PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kaito Tanaka (ranked 4023 p4p, 3930 weight class) and King Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Tanaka
vs
Watson

190 cm
24
270
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
250
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Lethal high kicks
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kaito Tanaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, King Watson!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Bart Greer and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Tanaka lands an overhand right.
Watson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tanaka is fending him off so far but Watson persists. Nope, Tanaka circles away and we're back to standing.
Tanaka lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Watson moves forwards but Tanaka connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A jab lands there for Tanaka.
Tanaka could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tanaka.
Watson shoots in but Tanaka avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Watson throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Tanaka counters with a left to the body.
Watson walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice cross by Tanaka.
Watson throws a half hearted mid kick.
Watson takes one on the button.
Watson throws a jab when Tanaka was well out of range.
A punch combination from Tanaka misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Tanaka there.
Watson shoots for a double leg takedown but Tanaka sprawls well. He's pushed Watson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kaito Tanaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of King Watson.
Watson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tanaka sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Watson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tanaka pinned against the cage. Tanaka gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Tanaka thuds his right hand into Watson's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Watson avoids a punch combination nicely.
A punch combination from Watson misses.
Watson looks winded!
Watson throws an off balance right hand
and Tanaka counters with a one-two to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tanaka scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Kaito Tanaka is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Watson misses with a double jab.
Watson shoots in for a double leg but Tanaka sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Tanaka swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Tanaka is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
The fighters circle momentarily. Tanaka darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Nice jab there from Tanaka.
Tanaka throws a head kick that misses
and Watson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Tanaka thinking.
Watson misses with a few strikes there.
Tanaka cracks Watson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Tanaka wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Tanaka cracks a nice hook into Watson's ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka throws a shot to the body.
Watson's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Tanaka connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Watson scrambles back to his feet.
Tanaka scores with a hook to the body. Watson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Watson misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Tanaka to counter with a crisp jab.
Tanaka stalks Watson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Watson's face. Watson staggers backwards, shaken.
Tanaka takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Tanaka misses with a series of wild punches.

Tanaka tries to keep at a distance but Watson has taken the fight into the clinch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka misses with a looping right.
Tanaka swings widly with a right hand
and Watson counters with a straight right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tanaka throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Watson throws a head kick that misses.
Tanaka throws a quick counter head kick but Watson was just out of range.
Watson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Tanaka cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Watson dives in for a single leg takedown but Tanaka sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Tanaka scores with a nice strike.
Watson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tanaka was well out of range. Poor timing from Watson.
Watson has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Tanaka misses with a body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kaito Tanaka dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Watson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Tanaka checks a leg kick.
Watson tries to work over Tanaka's front leg with a kick but Tanaka checks it.
Watson throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Tanaka counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Watson shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Watson moves forwards but Tanaka connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Tanaka with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Watson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tanaka, pushing him back against the cage.
Tanaka tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Watson smiles and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tanaka throws a looping overhand right but Watson ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson dives in for a single leg takedown but Tanaka sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Tanaka comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Watson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tanaka counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Watson walks into a stiff left hand from Tanaka.
Watson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Watson misses with a takedown attempt
and Watson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Kaito Tanaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of King Watson.
Tanaka circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tanaka went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Tanaka pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Watson tries for a takedown but Tanaka sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Watson closes the distance and pushes Tanaka back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Watson jumps guard and drags Tanaka to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Watson is adopting a defensive guard.
Tanaka throwing strikes but missing.
Watson controlling Tanaka's posture.
Tanaka showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Tanaka has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka stands and steps away. Watson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
A lazy body kick from Watson
and Tanaka counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kaito Tanaka is winning the standup battle so far.
Nice jab there from Tanaka.
Tanaka lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
The crowd cheers as Tanaka lands an impressive looking overhand right. Watson doesn't seem phased though.
Watson takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka gets caught napping as Watson dives in and scores a takedown. Tanaka manages to retain guard.
Tanaka looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tanaka wants to get back to his feet but Watson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Tanaka wants to sweep here but Watson controlling him for the moment.
Tanaka looking to control.
Watson is pushing down on Tanaka's leg trying to pass to half guard. Tanaka is fighting to maintain full guard but Watson has managed to sneak the leg through.

Watson decides to stand up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kaito Tanaka dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Watson doesn't manage to clinch there - Tanaka circles away.
Tanaka lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Tanaka throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Watson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Watson darts in looking for a takedown but Tanaka gets double underhooks and turns Watson into the cage.
Watson wants to clinch up but Tanaka keeps it at a distance.
Watson slips a jab from Tanaka.
Tanaka lands with a slapping head kick.
Tanaka slaps away a takedown attempt from Watson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A little feinted left hand from Tanaka on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Watson on the side of the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tanaka slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Tanaka is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Watson can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka cracks Watson with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Tanaka is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tanaka.
Tanaka fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Tanaka throws a looping overhand right but Watson ducks down to avoid it.
Watson takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Watson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Tanaka was covering up waiting for the punch and Watson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Tanaka is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Watson tries to free his leg and advance position but Tanaka is retaining full guard.
Tanaka is trying to keep Watson in close.
Watson trying to control but Tanaka is working from the bottom.
Tanaka not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Watson gets to his feet - Tanaka follows without any prompting.
Watson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Nice shot by Tanaka.
Watson shoots in and drives through. Tanaka sprawls well.
Tanaka was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Kaito Tanaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of King Watson.
Tanaka throws a shot from downtown. Watson moves away and avoids it.
Watson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Tanaka lands a head kick. Watson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Watson takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Watson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tanaka defends it nicely.
King Watson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka lands with a hook. Watson tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Watson misses with a series of wild punches.
Tanaka lands a nice shot that snaps Watson's head back.
Tanaka takes a body punch but keeps moving.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tanaka moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kaito Tanaka showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tanaka, 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaito Tanaka!
Kaito Tanaka decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.