PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tom Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Efrain Escudero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Watson
vs
Escudero

174 cm
20
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
169 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tom Watson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Efrain Escudero!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Viktor Lagutenko and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Escudero paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Watson has Escudero up against the cage in a clinch.
Escudero tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Escudero jumps guard and drags Watson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Watson won't allow Escudero to get back to his feet.
Watson is looking to work some ground and pound but Escudero has wrist control.
Watson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watson trying to stand up but can't free himself from Escudero's guard.
Escudero manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Watson manages to get himself to full guard.
Watson trying to keep a closed guard but Escudero is proving a slippery customer.
Watson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Escudero trying to stand up but can't free himself from Watson's guard.

Watson manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson closes the distance and clinches up with Escudero, looking for a takedown. Watson pushes Escudero against the cage but Escudero circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Watson throws a head kick but Escudero moves out of range.

Watson has taken the fight to the clinch.

Watson wants the takedown. Escudero is fighting it off but Watson persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Escudero's guard against the cage.
Watson prevents Escudero from getting back to his feet.
Escudero looking to control but Watson passes into half guard.
Watson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Watson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
A telegraphed right hand from Watson misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Watson is breathing heavily.

Watson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Escudero manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Escudero wants to stand but Watson is controlling the position.

Escudero is looking for a triangle but Watson pushes his legs off easily.

Escudero is working an open guard so Watson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Escudero closes the distance but Watson moves to the side

and Watson counters with a single leg into guard. Escudero didn't expect that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Escudero is looking to stand up but Watson isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Watson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Watson looking to pass the guard.

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.
Watson wants to control from the top but Escudero keeps moving.

Escudero escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Watson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Escudero is wriggling around but Watson manages to pass to half guard.
Escudero is trying to maintain the position but Watson is very close to passing his half guard.
Escudero is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Watson is staying active.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Watson dominated that round.
That's time! Watson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Watson wants to clinch up but Escudero keeps it at a distance.

Escudero gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Escudero working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Watson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Watson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Watson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Watson passes Escudero's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Watson prevents Escudero from standing back up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Watson is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Escudero has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson moves nicely into side control.
Watson tries to move to mount but Escudero blocks the move with his legs.
Escudero is pushing Watson's head away, looking to escape. Watson manages to hold on to the position though.
Watson remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Escudero can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Watson tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Escudero sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Watson thows a huge punch but Escudero dodges it nicely.
Escudero wants to control but Watson is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Escudero won't allow Watson to pass to mount.
Watson is working hard here to advance position.
Watson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Watson takes one on the button.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Escudero wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Watson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Escudero is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Watson wants a takedown.

Escudero pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Watson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Escudero makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Watson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Escudero with a poor takedown

and Watson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Escudero!
Escudero is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escudero really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Tom Watson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Watson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Watson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Escudero is looking to escape.
Watson unloading with bombs!
Watson controlling from the full mount.
Escudero is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Watson dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Escudero misses with a takedown

and Watson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Watson trying to control but Escudero is working from the bottom.
Watson is standing up over Escudero. Escudero looks to escape but Watson dives into side control.
Escudero can't do much from the bottom here.
Watson staying calm.
Escudero wants to get back to his feet but Watson drags him back down.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson scoring with punches from side control.

Watson stands up.

Watson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Escudero is trying to defend but Watson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Watson stands up out of the half guard.
Watson throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escudero with a poor takedown

and Watson counters with a takedown into side control.
Watson slows the pace down.
Watson working away.
Watson wants to control but Escudero is keeping him busy.

Watson decides to take the fight back to the feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Watson 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson won't allow Escudero to get back to his feet.
Watson wants to pass the guard but Escudero is keeping the position.
Watson stops Escudero from standing up.

Escudero looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Watson has picked Escudero up and slammed him! Escudero can't keep hold of the triangle and Watson manages to pass to side control!
Escudero is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Escudero is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Escudero's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Escudero might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Watson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Escudero tries to close the distance and clinch up but Watson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Escudero fails with the takedown

and Watson moves into the clinch.
Tom Watson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Efrain Escudero.
Watson tries to score a body lock takedown but Escudero shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Escudero jumps into guard, dragging Watson to the mat.
Watson thows a big elbow that misses.
Escudero has momentary wrist control but Watson slips an elbow through the middle.
Escudero keeping full guard, as Watson tries to pass.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Escudero looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Watson passes into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Watson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Watson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Watson!