PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Bellec (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenji Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bellec
vs
Watanabe

182 cm
25
144 lbs
11 - 4 - 1

172 cm
25
145 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 1, fighting out of New York, Bruce Bellec!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kenji Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Jonathan Paton and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watanabe misses with a wild body shot.
A slapping leg kick lands for Watanabe.
Bellec throws the kick towards the body but Watanabe avoids it.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Bellec keeps Watanabe at a distance using the push kick.
Bellec tried to score with a low kick but Watanabe checks it.
Watanabe throws a half hearted mid kick.
Bellec throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Watanabe misses with a body shot.
Watanabe's corner calls for a 1-2. Watanabe obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Watanabe swings for the body but Bellec moves out of range.
Watanabe checks a leg kick nicely.
Watanabe takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Bellec throws a head kick but Watanabe moves out of range.
Bellec tries to score with a low kick but Watanabe moves his leg out of the way.
Bellec fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Watanabe is out of range.
Watanabe pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Watanabe misses with a looping right.
Watanabe waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Bellec.
Watanabe with a jab.
Bellec fakes the leg kick and cracks Watanabe in the body.
Watanabe loads up on a big right hand but Bellec slips the punch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Watanabe checks a low kick from Bellec.
Watanabe throws a hook to the side of Bellec's head but Bellec sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Bellec misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Watanabe tries to clinch up.
Bellec throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Watanabe's head.
Bellec throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Watanabe is looking to chop away at Bellec's legs.
Bellec tries a head kick but it misses.
Watanabe avoids the head kick by Bellec.
Bellec misses with a head kick.
Bellec throws a head kick that half lands.
Watanabe throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Bellec on the side of the head.
Bellec thows a leg kick but Watanabe checks it
and Watanabe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bellec misses with a head kick.
Watanabe fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Bellec has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Bellec throws a half hearted mid kick.
Bellec uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Watanabe.

Watanabe has managed to clinch.
Watanabe tries to land a knee to the head but Bellec blocks with his arms.
Watanabe has a couple of punches blocked by Bellec.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Watanabe throws a knee to the head but misses.
Bellec holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Watanabe lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bellec backwards.
Watanabe misses with a punch on the inside.
Bellec is pushing Watanabe up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Watanabe lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bellec backwards.
Watanabe tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bellec throws an elbow that misses.
Watanabe throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Bellec blocks it with crossed arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Bellec effectively controlling the action here.
Watanabe fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bellec effectively controlling the action here.
Watanabe connects with a knee to the head.
Bellec is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Bruce Bellec.
Watanabe stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Bellec.
Watanabe steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Bellec. That one must have hurt.
Bellec throws a body kick that misses.
Bellec scores with a nice body kick.
Watanabe lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bellec throws a quick inside leg kick.
Bellec feints and then cracks Watanabe's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Watanabe down.
Watanabe takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Watanabe lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Bellec throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick misses from Bellec.
Bellec throws a low kick but Watanabe avoids it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Watanabe's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Watanabe duly obliges.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bellec connects with a solid leg kick.
Watanabe checks the leg kick.
Bellec goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Bellec throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Bellec fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Watanabe has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bruce Bellec will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

The crowd cheers as Watanabe lands an impressive looking overhand right. Bellec doesn't seem phased though.
Bruce Bellec seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watanabe blocks a low kick nicely.
Bellec wants to land a leg kick but Watanabe is out of range.
Watanabe is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Watanabe takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Bellec throws a head kick but Watanabe moves out of range.
Bellec drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Watanabe moves out of range of the body kick.
Bellec really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Watanabe throws a wild body kick that Bellec sees coming a mile off.
Bellec lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Watanabe blocks a head kick by Bellec.
Bellec takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Watanabe pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Bellec throws a nice inside leg kick.
Bellec throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Watanabe fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Bellec has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Watanabe tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bellec was well out of range. Poor timing from Watanabe.
Bellec throws a sloppy head kick
and Watanabe makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Bruce Bellec is winning the standup battle so far.
Bellec slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bellec throws a nice inside leg kick.
Watanabe takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Bellec misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bellec pivots, looking for a leg kick but Watanabe is out of range and Bellec settles back down.
Bellec defending well as Watanabe loads up on a big left hand.
Bellec lands with a nice body kick.
Bellec feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Watanabe's calf.
Bellec connects with an inside leg kick.
Watanabe jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bellec lands a head kick. Watanabe smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Bellec lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Watanabe swings for the body but Bellec moves out of range.
Watanabe avoids the head kick by Bellec.
Bellec has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Watanabe.
Bellec throws a nice outside leg kick.
Bellec is looking to slow Watanabe down with leg kicks.
Bellec throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Watanabe counters with a straight right hand.
Bellec walks into a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watanabe scores with the left hand. Bellec knows he should have avoided that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bellec blocks a jab.
Watanabe attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Bellec scores with a kick to the midsection.
Bellec turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Bellec thuds his shin into the meat of Watanabe's side.
Watanabe has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Bellec.
Bellec looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A low kick from Bellec is predictable there
and Watanabe counters with a good low kick that Bellec was not able to check.
Bellec buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Nice straight punches there by Watanabe. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Watanabe.
Bellec misses with a head kick.
Watanabe's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Bellec avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Watanabe wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Watanabe misses with a straight right.
Bellec throws a lazy head kick
and Bellec takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A head kick misses from Bellec.
Bellec will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Bellec defending well as Watanabe loads up on a big left hand.
Watanabe throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Watanabe darts in and clinches Bellec up against the cage.
Bellec takes a knee right on the jaw!
Watanabe is stalling here.
Watanabe misses with the head strike.
Bellec wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A bit of stalling here from Bellec.
Bellec takes a knee right on the jaw!
Watanabe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bellec avoids it.
Bellec slows down the pace here.
Watanabe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bellec avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe misses with a short punch on the inside.
Bellec has Watanabe pushed against the cage.
Watanabe lands a knee to the head.

Bellec is rocked!
Watanabe tries to stall but Bellec uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Bellec dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Bellec seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watanabe managing to block the knees to the body from Bellec.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kenji Watanabe will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Watanabe on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Bellec. Bellec obviously looking to wear him down.
Bellec throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Watanabe checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Bellec feints and then cracks Watanabe's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Watanabe down.
Watanabe fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Watanabe lands with a shot to the body.
Bellec keeps the fight on the outside.
Bellec blocks a jab.
Bellec throws a head kick but Watanabe moves out of range.
Watanabe thows a body shot but no joy.
Watanabe throws a low kick but Bellec moves out of range easily.
Nice jab there from Watanabe.
Bellec throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Watanabe's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Watanabe duly obliges.
Oh Bellec is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Watanabe misses with a low kick.
Watanabe lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bellec throws a head kick that Watanabe semi-blocks.
Watanabe throws a series of strikes that have Bellec backpedaling.
A head kick misses from Bellec.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bellec throws a leg kick
and Watanabe counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A good leg kick by Bellec.
Watanabe throws a looping overhand right but Bellec ducks down to avoid it.
Bellec misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bellec is looking to score with low kicks.
Bellec scores with a kick to the midsection.
Nice body kick there by Bellec.
Bellec fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Bellec.
Watanabe throws a chopping leg kick but Bellec manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Bellec throws a chopping leg kick but Watanabe manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
That kick from Bellec tenderised Watanabe's leg. Watanabe is trying to keep his angry face on.
Watanabe lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Bellec throws a head kick that misses
and Watanabe counters with a good low kick that Bellec was not able to check.
Watanabe throws a big shot that misses.
Bellec ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bellec seems to have got his legs back now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot by Watanabe.
Watanabe moves out of range of the body kick.
Watanabe tries a head kick but it misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watanabe tries to land a leg kick but Bellec saw it coming and moves away.
Watanabe throws a body kick that misses.
Some bone on bone action there as Watanabe checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Bellec defending well as Watanabe loads up on a big left hand.
Bellec moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Watanabe checks a leg kick.
Watanabe misses with a low kick.
Bellec tries a head kick but it misses.
Watanabe lands a lovely overhand right.
Bellec throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Watanabe.
Bellec tries to land a front kick but Watanabe steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Bellec dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Watanabe. That did some damage!
Watanabe misses with a straight right.
Watanabe checks a leg kick.
Bellec throws a front kick that sends Watanabe stumbling back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bellec uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Watanabe.
Watanabe looks to land a left hand but Bellec moved out of range nicely.
Bellec misses with a head kick.
Bellec throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bellec keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Watanabe throws a leg kick but Bellec checks it.
Watanabe clobbers Bellec with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Bellec moves out of range of the leg kick from Watanabe.
Bellec keeps Watanabe at a distance using the push kick.
Watanabe tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Watanabe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Watanabe throws a sloppy head kick and Bellec moves out of range easily.
Bellec connects with a leg kick. Watanabe looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Bellec lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bellec lands a nice looking body kick.
Bellec lands a head kick. Watanabe smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A lazy body kick from Bellec
and Watanabe connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Watanabe scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Bellec gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Bellec.
Watanabe scores with a jab. Bellec acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A solid leg kick lands there for Bellec.
Watanabe swings for the body but Bellec moves out of range.
Bellec on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Watanabe wants to land a leg kick but Bellec is out of range.
Bellec looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Bellec avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A good leg kick by Bellec.
Bellec finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Watanabe on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Bellec lands with a nice body kick.
Watanabe with a hook.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bellec throws a nice head kick!
Bellec tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Watanabe throws a leg kick but Bellec moved away.
Bellec scores with a head kick. Watanabe tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kenji 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!