PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ken Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adam Sailo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ken Watanabe has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Watanabe
vs
Sailo

195 cm
27
210 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

186 cm
25
197 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ken Watanabe!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Adam Sailo!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Taro Takaoka and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sailo misses with a takedown attempt
and Watanabe counters with a left and a right that stings Sailo.
Sailo fails with the takedown
and Watanabe counters with a straight right hand.
Watanabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Sailo tries to clinch up
and Watanabe counters with a straight right hand.
Sailo checks a leg kick nicely.
Sailo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Watanabe counters with a stiff right hand.
Ken Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Sailo.
Sailo fails with the takedown
and Watanabe counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Sailo darts in trying to clinch
and Watanabe counters with a series of strikes. Sailo will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sailo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Sailo looks gassed!
Watanabe looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sailo is fighting to break Watanabe's control of his arms but Watanabe is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sailo looking to pass the guard.
Watanabe pulls Sailo in close to his closed guard and prevents Sailo from doing any damage or advancing position.
Watanabe keeping moving, preventing Sailo from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Sailo feints and as Watanabe raises his hands in defense, Sailo changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Watanabe has his hands on Sailo's head, controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watanabe is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Sailo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Watanabe's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sailo won't allow Watanabe to sweep him here.
Watanabe trying to control the position here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ken Watanabe just wasn't active enough.
Watanabe scores with a nice head shot.

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.
Watanabe lands a right hook to the body.
Watanabe tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Sailo is able to avoid easily.
Sailo takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Watanabe thuds his right hand into Sailo's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Sailo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Watanabe counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Watanabe jabs Sailo to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Sailo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
No joy there for Watanabe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watanabe scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Watanabe instigates a clinch.
Watanabe slowing the pace effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Watanabe lands a jab to the nose.
Ken Watanabe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sailo with a poor takedown
and Watanabe counters with a nice body shot.
Watanabe misses with a two punch combination.
Sailo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Watanabe counters with a one-two to the body.
Watanabe tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Watanabe's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sailo under the eye.
Watanabe scores with a jab to the body.
Watanabe works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Watanabe connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Sailo's hands.
Watanabe scores with a sloppy right hand. Sailo should have avoided that one.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Watanabe lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Watanabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Ken Watanabe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe tries to bum rush Sailo with a series of wild strikes but Sailo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Watanabe is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Nice shot lands for Watanabe.
A jab lands there for Watanabe.

Watanabe has Sailo up against the cage in a clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Watanabe.
Watanabe content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Watanabe prevents a takedown attempt there.
Ken Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Sailo.
Watanabe crunches a lovely knee into Sailo's ribcage.
Still in the clinch, Watanabe scores with a nice short uppercut.
Watanabe lands a body punch.
Watanabe scores a nice knee to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Watanabe.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Watanabe creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Watanabe stalling the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Watanabe lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Watanabe displaying some good clinch control by pressing Sailo up against the cage.
Watanabe lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Watanabe lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sailo backwards.
Watanabe unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sailo lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Knees in the clinch landing for Watanabe.
A short right from Watanabe on the inside.
Sailo takes an elbow to the forehead.
Watanabe stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Watanabe is working Sailo over against the cage.
Watanabe stalls.
Watanabe lands a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sailo tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Watanabe smiles and moves away.
Watanabe throws a nice looking combination but Sailo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Watanabe scores with a punch to the head.

Watanabe gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Watanabe stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Watanabe throws an elbow but it misses.
Still in the clinch, Watanabe scores with a nice short uppercut.
Watanabe has Sailo pressed against the cage.
Watanabe lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Sailo.
Watanabe unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Watanabe.
Watanabe lands a nice knee to the body.
Watanabe lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Sailo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Watanabe missing with knees to the body.

Sailo has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Watanabe is trying to keep an underhook but Sailo manages to get the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Watanabe manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Sailo trying to control the position from guard on top but Watanabe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Watanabe dominated that second round.
That's time! Watanabe's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Watanabe misses with a two punch combination.
Watanabe lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Sailo throws a head kick but Watanabe moves out of range.
Sailo doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Watanabe counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Watanabe.
Good body shot from Watanabe.
Sailo being controlled against the cage.
Watanabe lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A hook to the body from Watanabe.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sailo takes an elbow to the forehead.
Watanabe leaning his opponent against the cage.
Watanabe makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe lands an elbow inside.
Watanabe lands an elbow inside that Sailo shrugs off.
Sailo managing to block the knees to the body from Watanabe.
Watanabe comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Nice body punch from Watanabe.
Watanabe scores with a shoulder strike.
A nice left hand lands by Watanabe.
Watanabe leaning his opponent against the cage.
Watanabe pushes off an throws an elbow but Sailo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Watanabe is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Sailo is defending well for now.
A short right from Watanabe on the inside.
Watanabe leaning against his opponent.
Sailo throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Watanabe blocks it with crossed arms.
Sailo has Watanabe pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Watanabe manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
A body shot lands from Watanabe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Watanabe.
Watanabe throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
The referee calls for Watanabe to work.
Sailo fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ken Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Sailo.
Watanabe creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Watanabe has Sailo pressed against the cage.
Watanabe seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Watanabe creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Watanabe comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Ken Watanabe has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Watanabe stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Sailo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Watanabe throws an elbow that misses.
Sailo avoiding damage as Watanabe throws knees to the body.
Sailo tries to pull guard but Watanabe holds him up against the cage and eventually Sailo drops back down to his feet.
Stalling in the clinch from Watanabe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Sailo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Watanabe scores a nice knee to the body.
Come on Watanabe - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
A short uppercut from Watanabe.
Watanabe landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Watanabe slowing the pace effectively.
Watanabe misses with an elbow strike.
Sailo tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Watanabe smiles and moves away.
Sailo tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Watanabe counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sailo has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Watanabe jabs Sailo to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Watanabe darts in and clinches Sailo up against the cage.
Sailo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Watanabe.
Watanabe unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sailo lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sailo blocks an elbow strike from Watanabe.
Sailo drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Watanabe gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Watanabe leaning against his opponent.
Watanabe scores with an uppercut up the middle.
With the fighters up against the cage, Watanabe throws an elbow but misses.
Sailo has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sailo.
Watanabe lands an elbow just above Sailo 's eye.
Sailo wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Watanabe stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Sailo takes an elbow to the forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Watanabe clearly takes that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Sailo has his takedown stuffed
and Watanabe counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Watanabe misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sailo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Watanabe counters with a left and a right that stings Sailo.
A clash of legs there as Sailo blocks the low kick.
Sailo takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Jab by Watanabe.
Watanabe tests Sailo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Watanabe feints a jab promting Sailo to slip. Watanabe then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Sailo slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Sailo tries for a takedown but Watanabe circles away easily
and Watanabe counters with a left to the body.
Ken Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Sailo.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Watanabe.
Watanabe connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Sailo gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Nice jab there from Watanabe.
Sailo with a lazy takedown attempt

and Watanabe moves into the clinch.
Watanabe stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Watanabe lands a right hand.
With the fighters up against the cage, Watanabe throws an elbow but misses.
Watanabe lands a body punch in the clinch.
Sailo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Watanabe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sailo can do to turn this around?
Watanabe blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Sailo tries to pull guard but Watanabe won't allow it.
Watanabe is pressed up against the cage. Sailo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Watanabe down to the mat. Watanabe avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Watanabe connects with a looping right hand.
Watanabe lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Sailo takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Watanabe jabs Sailo right on the nose. Sailo blinks but takes it well.
Watanabe cracks Sailo with a good jab.
Watanabe fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sailo has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Watanabe lands a two punch combo.
Ken Watanabe is winning the standup battle so far.
Watanabe fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Watanabe misses with a low kick.
Watanabe digs a good hook to Sailo's body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sailo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Watanabe counters with a nice uppercut.
Watanabe with a nice cross.
Sailo takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sailo tries to clinch up

and Watanabe counters by clinching up.
Watanabe slowing the pace effectively.
Watanabe pushes off an throws an elbow but Sailo leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Watanabe crunches a lovely knee into Sailo's ribcage.
Watanabe slowing the pace effectively.
Watanabe scores with a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe lands a damaging elbow.
Watanabe stalls.
Nice body punch from Watanabe - that landed with a thud.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Watanabe takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Sailo jumps guard but Watanabe stands there with Sailo around his waist. Sailo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Watanabe stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Ken Watanabe.

Watanabe closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Watanabe's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Watanabe had his way with Adam Sailo in that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sailo takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Sailo shoots and misses
and Watanabe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Watanabe jabs Sailo right on the nose. Sailo blinks but takes it well.
Watanabe connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Watanabe has Sailo up against the cage in a clinch.
Watanabe cracks Sailo with a nice body shot.
Watanabe comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Watanabe lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Watanabe scores with a shot to the side of Sailo's head.
Watanabe scores with a shot to the side of Sailo's head.
Watanabe scores with a shot to the side of Sailo's head.
Watanabe scores with a shoulder strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sailo managing to block the knees to the body from Watanabe.
Watanabe misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sailo.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Watanabe lands a body shot in the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Watanabe just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sailo's brow.
Watanabe leaning his opponent against the cage.
Watanabe gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Sailo managing to block the knees to the body from Watanabe.
Sailo is trying to drag Watanabe to the mat but Watanabe just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Sailo goes for a takedown in the clinch but Watanabe prevents it.
Ken Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Sailo.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Watanabe obliges.
A short uppercut from Watanabe.
Watanabe lands with a short shot to the head.
Watanabe pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe scores with a nice hook to the head.
Nice body punch from Watanabe - that landed with a thud.
Sailo's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Watanabe lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Watanabe works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Watanabe throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sailos head.
Still in the clinch, Watanabe scores with a nice short uppercut.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Watanabe.
Watanabe is leaning against Sailo and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Watanabe scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Watanabe pressing his opponent against the cage.
Watanabe misses with an elbow strike.
Sailo avoiding damage as Watanabe throws knees to the body.
Watanabe stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Watanabe scores with a nice short uppercut.
Watanabe stalling the fight.
Watanabe lands an uppercut.
Watanabe lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Sailo.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A hook to the body from Watanabe.
Sailo tries to pull guard but Watanabe holds him up against the cage and eventually Sailo drops back down to his feet.
Watanabe putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Sailo in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Sailo takes a knee to the side of the body.
Watanabe tries to land knees in the clinch but Sailo avoids the damage to the body.
Sailo tries to score a body lock takedown but Watanabe shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Watanabe lands a shoulder strike.
Sailo is working for takedown but Watanabe is calmly controlling the position for now.
Watanabe stalling the fight.
Ken Watanabe is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Watanabe.
Watanabe misses with an elbow strike.
Watanabe lands a nice shot to the body.
Sailo fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nice elbow from Watanabe.
Watanabe lands with a right to the head.
Watanabe lands with a right to the head.
Watanabe holding his opponent close, against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Watanabe.
A shot in the inside from Watanabe.
Nice body punch from Watanabe.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Watanabe creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Adam Sailo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Watanabe comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ken Watanabe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Watanabe, 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 50:44
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 50:44
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 50:44

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ken Watanabe!
Ken Watanabe is the new light heavyweight champion!