PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tonaka Watawaka (ranked 3663 p4p, 409 weight class) and Ross Warring (ranked 2796 p4p, 327 weight class). Watawaka kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Native American Flute & Drums. Tonaka Watawaka has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Watawaka
vs
Warring

185 cm
26
180 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

185 cm
19
177 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Red Light Coffeeshop

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tonaka Watawaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ross Warring!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, John Roberts and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Watawaka clinches up against the cage.
Watawaka prevents a body shot from Warring.
Watawaka working aggressively here.
Watawaka doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Watawaka is struggling to control the position.
Watawaka misses with a punch to the body.
Watawaka is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Watawaka swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Watawaka.
Watawaka works on Warring's body with a couple of short punches.
Warring's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Watawaka.
Warring has Watawaka pressed against the cage.
Warring throws a head punch that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watawaka throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Warring misses with the head strike.
Warring blocks an uppercut.
Watawaka blocks an uppercut.
Watawaka doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Watawaka is working Warring over against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Watawaka fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watawaka misses with a punch on the inside.
Watawaka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Watawaka is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Warring scores with a shot to the side of Watawaka's head.
Warring misses with the head strike.
Watawaka leaning against his opponent.
Warring struggles to land a body shot inside as Watawaka controls his hands.
Warring has a couple of punches blocked by Watawaka.
Warring's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Warring misses with a hook from the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Warring.
Watawaka tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Watawaka tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Warring's elbow.
Warring is leaning against Watawaka and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Watawaka looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Warring misses with a hook from the clinch.
Warring misses with a body punch.
Watawaka lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Warring working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short uppercut from Watawaka.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watawaka tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Warring's elbow.
Warring lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Warring's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Warring digs a right hand underneath Watawaka's ribcage. Watawaka let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Watawaka.
Watawaka is working Warring over against the cage.
Watawaka goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Warring gets through Watawaka's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Warring tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Watawaka lands with a right to the head.
Watawaka swings wildly with an uppercut but Warring uses good head movement to avoid it.
Watawaka blocks an uppercut.
Watawaka misses with a hook to the ribs.
Warring lands a left hand that snaps the head of Watawaka backwards.
Warring prevents a body shot from Watawaka.
Watawaka misses with the head strike.
Watawaka misses with the head strike.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watawaka blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Watawaka misses with a punch to the body.
Warring lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Warring working aggressively here.
Warring scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Watawaka lands a body punch.
Watawaka struggles to land a body shot inside as Warring controls his hands.
Watawaka misses with a body punch.
Warring lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Watawaka lands with a light punch inside.
Watawaka blocks an uppercut.
Watawaka misses with the head strike.
Watawaka blocks an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Watawaka.
Warring lands an uppercut.
Watawaka swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Warring doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short uppercut from Warring.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Warring misses with a hook from the clinch.
Warring lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Watawaka backwards.
Warring working aggressively here.
Warring blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Warring lands a left hand.
A short left from Warring.
Watawaka doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Warring lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Watawaka or not.
Watawaka being controlled against the cage.
Warring working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Watawaka has a couple of punches blocked by Warring.
Warring tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Warring working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Watawaka blocks an uppercut.
Watawaka throws a head punch that misses.
Watawaka lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Warring or not.
Watawaka lands a nice uppercut.
Watawaka lands with a light punch inside.
Watawaka lands a hook to the side of the head.
A right hook to the body lands for Warring.
Watawaka blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Watawaka cracks Warring with a nice body shot.
A right handed body shot lands from Warring.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Warring dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Warring throws a hook but Watawaka avoids it easily.
Watawaka has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Warring throws a hook but Watawaka avoids it easily.
Watawaka blocks a jab.

Watawaka moves into the clinch successfully.
Watawaka swings wildly with an uppercut but Warring uses good head movement to avoid it.
Watawaka taking a breather.
Watawaka stalling the fight.
Ross Warring seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Warring blocking some punches.
Watawaka blocks an uppercut.
Warring tries a body shot but Watawaka blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Warring.
Watawaka misses with a hook to the ribs.
Warring misses with a short punch on the inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Warring taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Watawaka tries to work over Warring's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Watawaka wants to stall.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Warring.
Watawaka struggles to land a body shot inside as Warring controls his hands.
Warring stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watawaka taking a breather.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Warring.
Watawaka doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A shot in the inside from Warring.
Watawaka tries to work over Warring's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A nice right hand lands inside from Warring.
Watawaka lands with a short shot to the head.
Warring lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Warring just leaning against Watawaka, taking a breather.
Watawaka misses with a body punch.
Warring scores with a nice hook to the head.
Warring tries to throw a body punch but Watawaka avoids it by throwing Warring back against the cage.
Warring working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Warring scores with a hook to the body.
Warring misses with some punches.
Warring just leaning against Watawaka, taking a breather.
Warring lands a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Warring.
Watawaka lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Warring throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watawaka misses with a punch on the inside.
A short left from Watawaka.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Warring misses with some punches.
Watawaka is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Warring working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Warring lands a hook that snaps the head of Watawaka backwards.
Warring blocking some punches.
Watawaka taking a breather.
Watawaka blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Watawaka misses with the head strike.
A nice left hand lands by Warring.
A right hand to the body from Warring.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Watawaka has a couple of punches blocked by Warring.
Watawaka misses with a hook from the clinch.
Warring scores with a shot to the side of Watawaka's head.
Warring lands a hook that snaps the head of Watawaka backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Warring.
Warring lands with a light punch inside.
Warring misses with a punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Warring.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Warring creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Warring scores with a shot to the side of Watawaka's head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Warring.
Warring lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Warring gets through Watawaka's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short right from Warring on the inside.
Warring lands a nice uppercut.
Warring lands a right hand.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Watawaka.
Warring has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Watawaka tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Warring misses with a hook from the clinch.
Watawaka digs a right hand underneath Warring's ribcage. Warring let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Warring lands an uppercut.
Warring stalling against the cage.
Warring softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Warring lands a hook that snaps the head of Watawaka backwards.
Warring lands a right hand.

Watawaka is rocked!
Warring tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Watawaka's elbow.
Oh Watawaka is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watawaka looking to slow down the pace here.
Watawaka seems to have got his legs back now.
Warring lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short body shot lands from Watawaka as the two fighters clinch.
Warring dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Watawaka blocks a body shot from Warring.
Warring works on Watawaka's body with a couple of short punches.
Warring prevents a body shot from Watawaka.
Warring swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Warring.
Watawaka working aggressively here.
Watawaka swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Warring is working Watawaka over against the cage.
Warring lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Warring swings wildly with an uppercut but Watawaka uses good head movement to avoid it.
Watawaka misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Watawaka fails to land.
A nice left hand lands by Warring.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Warring showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Warring sends Watawaka crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Warring is motioning to the referee to let Watawaka up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Watawaka tries to close the distance and clinch up but Warring swats him away and circles back towards the center.
BOOM! Warring lands a beautiful left hook that drops Watawaka. Watawaka tries to recover but Warring is having none of it, landing more punishing shots from mount. One final crushing shot and Watawaka lies motionless on the canvas. The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:12 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ross Warring!
Ross Warring decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.
In defeat, Tonaka Watawaka stepped up to the mic, saying 'Why don't you let me tie a piece of moose meat around your neck and let my dogs chase yah? Let's see what happens then!'.