PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Federico Gaines (ranked 8467 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takeshi Watanabe (ranked 25823 p4p, 0 weight class). Takeshi Watanabe is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Gaines
vs
Watanabe

151 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Federico Gaines!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takeshi Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shigeki Fujiwara and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaines misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Watanabe buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Gaines tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gaines throws a head kick but Watanabe moves out of range.
Watanabe throws a sloppy head kick and Gaines moves out of range easily.
Watanabe thuds his right hand into Gaines's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Gaines misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Watanabe darts in and clinches Gaines up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gaines has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Watanabe is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Gaines can't fight it off and eventually Watanabe manages to take the fight to the floor. Gaines looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Gaines wants to get back to his feet but Watanabe is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaines bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Watanabe's guard.

Watanabe looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gaines is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Gaines postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gaines lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Gaines connects with a couple of short punches.
Gaines working some strikes from top position.
Gaines with a nice head shot there.
Gaines really is a fat lump.

Gaines stands up from Watanabe's guard - Gaines perhaps looking for a knockout.
Takeshi Watanabe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watanabe looks winded!

Gaines clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gaines breaks from the clinch.
Gaines pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gaines enables Watanabe to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gaines manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Gaines manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Gaines manages to break the clinch.

Watanabe scores with a takedown into Gaines's guard.

Gaines pushes Watanabe off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Watanabe rushes Gaines and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Gaines escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Watanabe pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gaines pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gaines takes a swing at Watanabe's ribcage but misses.
A big right from Gaines misses.
Gaines does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Gaines throws a head kick but Watanabe moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Watanabe rushes Gaines and presses him up against the cage.

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

Watanabe gets a clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Gaines manages to pull guard.

Gaines is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gaines lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gaines stands and steps away. Watanabe gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gaines throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Watanabe throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sloppy strikes from Watanabe. Those never looked like landing.

Watanabe gets the takedown into side control.
Gaines really is built like a bowling ball. I wonder if he'd roll if you pushed him down a hill...
Gaines manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Gaines decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Watanabe rushes Gaines and presses him up against the cage.
Watanabe is breathing heavily.

Gaines is fighting off a takedown attempt but Watanabe is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Gaines to the mat. Gaines regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Gaines manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Gaines pulls guard successfully.
Gaines might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaines manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Watanabe manages to get himself to full guard.

Gaines landing with the ground and pound.

Gaines drops back looking for a leg! Watanabe is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Watanabe manages to kick Gaines off! Gaines jumps back into Watanabe's guard.
Gaines stands up over Watanabe, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Gaines gets to his feet - Watanabe follows without any prompting.
Watanabe blocks a head kick by Gaines.
Gaines throws a hook but Watanabe blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Watanabe shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Watanabe was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Gaines bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gaines throws a low kick but it's checked well by Watanabe.

Watanabe manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Gaines on his heels. He'll look to pass Gaines's guard now, I'm sure.

Gaines wriggles free and stands up.
Gaines is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Watanabe can do to turn this around?
Gaines misses with a head kick.

Watanabe gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Watanabe works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Gaines pushes Watanabe off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gaines goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Watanabe closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Gaines quickly recovers to half guard.

Gaines makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Gaines misses with a head kick.

Gaines forces Watanabe back against the cage and clinches.
Gaines wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Gaines breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A head kick misses from Gaines.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Watanabe looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Gaines has his feet on Watanabe's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Watanabe avoids the head kick by Gaines.
Watanabe blocks a head kick by Gaines.

Watanabe clinches with his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Watanabe wants the takedown. Gaines is fighting it off but Watanabe persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Gaines's guard against the cage.

Gaines uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Gaines tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Federico Gaines dominated that second round.
That's time! Gaines's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gaines finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Watanabe feints the counter takedown.
Gaines stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Watanabe.

Watanabe rushes Gaines and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Gaines's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gaines turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Gaines.
Gaines misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watanabe blocks a low kick nicely.
Watanabe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Watanabe darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Gaines manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Watanabe keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gaines pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Watanabe shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Watanabe was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Gaines throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Gaines takes the fight into the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gaines taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaines wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Watanabe keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Gaines's efforts to push away.

Gaines's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Gaines closes the distance and clinches.

Gaines breaks from the clinch.

Watanabe has managed to clinch.

Gaines pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Watanabe has taken the fight to the clinch.
Takeshi Watanabe seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Gaines manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Gaines striking off his back, scoring a few points.
Watanabe takes a decent strike to the side of the head.

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

Gaines has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Watanabe can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gaines uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Watanabe shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Gaines has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Watanabe is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Gaines breaks the clinch.
Watanabe throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Gaines's head.
Takeshi Watanabe has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Federico Gaines is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gaines tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Federico Gaines showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gaines, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Federico Gaines!