PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Reid Monroe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kai Hiwatari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Monroe
vs
Hiwatari

169 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
20
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Reid Monroe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kai Hiwatari!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hiwatari closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Hiwatari sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Monroe defending well though.

Monroe kicks off Hiwatari and gets to his feet.
Some wild striking there from Hiwatari.
Monroe is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Hiwatari.
Hiwatari tries to close the distance and clinch up but Monroe swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Hiwatari dives in and scores a takedown into Monroe's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Monroe trying to control the position.
Hiwatari trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Monroe manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Hiwatari has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Monroe can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Monroe working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hiwatari's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hiwatari throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Monroe gets to his feet - Hiwatari follows without any prompting.
Kai Hiwatari seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hiwatari fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hiwatari tries to clinch there but Monroe circles away.

Hiwatari shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Monroe is trying to defend but Hiwatari finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Hiwatari is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Monroe defends it well.

Monroe has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Hiwatari is on him like a limpet, forcing Monroe back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hiwatari pulls guard successfully.
Hiwatari looks winded!
Hiwatari looking to hit a scissor sweep but Monroe is one step ahead there.
Hiwatari utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Monroe with a flurry of punches that miss.

Hiwatari looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Monroe is looking to work some ground and pound but Hiwatari has wrist control.
Monroe throwing strikes but missing.
Monroe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monroe chips away with some ground and pound.
Monroe scoring with some ground and pound.
Monroe lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Monroe throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hiwatari works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Monroe lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Monroe is looking to work some ground and pound but Hiwatari has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Monroe postures up and lands a big shot to Hiwatari's brow.
Monroe seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Monroe is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Monroe knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hiwatari on the ground.
Hiwatari trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Monroe lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Monroe throws a big right hand that misses.
Monroe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Monroe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monroe postures up and lands a big shot to Hiwatari's brow.
Monroe is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Monroe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Monroe might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Monroe throws a big right hand that misses.

Monroe gets to his feet - Hiwatari follows without any prompting.

Monroe closes the distance and clinches.
Nice body punch from Monroe - that landed with a thud.

Monroe pulls guard successfully.

Monroe escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hiwatari gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Monroe has control of Hiwatari's left arm, preventing Hiwatari from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reid Monroe dominated that round.
That's time! Monroe's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hiwatari doesn't manage to clinch there - Monroe circles away.
Hiwatari lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Hiwatari wants to clinch
and Monroe counters with a two punch combo.

Hiwatari drives through with a takedown into guard.

Monroe has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Hiwatari off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Monroe circles away from the clinch attempt
and Monroe counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Monroe moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hiwatari falls off balance throwing a combination

and Monroe moves into the clinch.
Hiwatari is breathing heavily.

Monroe breaks the clinch.
Monroe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hiwatari can do to turn this around?
Hiwatari tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Monroe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Reid Monroe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hiwatari tries to clinch up

and Monroe counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Monroe working the head and body with strikes.
Hiwatari makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hiwatari.

Monroe got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hiwatari has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Monroe has managed to get both his arms back between Hiwatari's legs - danger averted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hiwatari controls Monroe momentarily but Monroe frees himself.
Monroe works over Hiwatari with some ground and pound from guard.

Monroe gets to his feet - Hiwatari follows without any prompting.

Monroe clinches.
Monroe holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Monroe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hiwatari thows a left - swing and a miss!
Monroe shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hiwatari defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hiwatari lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Monroe circles away quickly and effectively.
Monroe fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Monroe clinches up with Hiwatari and pushes him back against the cage.

Monroe manages to pull guard.
Monroe is controlling Hiwatari's posture.
Monroe manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hiwatari manages to get himself to full guard.

Monroe lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monroe chips away with some ground and pound.
Monroe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Monroe controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Monroe could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Monroe is in close to Hiwatari's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Monroe distracts Hiwatari with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Monroe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Reid Monroe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Monroe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Monroe content to stall in guard here.
Monroe has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Monroe lands a couple of digs.

Monroe decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hiwatari, up you get!

Hiwatari shoots in and gets a takedown into Monroe's guard.

Monroe uses the cage to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reid Monroe dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Monroe with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Hiwatari scores with a takedown into Monroe's guard.

Monroe is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Monroe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hiwatari tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Monroe counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hiwatari is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Monroe's half guard.

Monroe kicks Hiwatari off and gets back to his feet.
Hiwatari takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Reid Monroe is winning the standup battle so far.

Hiwatari closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hiwatari lands in his opponent's guard.

Monroe has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Hiwatari off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Monroe scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hiwatari swinging wildly here.
Monroe went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Monroe digs a good hook to Hiwatari's body.
Monroe scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Hiwatari jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Monroe throws a series of punches but Hiwatari moves out of range.

Monroe bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Hiwatari is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Monroe decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Monroe ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Monroe gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Monroe jumps guard but Hiwatari stands there with Monroe around his waist. Monroe gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Monroe just leaning against Hiwatari, taking a breather.
A shot in the inside from Monroe.

Monroe jumps guard and drags Hiwatari to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Hiwatari wants to control from the top but Monroe keeps moving.
Monroe keeping full guard, as Hiwatari tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Monroe uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Monroe closes the distance and clinches.

Monroe's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hiwatari looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Kai Hiwatari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
This has been an exciting period of action!

Monroe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reid Monroe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Monroe 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reid Monroe!