PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Victor Caldwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Genji Watanabe (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.

Caldwell
vs
Watanabe

189 cm
20
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Victor Caldwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Genji Watanabe!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Ren Mimura and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Watanabe feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Watanabe wants to control from the top but Caldwell keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Watanabe sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Caldwell throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Caldwell keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.

Caldwell looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Watanabe passes into half guard.

Watanabe looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watanabe is looking to take a break and control but Caldwell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Caldwell haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Caldwell is holding on to half guard well.
Caldwell 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 stands up and beckons Caldwell to join him on the feet.

Watanabe scores with a takedown into Caldwell's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caldwell preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Caldwell keeping moving, preventing Watanabe from controlling successfully.
Caldwell is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Caldwell throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Watanabe is looking to work some ground and pound but Caldwell has wrist control.
Caldwell is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Watanabe is controlling him.
Watanabe wants to control from the top but Caldwell keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Watanabe is looking to take a break and control but Caldwell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Caldwell knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Watanabe on the ground.

Watanabe decides to stand back up. Watanabe steps back and let's Caldwell get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Caldwell drives through and clinches with Watanabe against the cage.
Caldwell working Watanabe over with knees to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Caldwell.

Caldwell escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Watanabe fails in his attempt to clinch.

Watanabe fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Caldwell sprawls well initially but Watanabe persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Caldwell manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Watanabe closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Watanabe works his way into full mount!
Caldwell is breathing heavily.
Watanabe trying to control but Caldwell is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Genji Watanabe dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Caldwell clinches up against the cage.
Caldwell has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Watanabe after a bit of a struggle.
Watanabe is pressed up against the cage. Caldwell has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Watanabe down to the mat. Watanabe avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Watanabe throws a body shot but no joy.
Caldwell is looking to counter punch.

Watanabe shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Watanabe was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watanabe trying to control the action but Caldwell is working from the bottom.
Watanabe fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Genji Watanabe has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watanabe is looking to take a break and control but Caldwell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The strikes coming from Watanabe are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Watanabe in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Watanabe wants to lay and pray for a moment but Caldwell keeps working.
Watanabe has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Caldwell!
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 throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Caldwell because Watanabe loaded up on that one.
Caldwell wants to control but Watanabe is having none of it.
Watanabe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Caldwell is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Watanabe is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watanabe scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Watanabe wants to finish this one by submission but Caldwell is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Watanabe.
Watanabe fails to take his opponent's back.
Watanabe throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Watanabe is working close to his opponent, looking to work a submission by the looks of things. Oh, he's managed to get a guillotine from mount as his opponent reached up! That looks tiiiiight! Will he tap? YES, he's tapped! Impressive submission by Watanabe!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Genji Watanabe!