PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tyrone Watts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Rash Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Watts might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Xxplosive. Rash Jr is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by E.T. -Katy Perry ft. Kanye West. Matt Rash Jr has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Watts
vs
Rash Jr

180 cm
23
200 lbs
13 - 3 - 0

180 cm
23
200 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Prestige Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tyrone Watts!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matt Rash Jr!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rash Jr fails with the takedown
enabling Watts to counter with a crisp jab.
Rash Jr doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Watts counters by clinching up.
Watts lands with a short shot to the head.
Watts lands a shot to the body.
Rash Jr drops down looking for an ankle pick but Watts pulls his leg out and moves away.
Tyrone Watts has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Rash Jr.

Rash Jr dives in and scores a takedown into Watts's guard.
Watts 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.
Rash Jr throws and elbow that misses. Watts uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rash Jr's guard. Nice move by Watts!
Watts throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rash Jr works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Watts with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rash Jr has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Watts is looking to work some ground and pound but Rash Jr has wrist control.
Watts is fighting to break Rash Jr's control of his arms but Rash Jr is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Rash Jr manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Watts manages to get himself to full guard.
Rash Jr missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rash Jr trying to control but Watts is working from the bottom.
Rash Jr throwing strikes from guard but Watts blocks nicely.
Rash Jr trying to control but Watts is working from the bottom.
Rash Jr with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Rash Jr trying to control but Watts is working from the bottom.
Rash Jr throws and elbow that misses. Watts uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rash Jr's guard. Nice move by Watts!
Rash Jr not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rash Jr utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Watts scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rash Jr utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rash Jr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Watts postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Watts trying to control but Rash Jr is working from the bottom.
Watts working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Watts trying to control the position from guard on top but Rash Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watts postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Watts's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Watts trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rash Jr is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Watts preventing the sweep.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Watts accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rash Jr is trying to control the position but Watts postures up.
Watts won't allow Rash Jr to sweep him here.
Rash Jr is trying to control the position but Watts postures up.
Watts stopping the sweep attempt from Rash Jr.
Watts thows a big elbow that misses.

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.
Watts missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rash Jr controls Watts momentarily but Watts frees himself.
Watts postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rash Jr has Watts pulled in close to control his posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Matt Rash Jr was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Watts smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Watts's jab looks to have found its range, popping Rash Jr under the eye.
Watts cracks Rash Jr with a good jab.
Rash Jr misses with a lunging right hand
and Watts connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Watts closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rash Jr is trying to get back to half guard.
Watts scores with a couple of short elbows.
Rash Jr struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyrone Watts dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rash Jr gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rash Jr is trying to keep Watts in close.
Watts scoring with some ground and pound.
Rash Jr manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rash Jr landing shots from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rash Jr thowing shots but they're missing.
Watts is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rash Jr scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Watts?
Watts gets back to half guard.
Watts is not content to let Rash Jr control the position.
Rash Jr controlling the action here.
Watts keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Watts blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rash Jr.
Rash Jr throwing shots but Watts is blocking nicely.
Rash Jr thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Watts's head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Watts pushes Rash Jr off and gets back to his feet.
Watts leaves Rash Jr with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Rash Jr with a lazy takedown attempt
and Watts counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Watts clinches with his opponent.
Watts is looking to control Rash Jr's arms but Rash Jr gets an underhook and turns him. Now Watts has his back to the cage.
Rash Jr wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rash Jr is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Watts pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tyrone Watts has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Rash Jr.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Watts.
Watts stops a takedown attempt from Rash Jr.
Watts slows down the pace here.
Watts gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rash Jr.
Watts lands with a left to the head.
Watts scores with a shoulder strike.
Watts prevents the takedown attempt.
Watts lands an uppercut.
Watts lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Watts taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watts lands with a short shot to the head.
Watts is trying to stall.
Watts effectively controlling the action here.
Watts lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Watts gets through Rash Jr's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Watts stops a takedown attempt from Rash Jr.
A short body shot lands from Watts as the two fighters clinch.
A short right from Watts.
Watts is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Watts lands a nice uppercut.
Watts lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Watts is struggling to control the position.
Watts stops a takedown attempt from Rash Jr.
Watts effectively controlling the action here.
Watts lands a hook that snaps the head of Rash Jr backwards.
Rash Jr changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Watts fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Watts clobbers Rash Jr with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Watts fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rash Jr sprawls well initially but Watts persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Watts missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rash Jr taking some punishment here, with Watts in his half guard.
Watts thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rash Jr's head.
Rash Jr is trying to maintain the position but Watts is very close to passing his half guard.
Nice strikes from Watts there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rash Jr manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rash Jr wants to control but Watts passes easily into half guard.
Watts is looking to take a break and control but Rash Jr is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyrone Watts dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Watts keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Rash Jr gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Watts counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rash Jr not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rash Jr wants to sweep but no luck.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Watts accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rash Jr not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rash Jr looking to hit a scissor sweep but Watts is one step ahead there.
Rash Jr trying to control the position.
Rash Jr takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Watts wants to pass the guard but Rash Jr is keeping the position.
Tyrone Watts overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Watts passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Watts in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Watts working away.
Rash Jr takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Watts tries to score with some ground and pound. Rash Jr controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Rash Jr is looking to reverse the position.
Watts landing strikes.
Rash Jr takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Watts scores with punches from side control.
Watts wants to control but Rash Jr is keeping him busy.
Rash Jr is looking to regain half guard here but Watts keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Rash Jr is looking to reverse the position.
Rash Jr is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Watts's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Rash Jr wants to get back to full guard.
Watts scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Watts prevents Rash Jr from improving his position.
Watts throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rash Jr blocking the ground and pound attempt from Watts.
Watts looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rash Jr with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Watts sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rash Jr defending well though.
Watts scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rash Jr is trying to maintain the position but Watts is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watts perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Rash Jr gets back to full guard.
Rash Jr looking for a sweep. Not yet Rash Jr, not yet.
Watts postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rash Jr is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rash Jr misses with a head shot. Watts uses the momentum to regain guard.
Rash Jr postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rash Jr working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jris looking to pass into half guard but Watts pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Watts is in guard.
Watts preventing the sweep.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Watts accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rash Jr not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Watts connects with a couple of short punches.
Watts landing some decent shots from guard.
Watts is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rash Jr pulls Watts in close to prevent any damage.
Rash Jr is trying to control the position but Watts postures up.
Rash Jr might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Watts kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyrone Watts clearly takes that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rash Jr misses with an uppercut

and Watts decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rash Jr's guard.
Watts is working Rash Jr over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Rash Jr is trying to control the position but Watts postures up.
Watts is looking to work some ground and pound but Rash Jr has wrist control.
Watts trying to control the position from guard on top but Rash Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rash Jr looking to control.
Watts in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rash Jr looking to hit a scissor sweep but Watts is one step ahead there.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Rash Jr is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Watts trying to control the position from guard on top but Rash Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watts stands up over Rash Jr, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rash Jr keeping full guard, as Watts tries to pass.
Watts working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rash Jr's head.
Rash Jr is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Watts stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rash Jr swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Watts trying to control the position from guard on top but Rash Jr is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watts with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Rash Jr holds on and takes a little breather.
Rash Jr wants to sweep here but Watts controlling him for the moment.
Watts lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two 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.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rash Jr is on top in guard.
Rash Jr thows a big elbow that misses.
Watts working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rash Jr.
Rash Jr controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rash Jr's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rash Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Watts is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watts seems keen to control Rash Jr's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rash Jr loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Watts utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rash Jr throwing strikes from guard but Watts blocks nicely.
Rash Jr chips away with some ground and pound.
Rash Jr looking to sit in guard and control but Watts gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Watts postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rash Jr seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Watts's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Watts won't allow Rash Jr to sweep him here.
Watts works over Rash Jr with some ground and pound from guard.
Watts being controlled here momentarily.
Watts wants to control from the top but Rash Jr keeps moving.
Rash Jr manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Watts manages to get himself to full guard.
Watts avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rash Jr stands up over Watts, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyrone Watts had his way with Matt Rash Jr in that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Rash Jr closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Watts has one foot on Rash Jr's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Rash Jr fails with the takedown

and Watts counters with a shoot takedown. Rash Jr fights it but they end up in guard.
Rash Jr keeping moving, preventing Watts from controlling successfully.
Watts landing some decent shots from guard.
Watts throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rash Jr works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rash Jr is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Watts avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rash Jr.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rash Jr lands a nice short elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rash Jr thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Watts to regain full guard.
Watts keeping moving, preventing Rash Jr from controlling successfully.
Rash Jr missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rash Jr throwing strikes but missing.
Rash Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Watts is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rash Jr throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two 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.
Rash Jr stands up over Watts, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rash Jr with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rash Jr wants to pass the guard but Watts is keeping the position.
Watts is adopting a defensive guard.
Watts preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Watts tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Watts trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr with a flurry of punches that miss.
Watts keeping moving, preventing Rash Jr from controlling successfully.
Rash Jr missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rash Jr forces his way into half guard.
Rash Jr is trying to control. Watts wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rash Jr looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Watts with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rash Jr works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rash Jr postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Rash Jr working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Rash Jr landing strikes.
Rash Jr misses with the ground and pound.
An elbow from Rash Jr crashes against the mat.
Rash Jr misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Rash Jr tries to score with some ground and pound. Watts controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Rash Jr creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Watts sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Matt Rash Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Watts is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Rash Jr comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Watts has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Andi Peters scores the fight 49:46
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 49:46
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tyrone Watts!
Tyrone Watts retains his middleweight title!