PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kengo Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ershad Mansouri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kengo Watanabe has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Watanabe
vs
Mansouri

182 cm
23
193 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
192 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kengo Watanabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ershad Mansouri!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Shimada and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mansouri fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mansouri fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Watanabe avoids a punch combination nicely.
Watanabe has his takedown stuffed
and Mansouri counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mansouri throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Watanabe.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Mansouri throws a combination. Watanabe tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Mansouri throws a series of punches but Watanabe moves out of range.
Ershad Mansouri seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mansouri throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mansouri scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Kengo Watanabe has been cut.

Mansouri drives through with a takedown into Watanabe's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Mansouri trying to control but Watanabe is working from the bottom.
Mansouri wants to pass the guard but Watanabe is keeping the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mansouri content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ershad Mansouri.
Mansouri throws a left and a right that both miss

and Watanabe counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Watanabe thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Mansouri to regain full guard.
Watanabe passes Mansouri's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Watanabe drops an elbow to the side of Mansouri's head.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Mansouri can do anything to dispel that myth.
Watanabe seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mansouri does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Mansouri tries to kick Watanabe off but Watanabe keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Watanabe thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mansouri's head.
Watanabe missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe stops Mansouri from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mansouri regains full guard. Nicely done.
Watanabe throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mansouri works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mansouri is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mansouri is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Watanabe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Watanabe throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Mansouri works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Watanabe postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Watanabe throwing strikes but missing.
Watanabe is pushing down on Mansouri's leg trying to pass to half guard. Mansouri is fighting to maintain full guard but Watanabe has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mansouri keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Mansouri actively working from the bottom here.
Mansouri tries to kick Watanabe off but Watanabe keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mansouri is holding on to half guard well.
Nice strikes from Watanabe there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Watanabe throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Mansouri wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Watanabe throwing shots but Mansouri is blocking nicely.
Mansouri is trying to maintain the position but Watanabe is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ershad Mansouri dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kengo Watanabe's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Mansouri throws a nice looking combination but Watanabe bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mansouri tries to clinch there but Watanabe circles away.
Mansouri fails with an attempt to clinch.
Watanabe gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Ershad Mansouri is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mansouri scores a takedown into full mount!
Watanabe tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mansouri tries to control but Watanabe wriggling away.
BOOM! Mansouri connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Mansouri prevents Watanabe from getting the reversal.
Mansouri can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Watanabe is looking to escape.
Watanabe sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mansouri seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ershad Mansouri was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Mansouri lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Watanabe circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mansouri misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mansouri scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Mansouri tries to clinch but Watanabe is having none of it.
Mansouri throws a right hand that Watanabe ducks under and follows up with a left that Watanabe also avoids with ease.
Mansouri throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Watanabe.
Watanabe avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mansouri moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Donk. Mansouri catches Watanabe right on the button with a cross.
Mansouri throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mansouri throws a leg kick but Watanabe sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Mansouri throws a combination that misses

and Watanabe counters with a shoot takedown. Mansouri fights it but they end up in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ershad Mansouri showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kengo Watanabe's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Mansouri closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Watanabe quickly recovers to half guard.
Mansouri wants to take a breather but Watanabe is having none of it.
Watanabe regains full guard. Nicely done.
Watanabe is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mansouri is controlling him.

Mansouri decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Mansouri misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mansouri throws a right and a left that both miss.
Watanabe has his takedown stuffed

and Mansouri counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Watanabe is not content to let Mansouri control the position.

Mansouri decides to return to a standing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mansouri lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

A jab-cross combination lands for Mansouri and sends Watanabe crashing to the mat! Mansouri follows him down to the mat - Watanabe regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Watanabe is rocked!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mansouri seems to be looking for submissions.
Mansouri is just content to waste time from the top position. Watanabe takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Watanabe tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mansouri advances position into side control!
Mansouri takes a little break here. Watanabe wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Kengo Watanabe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ershad Mansouri is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mansouri moves into full mount!
Watanabe is working to get back to half guard.
Mansouri trying to control but he's not successful this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mansouri tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ershad Mansouri comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mansouri 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ershad Mansouri!