PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kano Watnabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenshin Himura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Watnabe
vs
Himura

170 cm
24
146 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

158 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kano Watnabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kenshin Himura!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yuuki Gou and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Himura looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Watnabe is fending him off so far but Himura persists. Nope, Watnabe circles away and we're back to standing.
Himura shoots in but no luck this time.
Watnabe half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Watnabe avoids the head kick by Himura.

Himura shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Watnabe wants to get back to full guard.
Watnabe controlling the position for now.
Watnabe is staying active underneath Himura, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watnabe blocking the ground and pound attempt from Himura.
Watnabe wants to get back to full guard.
Himura prevents Watnabe from standing back up.
Watnabe trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Himura is working for a kimura but Watnabe is defending it quite comfortably.
Himura wants to pass to mount but Watnabe is defending the position.
Watnabe is refusing to be controlled, as Himura sits in half guard.
Watnabe keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Watnabe drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Watnabe is staying tight to Himura's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Watnabe will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watnabe tries to stand but Himura is controlling his head.
Watnabe controls the position.
Watnabe tries to move to mount but Himura blocks the move with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Himura is trying to control Watnabe's posture but Watnabe avoids it.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Himura has a takedown stuffed.
Watnabe changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Kano Watnabe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kenshin Himura.
Himura shoots in for a double leg but Watnabe sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Himura looks winded!

Himura feints and as Watnabe raises his hands in defense, Himura changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Watnabe is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Watnabe is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Watnabe wants to sweep here but Himura controlling him for the moment.
Watnabe has Himura pulled in close to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Watnabe escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Himura gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Himura works over Watnabe with some ground and pound from guard.
Himura trying to control but Watnabe is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Watnabe tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Himura manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Watnabe misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Himura looks for the body kick but Watnabe saw that one coming.

Watnabe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Himura is defending against the submission attempts here by Watnabe.
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 Kano Watnabe will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Watnabe looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Himura!
Himura is not content to let Watnabe control the position.
Watnabe is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Himura's shoulder. That is not cool.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watnabe is chipping away with strikes.
Watnabe tries to move into full mount but can't pass Himura's legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Himura is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Himura tries to get to full guard but Watnabe has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Watnabe lands a nice short elbow.
Watnabe scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Watnabe uses his free foot to push down on Himura's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Himura.
Watnabe content just to control the position here.
Watnabe lands a nice shot to the head.
Watnabe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Himura can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watnabe looking to control and managing it successfully.
Watnabe landing strikes from the mount and Himura is in trouble!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Himura is trying desperately to improve position.
Himura is breathing heavily.
Watnabe controlling the position easily from mount.
Watnabe landing strikes, looking to finish!

Himura is rocked!
Kano Watnabe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watnabe looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Himura covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kano Watnabe!