PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kenji Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronnie Hepple (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kenji Watanabe has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Watanabe
vs
Hepple

180 cm
29
180 lbs
16 - 4 - 0

187 cm
20
187 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Project Mayhem
RAGS of a RONIN

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kenji Watanabe!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ronnie Hepple!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hepple with a nice cross.

Watanabe fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hepple to the ground. Watanabe is now in Hepple's guard.
Watanabe stops Hepple from standing up.
Watanabe postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Watanabe postures up and lands a big shot to Hepple's brow.
Hepple wants to stand and escape but Watanabe is having none of it.
Hepple not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've been hearing that Watanabe has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Hepple looking for a sweep. Not yet Hepple, not yet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hepple can do anything to dispel that myth.
Watanabe working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Watanabe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hepple really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Watanabe. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Watanabe with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watanabe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Watanabe won't allow Hepple to get back to his feet.
Watanabe working some strikes from top position.
Watanabe throwing strikes from guard but Hepple blocks nicely.
Hepple is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Watanabe has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Hepple manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Hepple softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Watanabe fails to pull guard.
Watanabe goes for a takedown attempt but Hepple pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Watanabe walks into a jab.
Watanabe throws a right hand that misses
and Hepple counters with a two punch combo.
Hepple scores with a nice strike.
Ronnie Hepple seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hepple scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Watanabe doesn't seem bothered though.
Hepple lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hepple connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Ronnie Hepple is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hepple moves into the clinch.
Watanabe is trying to pull guard but Hepple has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kenji Watanabe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hepple throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Watanabes head.
A shot in the inside from Hepple.

Watanabe gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hepple is trying to stand up here but Watanabe is controlling him well.
Hepple is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hepple is looking to control Watanabe's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hepple avoid being mounted?
Hepple tries to kick Watanabe off but Watanabe keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hepple trying to hold on to Watanabe's head to control him but Watanabe postures up.
Watanabe looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hepple with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Watanabe slips a nice elbow through Hepple's hands, connecting with Hepple's forehead.
Hepple is trying to stand back up but Watanabe is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Watanabe stops Hepple from getting back to his feet.
Hepple trying to control but Watanabe postures up.
Watanabe scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Watanabe looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Hepple has hold of Watanabe's hands but Watanabe slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Watanabe landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Watanabe thows a huge punch but Hepple dodges it nicely.

Hepple manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Hepple lands with a right hand.
Watanabe misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hepple lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hepple cracks a nice hook into Watanabe's ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hepple swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Watanabe.
Watanabe fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Hepple closes the distance and clinches.
Hepple lands a right hand.
Watanabe tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hepple lands a body punch.
Watanabe is breathing heavily.
A short left from Hepple.
Hepple lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Watanabe.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Hepple.
Hepple pushes Watanabe back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A nice combination there by Hepple.
Nice uppercut lands for Hepple. That snapped Watanabe's head back.
Hepple lands the left hand.
Hepple ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Hepple moves into range and clinches up with Watanabe.
Watanabe is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Hepple to keep the fight standing.
A left hand lands to the body for Hepple.
Hepple makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Hepple softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hepple lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Watanabe or not.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hepple lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Hepple lands a body shot.
Hepple lands a left hand that snaps the head of Watanabe backwards.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A left hand lands to the body for Hepple.
Hepple lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Hepple lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hepple pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hepple lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Jab from Hepple.
Watanabe takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Watanabe is rocked!
Hepple scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Oh Watanabe is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hepple has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Watanabe tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hepple defends well and Watanabe ends up having to push Hepple into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Watanabe tries to move into range but Hepple moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Watanabe has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hepple finds it's way round the side to connect with Watanabe's head.
Danga de danga de dang - Hepple scores with a four punch combination!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hepple lands an overhand right.
Watanabe walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Watanabe with a poor takedown
and Hepple scores with a counter punch that sends Watanabe to the canvas! Hepple smells blood - he's punishing Watanabe with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Watanabe has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ronnie Hepple!
Ronnie Hepple is the new welterweight champion!
Our winner, Ronnie Hepple, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.