PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vasily Avsketij (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shun Watanabe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vasily Avsketij has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Avsketij
vs
Watanabe

185 cm
25
175 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

174 cm
25
172 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250
Urban Fighter

ON TAP 160Q Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Vasily Avsketij!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shun Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Richard Clark and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Avsketij ducks under a wild hook from Watanabe.
A little feinted left hand from Avsketij on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Watanabe uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Avsketij.
Watanabe ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Watanabe shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Watanabe feints and as Avsketij raises his hands in defense, Watanabe changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Watanabe is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Watanabe throws a big elbow that misses.
Avsketij is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Watanabe is controlling him.
Watanabe is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Avsketij avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Avsketij is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Watanabe is pushing Avsketij up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Avsketij misses with a punch on the inside.
Avsketij misses with a hook from the clinch.
Watanabe tries to work over Avsketij's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Avsketij swings wildly with an uppercut but Watanabe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Watanabe is trying to break the clinch but Avsketij is controlling him.
Watanabe blocks an uppercut.
Watanabe drops down looking for an ankle pick but Avsketij pulls his leg out and moves away.

Avsketij moves into range and clinches up with Watanabe.
Avsketij fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A right hook to the body lands for Avsketij.
Watanabe is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Watanabe tries to work over Avsketij's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Watanabe breaks the clinch.
Watanabe ducks under a wild hook from Avsketij.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe misses with a two punch combination.
Watanabe misses the body punch
and Avsketij counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Avsketij keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Vasily Avsketij has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shun Watanabe.
Watanabe scores with a shot to the body.
Watanabe throws a looping overhand right but Avsketij ducks down to avoid it.
Watanabe throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Watanabe waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Avsketij.
Watanabe swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Vasily Avsketij is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Avsketij has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Avsketij gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Avsketij misses with a hook
and Watanabe counters with a one-two to the body.

Watanabe throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Avsketij was covering up waiting for the punch and Watanabe finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Avsketij keeping full guard, as Watanabe tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe wants to control from the top but Avsketij keeps moving.
Avsketij is looking to stand up but Watanabe isn't so interested in that idea.
Watanabe throwing strikes from guard but Avsketij blocks nicely.
Avsketij is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Watanabe is controlling him.
Avsketij avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Avsketij is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Watanabe is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Watanabe shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Avsketij as he avoids it easily.
Avsketij tries to clinch but Watanabe moves out of range.
Watanabe feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Avsketijs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Watanabe misses with a jab, cross combination.
Watanabe throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Watanabe shoots in looking for a takedown but Avsketij manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Watanabe's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Avsketij feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Watanabes jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Avsketij lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Shun Watanabe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Avsketij rushes Watanabe and presses him up against the cage.
Watanabe looking to slow down the pace here.
Watanabe lands a body punch.
Avsketij struggles to land a body shot inside as Watanabe controls his hands.
Watanabe has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Avsketij seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Watanabe can turn it around.
Avsketij stops a takedown attempt from Watanabe.
Avsketij tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Avsketij tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Watanabe manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Shun Watanabe will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A punch combination from Watanabe misses.
Avsketij misses with a looping left.
Avsketij blocks a jab.
Avsketij was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Watanabe fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Nice sprawl there from Avsketij as Watanabe shoots in.
Watanabe looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Watanabe misses the shot to the body.
Watanabe misses with a left hand
and Avsketij counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Avsketij lands a lovely overhand right.
A slow jab from Watanabe misses its intended target.
Watanabe dodges the punch combination from Avsketij.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watanabe throws a big shot that misses.

Avsketij clinches.
A short left from Watanabe.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Watanabe works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Avsketij wants to stand but Watanabe is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe wants to control from the top but Avsketij keeps moving.
Watanabe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Avsketij is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Avsketij keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.
Watanabe is working Avsketij over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Avsketij will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Avsketij is looking to stand up but Watanabe isn't so interested in that idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Avsketij knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Watanabe on the ground.
Watanabe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Avsketij keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

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

Avsketij avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Avsketij sitting in guard here, content to control.
Avsketij tries to free his leg and advance position but Watanabe is retaining full guard.
Avsketij wants to control from the top but Watanabe keeps moving.
Watanabe wants to hit a switch here but Avsketij passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Watanabe there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe tries to reverse the position but Avsketij maintains control.
Avsketij sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Avsketij blocks Watanabe's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Avsketij takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Watanabe tries to lock up and control but Avsketij gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Watanabe really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Watanabe is still trying to improve position.
Avsketij tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Avsketij wants to control the pace but Watanabe is squirming around nicely.
Watanabe is looking to improve his position but Avsketij isn't that keen on the idea.
Avsketij controlling his opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Watanabe tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Vasily Avsketij will probably get the nod.
That's time! Avsketij's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Good shot there by Avsketij.
Watanabe misses with a lunging right hand
and Avsketij connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Avsketij closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Watanabe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Watanabe keeps the fight on the outside.
Watanabe throws a series of punches but Avsketij avoids them all with ease.
Watanabe throws a hook but Avsketij avoids it easily.
Avsketij lands a jab.
Avsketij is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Watanabe scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Avsketij wants to stand back up but Watanabe manages to pass into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Watanabe throws an elbow but Avsketij slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe prevents Avsketij from escaping the position.
An elbow from Watanabe crashes against the mat.
Watanabe prevents Avsketij from escaping the position.
Avsketij is looking to get back to his feet here but Watanabe is keeping cool and he's managed to take Avsketij's back.

Watanabe is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Avsketij has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Watanabe struggling to land strikes to the head as Avsketij covers up.
Watanabe missing with strikes.
Avsketij is trying to stand back up.

Watanabe is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Avsketij defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Well, with Watanabe on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Avsketij is tapping out... Can he escape the position?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Watanabe throwing sloppy strikes.

Avsketij won't enjoy being in this position. Watanabe looking for the choke. Oh... he's slipped the arm under the neck - Avsketij is tapping - it's over boys! Watanabe picks up the submission victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Shun Watanabe!
A relieved looking Shun Watanabe thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Vasily Avsketij was interviewed post fight and said 'Whuut!?!! In training it was going better. Shit '.