PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jokke Mela (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mela comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Da Rockwilder kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Kenji Watanabe had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Watanabe
vs
Mela

172 cm
27
145 lbs
12 - 6 - 1

170 cm
30
144 lbs
22 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Canadian Fighter Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Kenji Watanabe!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jokke Mela!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Micheangelo Fripello and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Watanabe takes the fight into the clinch.
Mela misses with a hook to the ribs.
Mela tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Watanabe softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Watanabe can't find room to land a body shot as Mela controls the action.
Mela blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Watanabe working aggressively here.
Mela wants to get back to striking at distance but Watanabe won't allow it.
Mela is trying to force a seperation but Watanabe has the dominant position.
Mela throws a punch but it's blocked by Watanabe.
Watanabe tries to work over Mela's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Mela is trying to force a seperation but Watanabe has the dominant position.
Watanabe stalling.
Watanabe swings wildly with an uppercut but Mela uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mela blocking some punches.
Mela is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Mela is looking to break free of the clinch but Watanabe has double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe gets through Mela's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Watanabe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Mela is keeping busy.
Watanabe pushes Mela back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Watanabe slowing the pace effectively.
Watanabe working aggressively here.
Mela stalls.
A short uppercut from Watanabe.
Watanabe has a couple of punches blocked by Mela.

Mela breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mela tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Watanabe swivels and escapes.
Mela misses with a hook.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mela.
Watanabe is looking to clinch but Mela is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe tests Mela's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Watanabe tries to clinch up but Mela circles away and keeps his distance.
Watanabe fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Mela.

Mela shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Mela can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Watanabe is looking to escape.

Mela goes for an armbar but Watanabe turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Watanabe.
Watanabe looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Mela's guard.

Mela looking for submissions off his back.
Mela is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mela does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Mela is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Watanabe's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Watanabe's back!
Mela misses with punches from the back.
Mela wants to control but Watanabe is keeping busy.

Mela looking for the choke but no joy.

Mela looking for the choke from the back.
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 Kenji Watanabe will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Watanabe throws a leg kick that misses.
Watanabe tries to land a leg kick but Mela saw it coming and moves away.
Jokke Mela seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mela cracks a nice hook into Watanabe's ribs.
A clash of legs there as Mela blocks the low kick.
Watanabe looks for the body kick but Mela saw that one coming.
Mela shoots in for a takedown but Watanabe shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mela swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Watanabe misses with a hook
and Mela counters with a series of strikes. Watanabe will be more careful next time no doubt.
Watanabe ducks under a wild hook from Mela.
Watanabe throws a sloppy head kick and Mela moves out of range easily.
Mela comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Watanabe throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mela takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice cross by Mela.
Mela takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Mela misses with a straight right.
Kenji Watanabe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Watanabe lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Watanabe.
Watanabe throws a leg kick but Mela sees it coming and moves out of range.
Mela closes the distance and clinches up with Watanabe, looking for a takedown. Mela pushes Watanabe against the cage but Watanabe circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Watanabe has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mela is trying to push Watanabe away but Watanabe has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Mela is trying to break free.
Mela misses with a body punch.
Mela misses with a hook from the clinch.
Mela is trying to maintain a safe position but Watanabe gets an underhook and turns Mela into the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Watanabe.
Watanabe makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Mela doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mela blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mela is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Watanabe misses with a punch on the inside.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mela tries a body shot but Watanabe blocks it.
Watanabe misses with the head strike.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Mela has had enough of the clinch but Watanabe keeps him there for the moment.
A knee to the head by Watanabe.
Watanabe lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mela backwards.
Mela misses with a hook to the ribs.
Mela lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Watanabe backwards.
Watanabe scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short uppercut from Mela.
Mela misses with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe lands with a light punch inside.
Mela is looking to break free of the clinch but Watanabe has double underhooks.
Kenji Watanabe has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Watanabe with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mela can't find room to land a body shot as Watanabe controls the action.
Mela manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Mela is trying to force a seperation but Watanabe has the dominant position.
Watanabe lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Mela backwards.
Watanabe lands a right hand that snaps the head of Mela backwards.
Watanabe has a couple of punches blocked by Mela.
Watanabe unloads a knee to the mid-section. Mela lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Watanabe lands with a left to the head.
Watanabe struggles to land a body shot inside as Mela controls his hands.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Mela manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mela throws a hook but Watanabe blocks it.
Mela shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Watanabe defends it nicely.
Kenji Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jokke Mela.
Mela takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A lazy left from Mela finds it's target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Mela.
Mela fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Mela on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watanabe throws a head kick but Mela moves out of range.
Watanabe takes one to the chin there.

Watanabe moves into the clinch.
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 Kenji Watanabe will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Watanabe uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mela.
Mela missing with a left hand there. Watanabe was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A big left from Watanabe misses.
Watanabe will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Watanabe throws a hook but Mela blocks it.
Watanabe takes a swing at Mela's ribcage but misses.
Watanabe keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Watanabe takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Mela misses with a wild body shot.
Mela lands a jab to the nose.
Mela fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mela misses with a wild body shot.
Watanabe connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Mela ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Watanabe moves away.
Watanabe tries to clinch but Mela is having none of it.
A nice inside leg kick there by Watanabe. That's going to slow Mela down.
Mela uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Watanabe.
Nice sprawl there from Watanabe as Mela shoots in.
Kenji Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jokke Mela.
Mela throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Watanabe's waist but Watanabe gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mela off to one side.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Watanabe.
Watanabe lands a jab to Mela's midsection.
Mela takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Watanabe rushes Mela and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Mela misses with a body punch.
Watanabe keeps control of Mela as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Watanabe lands a shoulder strike.
Mela tries to circle away but Watanabe has him pinned against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Watanabe misses with some punches.
Watanabe misses with a knee strike.

Mela pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mela drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Mela ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Watanabe moves away.
Mela swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Watanabe walks into a stiff left hand from Mela.
Mela checks the leg kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mela is defended easily by Watanabe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Watanabe misses.
Watanabe cracks Mela with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Mela closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Watanabe to the mat! Watanabe manages to get full guard.
Watanabe wants to sweep here but Mela controlling him for the moment.
Mela passes into half guard.
Watanabe tries to get to full guard but Mela has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mela is looking for a kimura here.
Mela is thwarting Watanabe's attempts to control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mela 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Kenji Watanabe did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
That's time! Watanabe's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mela misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Watanabe.
Kenji Watanabe is winning the standup battle so far.
Good leg kick by Watanabe there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Mela scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Watanabe throws a low kick, looking for Mela's leg but Mela calmly moves out of range.
Mela throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Watanabe to counter with a crisp jab.
Mela lands a nice hook to Watanabe's body. Watanabe takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Watanabe pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mela is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Watanabe.
Mela moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Watanabe enables Mela to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Watanabe manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Watanabe manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mela manages to get himself to full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mela keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mela has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Watanabe can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Watanabe looking to pass the guard.

Watanabe gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Watanabe looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mela thows a body shot but no joy.
Mela sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Watanabe takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mela is defended easily by Watanabe.
Watanabe thuds his shin into the meat of Mela's side.
Mela throws an off balance right hand
and Watanabe connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Watanabe scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Watanabe moves out of range of the strikes.
Watanabe catches Mela with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Mela shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Watanabe pinned against the cage. Watanabe gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mela is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick from Watanabe.
Watanabe throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mela scores with a jab to the body.
Mela will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kenji Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jokke Mela.
Watanabe chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Watanabe gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Watanabe pushes Mela back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Mela can't find room to land a body shot as Watanabe controls the action.
Mela blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mela tries to break the clinch but Watanabe is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe keeps control of Mela as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mela is trying to break free.
Mela tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A short uppercut from Watanabe.
A frustrated look appears on Mela's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Watanabe effectively controlling the action here.
Mela wants to get back to striking at distance but Watanabe won't allow it.
Mela struggles to land a body shot inside as Watanabe controls his hands.
A short uppercut from Watanabe.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Watanabe lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Mela throws a punch but it's blocked by Watanabe.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Watanabe.
Watanabe with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Mela breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Watanabe takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenji Watanabe had his way with Jokke Mela in that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Watanabe misses with a leg kick.
Mela's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Watanabe throws a jab when Mela was well out of range.
Watanabe moves out of range of the strikes.
Watanabe misses with a low kick as Mela jumps back.
Watanabe moves out of range of the strikes.
Watanabe buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Watanabe.
Watanabe misses with a looping right.
Mela fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Watanabe scores with a nice strike.
Watanabe tries to land a leg kick but Mela saw it coming and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mela connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Mela misses with a takedown
and Watanabe counters with a body kick that stops Mela in his tracks momentarily.
Watanabe with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Mela misses with a body shot.
A nice leg kick lands there from Watanabe.
Watanabe connects with a solid leg kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Watanabe.
A nice inside leg kick there by Watanabe. That's going to slow Mela down.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mela.
Kenji Watanabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jokke Mela.
Mela is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Watanabe looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Jokke Mela has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kenji Watanabe is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Watanabe. That's going to slow Mela down.
Watanabe doesn't manage to clinch there - Mela circles away.
Mela throws a right hand that Watanabe ducks under and follows up with a left that Watanabe also avoids with ease.
Watanabe thuds a left hand into Mela's body.
Mela misses with a double jab.
Watanabe thumps Mela with a low kick.
Watanabe ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Watanabe throws a leg kick which misses Mela's front leg but catches the back leg as Mela tries to avoid it.
Mela scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Watanabe dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mela. That did some damage!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mela misses with a body punch
enabling Watanabe to counter with a crisp jab.
A nice inside leg kick there by Watanabe. That's going to slow Mela down.
Watanabe stuns Mela with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Mela misses with a straight left.
A slapping body kick lands there for Watanabe.
Mela chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Watanabe can pounce on him.
Mela on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Mela takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Watanabe thuds his shin into the meat of Mela's side.
The fight stays on the outside here - Watanabe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Watanabe fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe slips a jab and a cross from Mela.
Horrible takedown by Mela or perhaps it was just good defense by Watanabe which made him look bad.
Mela misses the shot to the body.
Watanabe bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Mela's head.
Watanabe moves in looking to clinch but Mela pushes him off.
Mela misses with a right hand
and Watanabe counters with a nice leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Watanabe's jab looks to have found its range, popping Mela under the eye.
Mela takes a swing at Watanabe's ribcage but misses.
Watanabe connects with a solid leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kenji 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 Josh West scores the fight 49:47
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 48:47
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 48:47

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenji Watanabe!
Kenji Watanabe retains his bantamweight title!
An out of breath Kenji Watanabe thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.