PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Battle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Big Waaaale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Battle
vs
Waaaale

173 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
169 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bruce Battle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Big Waaaale!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Sano and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Waaaale misses with a kick to the body.
Waaaale throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Waaaale fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Battle is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Waaaale.
Waaaale misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Waaaale clinches.
Battle will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Waaaale up against the cage.

Waaaale manages to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Battle drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Waaaale dives on top into guard.

Waaaale is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Waaaale's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Waaaale is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waaaale wants to pass the guard but Battle is keeping the position.
Battle controlling Waaaale's posture.
Battle looking to control.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Battle is on top in guard.

Battle trying to control but Waaaale is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Battle tries to stand but Waaaale is controlling from the bottom.
Battle makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Waaaale has momentary wrist control but Battle slips an elbow through the middle.
Battle trying to control the position from guard on top but Waaaale is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Battle is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Waaaale is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Waaaale has escaped and now he's on top!

Waaaale tries to free his leg and advance position but Battle is retaining full guard.
Waaaale looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waaaale trying to control but Battle is working from the bottom.
Waaaale stays in close to Battle's body and controls the position.
Waaaale trying to control the position from guard on top but Battle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Waaaale stays in close to Battle's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Waaaale wants to stand but Battle is controlling his posture from full guard.
Battle working a defensive guard here.
Waaaale trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Battle blocks a head kick by Waaaale.
Waaaale tries for a takedown but Battle sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Big Waaaale dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Waaaale with a poor takedown

and Battle counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Waaaale is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Battle pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Battle changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Waaaale fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Waaaale misses with a few strikes there.
Waaaale thows a leg kick but Battle checks it

and Battle counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Waaaale tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Battle smiles and moves away.
Bruce Battle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Big Waaaale.
Waaaale stuffs the takedown attempt from Battle. Battle gets slowly back to his feet.
Waaaale throws out a counter right but Battle avoids it with no problem.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Waaaale clinches up with Battle and pushes him back against the cage.
Battle is trying to push Waaaale away but Waaaale has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Battle jumps into guard, dragging Waaaale to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battle keeping moving, preventing Waaaale from controlling successfully.
Battle being controlled here, momentarily.
Waaaale stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Battle swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Battle seems keen to control Waaaale's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Waaaale tries to free his leg and advance position but Battle is retaining full guard.
Waaaale's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Waaaale has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Waaaale throws a body shot but no joy.
Battle shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Waaaale pinned against the cage. Waaaale gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Battle displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Waaaale.
Battle fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Waaaale with that takedown attempt.
Big Waaaale seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Waaaale fails with the takedown
and Battle counters with a three punch combo that has Waaaale backing up. Waaaale nods at Battle to acknowledge the strikes.
Battle tries to clinch up but Waaaale circles away and keeps his distance.

Waaaale takes the fight into the clinch.
Battle is trying to pull guard but Waaaale turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Waaaale is trying to drag Battle to the mat but Battle just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Waaaale as Battle tries to tie him up.
Waaaale is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Battle to keep the fight standing.
Battle has Waaaale pressed against the cage, preventing Waaaale from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A right hook to the body lands for Waaaale.
Waaaale drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Battle gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Waaaale is breathing heavily.
A shot in the inside from Waaaale.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Battle tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Waaaale just stands there and leans against the cage.
Waaaale is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Big Waaaale will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Waaaale moves into the clinch.

Battle escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Waaaale gets a clinch.
Battle fails to pull guard.
Battle tries to score a body lock takedown but Waaaale shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Battle tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Waaaale smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruce Battle. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Waaaale throws a head kick but Battle moves out of range.
Waaaale throws a solid leg kick but Battle takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Waaaale.
Battle appears to be looking for a big counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Waaaale dives in for a single leg takedown but Battle sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Waaaale has closed the distance and engaged Battle in a clinch.
Battle is trying to drag Waaaale to the mat but Waaaale just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Battle fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Battle tries to throw a body punch but Waaaale avoids it by throwing Battle back against the cage.
Nice body punch from Battle - that landed with a thud.

Waaaale has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Battle uses from the top position.

Battle drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Waaaale dives on top into guard.

Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Battle managing to control the position.
Waaaale engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Battle keeping full guard, as Waaaale tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Waaaale controls from within his opponent's guard.
Waaaale trying to stand up but can't free himself from Battle's guard.
Battle trying to keep a closed guard but Waaaale is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waaaale sitting in guard here, content to control.
More stalling from Waaaale.
Battle is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Battle preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Waaaale shoots in but no luck this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Waaaale fails with the takedown.
Waaaale fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Waaaale throws a head kick but Battle moves out of range.

Waaaale moves into the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Waaaale lands with a left to the head.
Battle wants to break free but Waaaale has control.
Battle wants to break free but Waaaale has control.
Bruce Battle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Big Waaaale is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Battle tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Waaaale avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Big Waaaale comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Waaaale 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Big Waaaale!