nice uppercut there from Long.
Good leg kick by Long there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Long digs a good hook to Watanabe's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Long looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Long dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Watanabe. That did some damage!
Long connects with a jab.
Long scores with a spinning back kick!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Long lands a jab to the head.
Long dips to his left and cracks Watanabe with an uppercut!
Long buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Long scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Jab from Long.
Long throws a shot to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Long lands with a thumping leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Long.
Long digs a good body shot into Watanabe's ribs.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Long showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Long has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 29:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!