PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Penn (ranked 3211 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shun Watanabe (ranked 8294 p4p, 0 weight class). Penn kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Everything in its right place. James Penn has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Penn
vs
Watanabe

181 cm
35
185 lbs
19 - 13 - 2

174 cm
31
172 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

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 19 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Hilo, James Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Shun Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Aafke Stam and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A low kick from Penn misses
and Watanabe counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Watanabe wants to clinch up but Penn keeps it at a distance.

Penn lands a left and a right that send Watanabe crashing to the mat, dazed. Penn thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

It looks like Shun Watanabe has been cut.
Watanabe jabs Penn to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Penn ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Penn misses with an uppercut. Watanabe saw that one coming.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watanabe takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Watanabe misses with a body shot.
Penn tries to counter with a takedown but Watanabe is quick to defend against it.
Penn throws a leg kick but Watanabe checks it.
Watanabe feints the counter takedown.
A nice inside leg kick there by Penn. That's going to slow Watanabe down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn throws a low kick but it's checked well by Watanabe.

Watanabe gets caught flat footed, as Penn shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Penn stands and steps away. Watanabe gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Watanabe checks a low kick from Penn.
Watanabe swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Penn throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Watanabe counters with a left to the body.
A slow jab from Penn misses its intended target.

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

Penn stands up from guard. Let's bang!
James Penn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe checks a low kick from Penn.
Watanabe looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Penn fails with the takedown
and Watanabe counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Penn cracks Watanabe with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Penn thumps Watanabe with a low kick.
Penn pivots, looking for a leg kick but Watanabe is out of range and Penn settles back down.
Watanabe tries to counter with a clinch but Penn shakes him off and moves away.

Watanabe closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Watanabe has Penn pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Penn manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Watanabe has Penn pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Penn manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Watanabe is looking to break free of the clinch but Penn has double underhooks.
Watanabe tries a body shot but Penn blocks it.
Watanabe misses with a hook to the ribs.

Penn breaks from the clinch.
Penn has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Watanabe finds it's way round the side to connect with Penn's head.
Penn throws a leg kick
and Watanabe counters with a nice uppercut.
Watanabe ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Watanabe connects with a body shot that sends Penn's belly button to the back.
Penn misses with a hook
and Watanabe counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn slips under a jab from Watanabe.
Penn moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Penn thows a leg kick but Watanabe checks it
and Watanabe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Watanabe scores with a shot to the body.
Watanabe on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Penn throws a leg kick but Watanabe checks it.
Watanabe doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Watanabe keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A leg kick checked by Watanabe.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Penn dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Shun Watanabe's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A low kick from Penn misses
and Watanabe counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Penn feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Watanabes jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Penn loads up on a big right hand but Watanabe slips the punch.
Penn throws out a leg kick but Watanabe moves out of range and Penn only half commits.
Penn scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Penn throws an overhand right that lands on Watanabe's shoulder, as Watanabe tries to avoid the shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Watanabe's waist but Watanabe gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Penn off to one side.
Penn attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Watanabe is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Penn with a body shot.
Watanabe checks a leg kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn throws a hook to the side of Watanabe's head but Watanabe sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Watanabe looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A nice inside leg kick there by Penn. That's going to slow Watanabe down.
Watanabe slips a straight right by Penn.
Shun Watanabe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Watanabe throws a hook to the side of Penn's head but Penn sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Penn throws a good cross that connects.
Penn fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A countering left hand to the body from Watanabe misses.
Penn scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Watanabe. No joy for Penn on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Penn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Watanabe keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Penn goes for a double leg but Watanabe avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Watanabe continues to drive forward.
Watanabe fails with an attempt to clinch.
Penn tries to counter by clinching up but Watanabe breaks away and moves out of range.
Penn throws a leg kick
and Watanabe counters with a stiff right hand.
Penn tries to bum rush Watanabe with a series of wild strikes but Watanabe uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Penn misses with a takedown attempt
letting Watanabe counter with a right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Watanabe misses the shot to the body.
James Penn is winning the standup battle so far.
Penn throws a leg kick

so Watanabe counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Penn is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Watanabe can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe postures up in Penn's guard and throws a big left but Penn blocks it.
Watanabe works over Penn with some ground and pound from guard.
Watanabe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Watanabe throws a big right hand that misses.
Penn is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Penn avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Watanabe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Penn is keeping the position for now.
Penn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Watanabe throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four 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.
Watanabe tries to free his leg and advance position but Penn is retaining full guard.
Watanabe wants to control from the top but Penn keeps moving.
Penn is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Watanabe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Penn avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Penn shoots in looking for a takedown but Watanabe manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Penn's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Penn misses with a left hand
and Watanabe counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A bone on bone clash there as Watanabe blocks the leg kick.
Watanabe displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Penn throws out the jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shun Watanabe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Shun Watanabe's cut.
That's time! Penn's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Penn throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Watanabe counters with a stiff right hand.
Penn takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Watanabe tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Penn manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Watanabe throws a shot to the body.
Penn tries to score with a low kick but Watanabe moves his leg out of the way.
Penn looks to land a left hand but Watanabe moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No joy there for Watanabe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Penn lands with a hook. Watanabe tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Penn throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe digs a good body shot into Penn's ribs.
Penn tried to score with a low kick but Watanabe checks it.
Watanabe walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A jab from Watanabe misses.
Penn drops down looking for a counter takedown but Watanabe sprawls and moves away.
Penn throws a jab but it's blocked by Watanabe.
Penn throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Watanabe sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Penn doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Watanabe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Penn tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Watanabe appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Good exchange - Penn coming out on top.
Watanabe throws a jab when Penn was well out of range.
Penn throws a lazy uppercut
and Watanabe counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Penn tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Penn misses with an uppercut.
Penn swinging wildly here.
Watanabe steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Penn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe scores with a shot to the body.
Penn misses with a leg kick

and Watanabe moves into the clinch.
Watanabe doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Watanabe tries to throw a body punch but Penn avoids it by throwing Watanabe back against the cage.
Watanabe stalling.
Watanabe takes a shot to the head.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Penn is pressed up against the cage. Watanabe has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Penn down to the mat. Penn avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Watanabe keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Penn.
Watanabe feints a counter leg kick.
A low kick from Penn is predictable there

and Watanabe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Watanabe there.
Shun Watanabe has got the better of the ground game so far.
Watanabe is looking to take a break and control but Penn is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Watanabe working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Penn's thigh. Penn counters though and makes it back to full guard.

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

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Watanabe wants to sweep but no luck.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Shun Watanabe.
I think Watanabe has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shun Watanabe!
A victorious Shun Watanabe thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.