PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Niko Watts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Asiong Salonga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Watts's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Remember the name. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Watts
vs
Salonga

175 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

179 cm
21
164 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Niko Watts!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Asiong Salonga!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watts is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Salonga scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Salonga forces Watts back against the cage and clinches.
Salonga working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Watts utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee 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!
Watts swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stalling in the clinch from Watts.

Salonga breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Watts takes one on the button.
Salonga throws a head kick that misses.
Salonga misses with a body kick.
Salonga looks to land a combination but Watts avoids it well.

Watts instigates a clinch.
Watts is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Salonga to keep the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts lands a damaging elbow.
Watts is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Salonga to keep the fight standing.
Watts tries to stall but Salonga uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
I was talking to Watts's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Watts gets control of Salonga's arms and successfully pulls guard. Watts will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Salonga throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Watts works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Salonga is stalling in the full guard.

Salonga gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Salonga displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Watts takes the fight into the clinch.

Salonga breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salonga works Watts's body with a nice hook.
Watts slips a jab and a cross from Salonga.
Salonga throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Salonga connects with a leg kick. Watts looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Watts takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Salonga feints a jab promting Watts to slip. Salonga then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Watts slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Watts tries to close the distance and clinch but Salonga swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Salonga throws a series of strikes that have Watts backpedaling.
Nice straight punches there by Salonga. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Salonga.
Salonga tries a head kick but it misses.
Salonga has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Watts is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Salonga shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Watts as he jumps to the side.
Watts misses with a kick to the body

and Salonga counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Watts manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salonga keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Niko Watts. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Watts is breathing heavily.

Watts closes the distance and pushes Salonga back into the cage.

Watts breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Watts attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Watts takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Salonga walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Watts checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Salonga misses with the combination.
Salonga tries to bum rush Watts with a series of wild strikes but Watts uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Salonga tries to close the distance and clinch up but Watts swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Salonga misses with the combination.
Asiong Salonga seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salonga falls off balance throwing a combination

and Watts counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Watts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watts fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Watts tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Watts escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Salonga closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Salonga tries to bum rush Watts with a series of wild strikes but Watts uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice body punch from Salonga.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Watts is looking to clinch.
Watts tries to clinch up.
Watts checks a leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Salonga drives through and clinches with Watts against the cage.
Watts looking to stall.

Salonga breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asiong Salonga dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Salonga misses with a head kick.
Salonga goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Watts closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Salonga did well to prevent Watts getting side control.
Watts is looking to take a break and control but Salonga is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watts moves into full mount! Salonga won't be happy about that!
Salonga wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Watts.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Salonga is squirming around, avoiding Watts's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Salonga really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Watts. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Watts can't control as he wanted to and Salonga manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Watts is trying to control. Salonga wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Watts is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Salonga is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Niko Watts wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A nice combination there by Salonga.
Watts moves in looking to clinch but Salonga pushes him off.
Niko Watts is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Salonga throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Watts looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Watts tries to clinch but Salonga moves out of range.

Watts gets caught flat footed, as Salonga shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Salonga controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Salonga stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Watts swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Salonga trying to control the position from guard on top but Watts is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Watts has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Salonga can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Salonga thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Watts wants to stand but Salonga is controlling the position.
Salonga must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Salonga wants to stand but Watts is controlling his posture from full guard.
Salonga in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Salonga's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Watts 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Salonga decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Watts, up you get!
Salonga misses with an attempted mid kick.
Salonga throws a right and a left that Watts avoids nicely.
Salonga slips a straight right by Watts.
Salonga connects with a good right hand that stumbles Watts. Watts circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Salonga feints a jab promting Watts to slip. Salonga then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Watts slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Salonga swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Salonga tries to close the distance and clinch up but Watts swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Salonga listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salonga throws a combination. Watts tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Salonga will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Salonga stuffs the takedown attempt from Watts. Watts gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asiong Salonga showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Salonga lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Watts tries to clinch up but Salonga circles away and keeps his distance.
Salonga moves in looking to clinch but Watts pushes him off.
Salonga throws a combination. Watts tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Watts tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Watts closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Salonga quickly recovers to half guard.
Watts is looking to take a break and control but Salonga is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Salonga pushes Watts off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Salonga tries to avoid it but Watts manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Salonga to the ground. Salonga escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Salonga moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Watts. Those never looked like landing.
Watts takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Salonga instigates a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Salonga as Watts tries to tie him up.
Watts jumps guard but Salonga turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Salonga pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Salonga closes this distance looking for a takedown but Watts circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salonga throws a push kick but Watts slaps the foot to one side.
Salonga lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Salonga looks to land a combination. Watts sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Salonga throws out a powerful jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watts takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Watts avoids the head kick by Salonga.
Salonga moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Watts shoots in for a takedown but Salonga shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Niko Watts. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salonga fails with the takedown.
Salonga falls off balance throwing a combination
and Watts counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Salonga scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Salonga circles away from the clinch attempt
and Salonga counters with a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watts wants to clinch.
Salonga showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Watts.
Salonga darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Watts misses the shot to the body.
Salonga lands a jab-cross combination.
Watts avoids a punch combination nicely.

Watts dives in and scores a takedown into Salonga's guard.
Niko Watts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watts throws an elbow that misses. Salonga uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Watts's guard. Nice move by Salonga!
Salonga wanted to stand there but Watts had control of the position.
Salonga sitting in guard here, content to control.

Watts looking for a guillotine here but Salonga defends easily.
Salonga trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Asiong Salonga comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Salonga winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Asiong Salonga!