PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ken Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Cordero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eli Cordero is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Watanabe
vs
Cordero

195 cm
28
210 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

188 cm
27
205 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ken Watanabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Eli Cordero!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yuuki Gou and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cordero takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Cordero steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Watanabe.
Eli Cordero seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cordero scores with a nice right hand.
Cordero fails to land with a series of punches.
Watanabe slips a jab and a cross from Cordero.
Cordero avoids the body shot from Watanabe.
Cordero rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Watanabe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cordero stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Nice uppercut there from Watanabe.
Cordero lands a really nice looking cross but Watanabe seems unphased.
Cordero throws a series of strikes that have Watanabe backpedaling.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watanabe takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Cordero lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Watanabe dodges the punch combination from Cordero.
Watanabe misses with a left hand
and Cordero counters with a nice uppercut.
Cordero throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe fails in his attempt to clinch.
Watanabe misses with a double jab.
Watanabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Cordero throws a right hand that Watanabe ducks under and follows up with a left that Watanabe also avoids with ease.
Cordero throws a hook to the side of Watanabe's head but Watanabe sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cordero throws a series of punches but Watanabe avoids them all with ease.
Cordero scores with a nice head shot.
Cordero slips a jab and a cross from Watanabe.
Cordero throws a series of punches but Watanabe avoids them all with ease.
Cordero throws a series of punches but Watanabe avoids them all with ease.
A decent looking cross lands there for Watanabe.
Cordero throws a series of punches but Watanabe moves out of range.
Watanabe avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cordero misses with a two punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe missing with a left hand there. Cordero was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Watanabe moves away from the strike by Cordero.
Watanabe bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Cordero's head.
Cordero throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Watanabe on the wrong end of a nice jab.
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!
Watanabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Watanabe misses the jab.
Cordero might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Cordero throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Watanabe moves into the clinch.
Cordero wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Watanabe has him pressed against the cage.
Watanabe lands with a light punch inside.
Cordero is trying to break the clinch but Watanabe is controlling him.
Cordero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cordero has had enough of the clinch but Watanabe keeps him there for the moment.
Watanabe lands with a right to the head.
Cordero is trying to break the clinch but Watanabe is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cordero is looking to break free of the clinch but Watanabe has double underhooks.
Watanabe has Cordero pressed against the cage, preventing Cordero from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Cordero tries to break free but Watanabe pushes him back against the cage.
Cordero is trying to break free.
Cordero can't break the clinch.
Watanabe stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Cordero is looking to break free of the clinch but Watanabe has double underhooks.
Watanabe lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Eli Cordero has been cut.
Watanabe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Cordero tries to break the clinch but Watanabe is controlling the position.
Watanabe is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cordero is trying to break the clinch but Watanabe has him pressed against the cage.
Watanabe is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Cordero takes an elbow to the temple.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Watanabe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Watanabe lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Watanabe lands a shoulder strike.
A nice right hand lands inside from Watanabe.

Cordero manages to break the clinch.
Watanabe bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sloppy strikes from Cordero. Those never looked like landing.
Watanabe misses with a hook. Cordero ducked under it nicely.
Cordero connects with a crisp jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cordero misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cordero throws a right and a left that Watanabe avoids nicely.
Watanabe misses with a hook. Cordero ducked under it nicely.
Watanabe looks to land a right hand but Cordero moved out of range.
No joy there for Cordero, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eli Cordero will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Eli Cordero's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cordero misses with a two punch combination.
Cordero jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
A slow jab from Watanabe misses its intended target.
Cordero throws the left hand but Watanabe avoids the punch easily.
A big right from Cordero misses.
Cordero rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Watanabe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cordero lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Watanabe circles away quickly and effectively.
Watanabe throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Watanabe misses with a two punch combination.
Cordero rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Watanabe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Watanabe takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Watanabe lands a jab to the nose.
Watanabe scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cordero misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cordero lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Watanabe fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cordero.
Cordero is breathing heavily.
Watanabe is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cordero.
Watanabe thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Cordero if he has to take too many more of those.
Ken Watanabe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cordero moves out of range of the body kick from Watanabe.
Watanabe works over Cordero's head and body with a nice combination.
Cordero throws a right and a left that both miss.
Eli Cordero seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cordero takes one to the chin there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Watanabe loads up on a big right hand but Cordero slips the punch.
Watanabe misses with a two punch combination.
A big left from Cordero misses.
Watanabe fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Cordero checks it well.
Watanabe misses with an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cordero fails to land with a series of punches.
Watanabe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A telegraphed right hand from Cordero misses the target.
Cordero lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Cordero bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Watanabe's head.
Cordero throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Watanabe counters with a series of strikes. Cordero will be more careful next time no doubt.
A jab from Cordero misses.
Cordero closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A telegraphed right hand from Watanabe misses the target.
Watanabe dodges the punch combination from Cordero.
Cordero rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Watanabe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Watanabe lands with an uppercut that bounces Cordero off the cage and back into range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe slips a jab from Cordero.
Watanabe scoring well with a low kick there.
Watanabe throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cordero misses with a series of wild punches.
A telegraphed right hand from Watanabe misses the target.
Cordero throws a nice looking combination but Watanabe bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Watanabe throws a looping overhand right but Cordero ducks down to avoid it.
Cordero lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cordero.
Watanabe cracks a nice hook into Cordero's ribs.
Watanabe thumps Cordero with a low kick.

Watanabe gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Watanabe goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Watanabe tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cordero's elbow.
Watanabe just leaning against Cordero, taking a breather.
Watanabe lands an elbow inside that Cordero shrugs off.
Watanabe lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Cordero can't break the clinch.
Cordero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Watanabe controlling the action here for a moment.
Cordero prevents a body shot from Watanabe.
The referee is keeping an eye on Watanabe - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Watanabe working Cordero over with knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Watanabe lands a right hand.
Cordero is trying to break the clinch but Watanabe has him pressed against the cage.
Watanabe keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cordero's efforts to push away.
Watanabe keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cordero's efforts to push away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Watanabe dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Eli Cordero's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Watanabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Jab from Cordero.
Watanabe showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cordero.
Some wild striking there from Cordero.
Cordero throws a series of punches but Watanabe moves out of range.
Cordero throws a hook but Watanabe avoids it easily.
Cordero throws a left and a right that both miss
and Watanabe counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nice shot by Cordero.
Cordero takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cordero steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Watanabe.
Watanabe takes one to the side of the head.
Watanabe ducks under a wild hook from Cordero.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe cracks Cordero with a good jab.
A left and a right from Cordero both land. Nice combination.
Cordero throws a nice looking combination but Watanabe bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Watanabe lands with a shot to the body.
Cordero takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Watanabe throws a right hand that Cordero ducks under and follows up with a left that Cordero also avoids with ease.

Watanabe has Cordero up against the cage in a clinch.
Watanabe lands an elbow inside that Cordero shrugs off.
Watanabe lands a good knee to the midsection. Cordero won't want to take too many of those.
Watanabe landing knees to the body.
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!
Watanabe is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Watanabe seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Watanabe tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cordero's elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cordero wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Watanabe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Cordero is keeping busy.
Cordero is trying to force a seperation but Watanabe has the dominant position.
Come on Watanabe - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Watanabe gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Watanabe lands a body shot in the clinch.
Watanabe works on Cordero's body with a couple of short punches.
Watanabe creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Cordero's defenses.
Cordero takes an elbow to the temple.
Watanabe softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Cordero prevents a body shot from Watanabe.
Ken Watanabe has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cordero takes an elbow to the temple.
Cordero working hard to break the clinch.
Watanabe working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Watanabe stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Watanabe keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cordero's efforts to push away.
A right handed body shot lands from Watanabe.
Cordero wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Watanabe has him pressed against the cage.
Cordero tries to circle away but Watanabe has him pinned against the cage.
Watanabe lands a shot to the body.
Watanabe putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Cordero in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Watanabe scores with a shot to the side of Cordero's head.
Cordero takes an elbow to the temple.
Watanabe gets through Cordero's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Watanabe tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
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.
Watanabe lands with a short shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cordero blocks a body shot from Watanabe.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watanabe tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Watanabe taking a breather.
Cordero is trying to break the clinch but Watanabe is controlling him.
Cordero takes an elbow to the temple.
Watanabe lands with a left to the head.
Cordero wants to break the clinch but can't.
Watanabe stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Cordero takes an elbow to the forehead.
Watanabe lands a good knee to the midsection. Cordero won't want to take too many of those.
Watanabe lands a hook that snaps the head of Cordero backwards.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Watanabe lands an elbow just above Cordero 's eye.
Cordero tries to circle away but Watanabe has him pinned against the cage.
Watanabe lands a right hand.
Watanabe lands an elbow just above Cordero 's eye.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ken Watanabe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Watanabe has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ken Watanabe!