PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jon Holmes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kengo Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Holmes comes to the cage accompanied by SBB - Memento z banalnym tryptykiem. Kengo Watanabe has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Holmes
vs
Watanabe

190 cm
28
198 lbs
8 - 14 - 0

182 cm
32
200 lbs
12 - 17 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jon Holmes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kengo Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shirou Masuda and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watanabe fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Holmes looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Holmes swats away the attempt to clinch by Watanabe.
Holmes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Watanabe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Holmes has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Holmes there as he acknowledges the shot.
Holmes tries to clinch up

and Watanabe counters with a single leg into guard. Holmes didn't expect that.
Holmes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Watanabe connects with a couple of short punches.
Watanabe is looking to work some ground and pound but Holmes has wrist control.
Watanabe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Watanabe controls from within his opponent's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Holmes is trying to control the position but Watanabe postures up.
Holmes pulls Watanabe in close to prevent any damage.
Watanabe scoring with some ground and pound.
Holmes seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watanabe prevents Holmes from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Watanabe throws a big elbow that misses.
Watanabe throwing strikes from guard but Holmes blocks nicely.
Watanabe trying to control the position from guard on top but Holmes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watanabe sitting in guard here, content to control.
Holmes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Watanabe throwing strikes from guard but Holmes blocks nicely.
Watanabe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Holmes pulls Watanabe in close to prevent any damage.
Holmes is trying to keep Watanabe in close.
Watanabe is looking to work some ground and pound but Holmes has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes is trying to keep Watanabe in close.

Jon Holmes has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Watanabe leaves Holmes with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Watanabe fails to land with a series of punches.
Jon Holmes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watanabe looks to land a combination but Holmes avoids it well.
Holmes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Watanabe swivels and escapes.
Holmes fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jon Holmes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Holmes shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Watanabe defends it nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Watanabe displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Holmes.
Holmes is breathing heavily.
A decent looking cross lands there for Watanabe.
Good exchange - Watanabe coming out on top.
Watanabe dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Watanabe scores with a hook to the body. Holmes takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Holmes forces Watanabe back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Watanabe is defending well.
Holmes tries to score a body lock takedown but Watanabe shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Watanabe is trying to drag Holmes to the mat but Holmes just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Holmes wants a takedown.
Holmes taking a breather.
Watanabe has Holmes pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Holmes manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Holmes stops a takedown attempt from Watanabe.
Holmes prevents the takedown attempt.
Watanabe tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Holmes's elbow.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Watanabe as Holmes tries to tie him up.

Watanabe is fighting off a takedown attempt but Holmes is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Watanabe to the mat. Watanabe regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Watanabe not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Holmes is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Watanabe is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Watanabe has escaped and now he's on top!
Watanabe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Watanabe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Holmes pulls Watanabe in close to prevent any damage.
Watanabe postures up in Holmes's guard and throws a big left but Holmes blocks it.
Holmes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Watanabe is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Watanabe working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Watanabe preventing the sweep.
Watanabe with a nice head shot there.
Watanabe stays in close to Holmes's body and controls the position.
Holmes is trying to control the position but Watanabe postures up.
Watanabe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Holmes is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Watanabe is controlling him.
Watanabe is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Holmes has control of Watanabe's left arm, preventing Watanabe from doing any damage.
Holmes keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kengo Watanabe dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Holmes tries to clinch up.
Watanabe throws a right and a left that Holmes avoids nicely.
Holmes fails with a takedown attempt.
Holmes dives in and grabs Watanabe's left leg, looking for a takedown. Watanabe pushes down on Holmes's head and hops out.
Watanabe scores with a sloppy right hand. Holmes should have avoided that one.
Holmes fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jon Holmes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Holmes darts in looking for a takedown but Watanabe gets double underhooks and turns Holmes into the cage.
Holmes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Watanabe pulls his leg out and moves away.
Holmes dodges the punch combination from Watanabe.
Watanabe is looking to clinch.
Holmes looks for a takedown but Watanabe sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Watanabe stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Holmes tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Watanabe defends well and Holmes ends up having to push Watanabe into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Watanabe prevents a takedown attempt there.
Watanabe goes for a takedown in the clinch but Holmes prevents it.

Watanabe works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Holmes is trying to control the position but Watanabe postures up.
Watanabe postures up and lands a big shot to Holmes's brow.
Holmes has momentary wrist control but Watanabe slips an elbow through the middle.
Watanabe scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Holmes working a defensive guard here.
Watanabe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Watanabe makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Watanabe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Holmes looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Watanabe landing with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes looking for a sweep. Not yet Holmes, not yet.
Watanabe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Watanabe is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Holmes is rocked!
Watanabe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Oh Holmes is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Watanabe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Watanabe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Watanabe scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Holmes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Watanabe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Holmes pulls Watanabe in close to his closed guard and prevents Watanabe from doing any damage or advancing position.
Holmes keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.
Watanabe lands a couple of elbows.
Watanabe lands a couple of elbows.
Watanabe scoring with some ground and pound.
Watanabe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Watanabe slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Watanabe's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Holmes 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.
Watanabe lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Watanabe postures up in Holmes's guard and throws a big left but Holmes blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Watanabe accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Watanabe is looking to work some ground and pound but Holmes has wrist control.
Kengo Watanabe has got the better of the ground game so far.
Watanabe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Holmes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Watanabe's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Watanabe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Watanabe preventing the sweep.
Watanabe landing with the ground and pound.
Watanabe has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Watanabe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Watanabe's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Holmes is on top in guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe postures up from his opponent's guard, before exploding into some vicious ground and pound! Holmes covers up, he's hurt! Watanabe keeps throwing the strikes, glancing at the referee... Will he stop it?? One more big shot from Watanabe and the ref steps in to end the fight! Watanabe can't hide his delight as he celebrates with his corner.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kengo Watanabe!
Our winner, Kengo Watanabe, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
The defeated Jon Holmes had this to say: 'You know, shit happens...'.