S-1 Japan GP 2024 - Final PBP Commentary

Main event

Coming up we have a super heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Kanetake Makio (ranked 2920 p4p, 2921 weight class) and Musashi Wataru (ranked 108 p4p, 110 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Makio
vs
Wataru

178 cm
23
250
2 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
245
2 - 0 - 0

Good knees
Self confident

Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kanetake Makio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Musashi Wataru!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Ren Mimura and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Makio shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Makio has taken the fight to the clinch.

Makio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wataru is looking to score with low kicks.
Makio lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

It looks like Musashi Wataru has been cut.
A solid leg kick lands there for Wataru.
Wataru tries to clinch up but Makio circles away and keeps his distance.
A lazy body kick from Makio
and Wataru counters with a one-two to the body.

Wataru instigates a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Makio tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Wataru's elbow.

Wataru breaks the clinch.

Wataru moves into range and clinches up with Makio.
Wataru lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Wataru working hard to break the clinch.
Makio avoiding damage as Wataru throws knees to the body.
Makio tries to throw a body punch but Wataru avoids it by throwing Makio back against the ropes.
Makio prevents Wataru from breaking the clinch.
Makio could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makio keeps control of Wataru as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Wataru breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wataru lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Makio backs up against the ropes.

Wataru has Makio up against the ropes in a clinch.
Makio scores with a hook to the body.
Makio is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Wataru is keeping busy.

Makio's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wataru looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Wataru closes the distance and pushes Makio back into the ropes.

Makio manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makio with the inside leg kick.

Wataru moves into the clinch successfully.
Makio wants to stall.
Wataru lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Makio backwards.

Wataru escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
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!
Wataru throws a nice inside leg kick.
Wataru doesn't manage to clinch there - Makio circles away.

Wataru instigates a clinch.

Makio breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Makio rushes Wataru and presses him up against the ropes.
Wataru avoiding damage.

Makio breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Musashi Wataru dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Musashi Wataru's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Wataru moves into the clinch.
Makio lands with a short shot to the head.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Wataru breaks the clinch.
A punch combination from Wataru misses.
Makio connects with the punch.
Wataru tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Makio manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Musashi Wataru seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Wataru lands with a slapping head kick.

Makio fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Wataru, pushing him back against the ropes.
Wataru has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Makio breaks the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makio scoring well with a low kick there.
Makio feints a jab promting Wataru to slip. Makio then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Wataru slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wataru scores with a head kick.
Makio avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Makio gets a clinch.
Wataru tries a knee to the head but Makio blocks it.
Makio keeps control of Wataru as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Wataru breaks the clinch.
Wataru misses with a two punch combination.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Wataru.
Makio fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Makio lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That has opened up Musashi Wataru's cut even more.

Makio clinches with his opponent.
Makio leaning his opponent against the ropes.

Makio manages to break the clinch.
Wataru tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Makio paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Wataru misses the target.
Makio tries to close the distance and clinch but Wataru swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wataru throws a right and a left that both miss.
Wataru lands a slapping body shot.
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!

Wataru pushes Makio up against the ropes in a clinch.
Wataru looking to stall.

Wataru breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Makio with a nice cross.
Wataru stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Makio.

Wataru takes the fight into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Makio as Wataru tries to tie him up.

Makio escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kanetake Makio will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Musashi Wataru's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Wataru lands a nice looking kick to the body. Makio takes a step back to recover.
A head kick misses from Makio.

Makio closes the distance and clinches.
Wataru struggles to land a body shot inside as Makio controls his hands.
Wataru managing to block the knees to the body from Makio.
Makio stalling in the clinch but Wataru improves position.

Wataru breaks from the clinch.
Makio tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Wataru manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Makio is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makio tries to clinch up but Wataru circles away and keeps his distance.
Kanetake Makio is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Wataru rushes Makio and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.

Wataru breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wataru tries to clinch but Makio is having none of it.
Makio slips a jab and a cross from Wataru.

Wataru has closed the distance and engaged Makio in a clinch.

Makio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Wataru pushes Makio away with a front kick.

Wataru gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Wataru has had enough of the clinch but Makio keeps him there for the moment.

Makio pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Makio tries to close the distance and clinch but Wataru swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wataru slips under a jab from Makio.
Wataru's corner calls for a 1-2. Wataru obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Makio darts in and clinches Wataru up against the ropes.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wataru pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Wataru moves out of range of the leg kick from Makio.

Wataru forces Makio back against the ropes and clinches.

Wataru breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Wataru throws a lazy head kick
and Makio counters with a one-two to the body.
Wataru misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Wataru gets tackled into the ropes by Makio. Makio maintains the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Wataru scores with a nice short uppercut.

Makio breaks the clinch.

Wataru clinches up with Makio and pushes him back against the ropes.
Wataru trying to control the position but instead, Makio has worked for underhooks and has pushed Wataru into the ropes.
Wataru throws a punch but it's blocked by Makio.

And that's the end of the fight!
Musashi Wataru comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Wataru has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Musashi Wataru!