PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Logan Steele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luigi Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Watanabe has chosen Bad Man A Step as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Steele
vs
Watanabe

186 cm
21
165 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
164 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Logan Steele!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Luigi Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Dillan Fox and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watanabe rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Watanabe takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Steele throws a predictable looking body shot
and Watanabe counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Watanabe looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Watanabe landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Watanabe not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Watanabe is pressing down on Steele's thigh, looking to free his foot. Steele is holding on for now.
Watanabe not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Watanabe trying to pass the guard but Steele defending well.
Watanabe is looking to take a break and control but Steele is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Steele is controlling Watanabe's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steele works his way to full guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watanabe looking to pass the guard.
Steele manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Watanabe manages to get himself to full guard.
Steele will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Steele stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Watanabe swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Watanabe keeping moving, preventing Steele from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Steele postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Watanabe is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Steele, into his guard.
Watanabe must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Watanabe trying to control the position from guard on top but Steele is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watanabe postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Steele trying to control the position.
Steele keeping full guard, as Watanabe tries to pass.
Steele manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Steele jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Watanabe is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Watanabe and Steele has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Steele wants to control but Watanabe is keeping him busy.

Steele working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Watanabe is trying to get back to his feet.
Watanabe really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Steele. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Steele tries to advance to mount but Watanabe denies him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Steele is looking to take a break and control but Watanabe is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Luigi Watanabe will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Watanabe misses with a double jab
enabling Steele to counter with a crisp jab.
Steele looks to throw the jab but Watanabe is out of range.
Logan Steele is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Steele scores with a sloppy right hand. Watanabe should have avoided that one.
Steele ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watanabe lands with a kick to the ribs.
Watanabe avoids the body shot from Steele.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Watanabe decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Watanabe tries to pass to full mount but Steele defends it.
Watanabe sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Steele defending well though.
Steele won't allow Watanabe to pass to mount.
Watanabe moves into full mount! Steele won't be happy about that!
Watanabe dominating with strikes here.
Steele tries to reverse the position but Watanabe maintains control.
Watanabe is landing with some decent strikes but Steele is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
A nice elbow there by Watanabe.
Watanabe lands a nice shot to the head.
Watanabe raining down shots from the mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele taking shots to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Steele taking shots to the head.
Steele is trying to escape the mount.
Watanabe scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Steele?
Watanabe is landing with some decent strikes but Steele is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Watanabe raining down hammerfists from mount.
Watanabe misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Watanabe punching from mount but Steele doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Steele avoids a strike by Watanabe and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Watanabe's guard! Fantastic escape!
Watanabe keeping full guard, as Steele tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steele trying to control the position from guard on top but Watanabe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Watanabe pushes Steele off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Watanabe looks to throw the jab but Steele is out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Watanabe throws a combination that misses
and Steele counters with a one-two to the body.
Watanabe throws a left and a right that both miss
and Steele counters with a nice uppercut.
Watanabe misses with an uppercut
and Steele counters with a three punch combo that has Watanabe backing up. Watanabe nods at Steele to acknowledge the strikes.
Watanabe misses with a double jab
and Steele counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Steele bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Watanabe's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luigi Watanabe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Steele's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Steele misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Watanabe.
Steele avoids a kick to the body.
Watanabe throws a nice looking combination but Steele bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Steele misses with a two punch combination.
Steele looks to land a combination but Watanabe avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watanabe throws a combination that misses
and Steele counters with a left to the body.
Watanabe looks for the body kick but Steele saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Steele cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Watanabe avoids the body shot from Steele.
Steele misses with an uppercut. Watanabe saw that one coming.
Watanabe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Watanabe throws a combination that misses
and Steele connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Logan Steele seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Steele throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Watanabe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Watanabe ducks under a wild hook from Steele.
Steele lands with a nice combination. Watanabe backs away looking to recover.
Watanabe looks to land a body kick but Steele moved away.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Steele scores with a jab to the jaw.
Steele is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Watanabe misses with an attempted mid kick.
Steele fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steele fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Steele dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Watanabe clinches with his opponent.
Logan Steele has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steele on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Steele tries to pull guard but Watanabe won't allow it.

Steele jumps guard.
Steele tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Watanabe wants to pass the guard but Steele is keeping the position.
Watanabe trying to control the position from guard on top but Steele is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Steele looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Watanabe postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Steele trying to keep a closed guard but Watanabe is proving a slippery customer.
Steele keeping full guard, as Watanabe tries to pass.
Steele wants to sweep but no luck.
Watanabe throws a strike but Steele rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Steele postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Watanabe is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Steele, into his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Logan Steele showed his dominance in that final round.
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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Luigi Watanabe!