PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hero Watanabe (ranked 6410 p4p, 520 weight class) and Jesse Henley (ranked 6849 p4p, 532 weight class). Jesse Henley has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Watanabe
vs
Henley

178 cm
21
150 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
152 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hero Watanabe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jesse Henley!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Radbod Blank and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Watanabe closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Henley to the mat! Henley manages to get full guard.

Henley is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Henley looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Watanabe sitting in guard here, content to control.
Watanabe preventing the sweep.

Watanabe got a little sloppy there for a moment and Henley has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Watanabe has managed to get both his arms back between Henley's legs - danger averted.
Watanabe landing with the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henley has momentary wrist control but Watanabe slips an elbow through the middle.

Henley throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Henley wants to sweep here but Watanabe controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henley working a defensive guard here.
Watanabe not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Watanabe throwing strikes but missing.
Henley trying to control the position.
We've been hearing good reports from Watanabe's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Watanabe is looking to work some ground and pound but Henley has wrist control.
Watanabe is working Henley over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Henley manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Watanabe manages to get himself to full guard.

Henley is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Watanabe manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Henley manages to get himself to full guard.

Henley looking for a guillotine here but Watanabe defends easily.

Watanabe avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Watanabe slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Watanabe has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Henley is proving hard to escape from.
Watanabe pushes down on Henley's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Watanabe is looking for a kimura but Henley is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Watanabe to get the leverage.
Henley trying to control from the bottom.
Henley is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Watanabe is staying active.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henley wants to improve his position but Watanabe is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Watanabe wants to work for an arm triangle but Henley is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Henley looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Henley trying to control here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Watanabe seems to be working for a kimura but Henley defends the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hero Watanabe dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Henley throws a jab but it's blocked by Watanabe.

Watanabe looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Henley!

Watanabe tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Watanabe landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Henley sneaks back into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henley is looking for a sweep. Watanabe is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Watanabe wants to stand up but Henley has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Henley looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henley is looking for a sweep. Watanabe is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Henley trying to control but Watanabe postures up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Watanabe lands a nice short elbow.
Watanabe sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Henley tries to roll over but Watanabe keeps him under control.
Hero Watanabe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Watanabe tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Henley trying to control but Watanabe postures up.

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.
Watanabe works his foot free and advances to mount.
Watanabe looking to finish Henley with some ground and pound. This is bad for Henley!
Watanabe pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Watanabe lands with some strikes.
Henley gets back to half guard.
Watanabe is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Henley is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Watanabe pulls his head out easily.
Watanabe prevents Henley from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Henley looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Henley is looking for a sweep. Watanabe is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Henley wants to control but Watanabe is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Watanabe wants to take a breather but Henley is having none of it.
Henley keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Henley is looking to control Watanabe's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Henley avoid being mounted?
Henley is trying to get back to full guard.
Watanabe is controlling the pace.

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.
Watanabe drops an elbow to the side of Henley's head.
Henley is trying to get back to full guard.
Watanabe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Henley can do to turn this around?

Watanabe seems to be working for a kimura but Henley defends the submission attempt.
Henley blocking the ground and pound attempt from Watanabe.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Watanabe is pressing down on Henley's thigh, looking to free his foot. Henley is holding on for now.
Henley is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hero Watanabe dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Henley throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Watanabe decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Henley's guard.
Henley is pulling down on Watanabe's head to control his posture.

Henley is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Henley has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Watanabe doesn't defend quickly enough and Henley has managed to lock this one up! Can Watanabe escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Henley on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Jesse Henley!