Women’s Flyweight
Ilara Joanne (9-4) vs. Kana Watanabe (8-0-1)Joanne ruined Bec Rawlings’ long-awaited Bellator debut in October, as she submitted the “Rowdy” Australian with a second-round kneebar. However, she has been inconsistent from fight to fight. When the Fight Ready export is on her game, she takes the form of a physically imposing bully with a high ceiling. Other times, she has the look of a sloppy striker who lacks technique. A star pupil of Patricio Freire and Patricky Freire, the 25-year-old has time and room to grow. Joanne throws caution to the wind by aggressively attacking her opponent with a series of combinations and inviting a brawl. This strategy has left her open to counterpunches in previous appearances. The Brazilian has shown some snap on her kicks to the body and legs. Joanne is an excellent grappler who likes to rush into the clinch, at which point she can take down opponents from the body lock position. Once on top, she unleashes ferocious ground-and-pound and has a knack for moving to the back and setting up submissions. Joanne often makes the mistake of getting stuck in bottom position and hunting a submission instead of trying to work back to her feet.
There is not much film available on Watanabe. Despite the lack of exposure in the United States, she still enters the Bellator cage as a highly touted prospect. Over her short career, she has stopped five opponents, including four in the opening round. It should be pointed out that her success has come at the expense of some low-level opposition, and the 31-year-old has a long way to go in the striking department. She tends to stand stiff, with her chin sitting high in the air. She throws slow strikes that lack power, though she does have an 11-second knockout on her resume. Watanabe also fights at a glacial pace on the feet. The judo black belt wants to get to the clinch to do her work. In close quarters, she possesses high-level trips and throws, with the uchi mata serving as her go-to maneuver. Once the fight hits the canvas, the Japanese fighter tends to get wild. While she dispatches heavy ground-and-pound and has shown an ability to advance to the back, she can be too eager to jump on a submission attempt, leaving her out of position if she fails to secure it. Watanabe has three submission wins to her credit thus far.
This matchup is a true wildcard due to the questions that remain about Watanabe. She has some serious skills on the canvas, but so does her Brazilian counterpart. Watch for Joanne to deny some takedown attempts and eventually pick apart Watanabe from range for a unanimous decision.
Continue Reading » Yamauchi vs. Cruickshank