PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Hearns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and tom Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hearns
vs
Watson

171 cm
19
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

205 cm
28
162 lbs
4 - 11 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Zentrope Fighting Universe
Bloodsport Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Thomas Hearns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, tom Watson!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Sam Margolis and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hearns wants to clinch but Watson slips to the side

and Watson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Watson.
Watson takes a knee to the side of the body.
Watson has Hearns pressed against the cage, preventing Hearns from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hearns trying to land knees to the body.
Watson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hearns's elbow.
Watson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hearns.
Hearns is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hearns is trying to break the clinch but Watson has him pressed against the cage.
Hearns is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Watson is defending well for now.
Watson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Watson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hearns is trying to push Watson away but Watson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Hearns's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Hearns clinches up against the cage.
Hearns wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hearns tries to break the clinch but Watson is controlling the position.
Hearns has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hearns is trying to break the clinch but Watson is controlling him.

Watson jumps guard.
Watson wants to sweep but no luck.
Hearns wants to stand and escape but instead Watson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Hearns keeping full guard, as Watson tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Hearns keeping full guard, as Watson tries to pass.

Hearns kicks Watson off and gets to his feet.
A head kick by Hearns misses

and Watson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Watson.
Hearns has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Watson displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hearns up against the cage.
Hearns is trying to push Watson away but Watson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Thomas Hearns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of tom Watson.

Watson pulls Hearns into guard.
Hearns wanted to stand there but Watson had control of the position.

Watson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hearns defends well.

Hearns stands up and waves to Watson to follow him.
Hearns darts in trying to clinch

so Watson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hearns keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Watson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hearns keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.
Watson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hearns is keeping the position for now.
Hearns might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Watson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

tom Watson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
A head kick by Hearns misses

and Watson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hearns keeping full guard, as Watson tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hearns keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.
Watson stops Hearns from standing up.
Watson trying to control the position from guard on top but Hearns is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hearns is keeping the position for now.
Watson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hearns kicks Watson off and gets to his feet.
Hearns stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hearns wants it to stay on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

tom Watson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Watson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Hearns breaks from the clinch.
Hearns looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hearns tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Watson counters with a series of strikes. Hearns will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hearns stuffs the takedown attempt from Watson. Watson gets slowly back to his feet.
Hearns throws a combination that misses

and Watson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hearns is looking to stand up but Watson isn't so interested in that idea.
Watson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Hearns wants to get back to his feet but Watson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson controlling from the top position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Hearns scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Watson closes the distance and clinches.

Watson has hold of one of Hearns's legs. Hearns is fighting the takedown attempt but Watson gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Hearns wants to stand and escape but Watson is having none of it.
Watson wants to control from the top but Hearns keeps moving.
Watson stops Hearns from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hearns manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Hearns tried to score with a low kick but Watson checks it.
Hearns thows a leg kick but Watson checks it

and Watson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Hearns has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hearns has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Watson breaks the clinch.
Hearns tries to clinch but Watson moves away

and Watson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Watson stalling in the clinch.
Watson tries to pull guard but Hearns won't allow it.
Hearns is trying to force a seperation but Watson has the dominant position.
Watson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Thomas Hearns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of tom Watson.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Watson obliges.
Watson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Watson can't get the takedown.
Hearns wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Knees to the body from Hearns.

Hearns escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Watson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hearns circles away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Watson avoids the head kick by Hearns.

Hearns gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Hearns or not.

Hearns breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hearns tries to clinch up.
Hearns throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Thomas Hearns is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Watson shoots in for a takedown but Hearns shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hearns tries to clinch but Watson moves away

and Watson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Watson is trying to push Hearns away but Hearns has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Hearns manages to break the clinch.
Hearns tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Watson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hearns misses with a combination
and Watson counters with a thumping low kick.
A low kick from Hearns misses

and Watson counters by moving into the clinch.
Hearns is trying to force a seperation but Watson has the dominant position.
Hearns wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Watson prevents Hearns from breaking the clinch.
Hearns wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Watson has him pressed against the cage.

Watson breaks the clinch.
Hearns lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Watson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hearns throws a sloppy head kick and Watson moves out of range easily.
Hearns throws a sloppy head kick

and Watson moves into the clinch.
Watson tries for a takedown but Hearns manages to get underhooks.

Hearns breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Watson blocks a head kick by Hearns.
Hearns tries a head kick but it misses.
Watson shoots for a double leg takedown but Hearns sprawls well. He's pushed Watson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A head kick by Hearns misses

and Watson counters by clinching up.

Hearns breaks the clinch.
Hearns leaves Watson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Hearns tries to close the distance and clinch up but Watson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hearns throws a head kick that misses

and Watson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hearns!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hearns is trying to stand.
Watson wants to control the pace but Hearns is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

tom Watson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Hearns tries to clinch up.
Watson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Watson tries to clinch up.
Hearns wants to clinch but Watson slips to the side

and Watson counters with a shoot takedown. Hearns fights it but they end up in guard.
Watson wants to get up but he can't break Hearns's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Hearns wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Watson manages to pass to side control.

Watson is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Hearns sees it coming and defends easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hearns wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Watson seems content to control.
Watson prevents Hearns from standing back up.

Watson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Watson is controlling the pace.
Watson is trying to control the action in half guard but Hearns is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two 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 prevents Hearns from standing back up.
Well, if Watson is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Watson working Hearns over with strikes.
Watson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Hearns won't allow Watson to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Watson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Thomas Hearns has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hearns is trying to stand.
Watson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hearns does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Hearns has one foot on Watson's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Hearns throws a lazy head kick

and Watson counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson scores with a couple of short elbows.
Watson lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Hearns down.
Hearns is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Watson is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Watson working the head with strikes.
Hearns is trying to get back to his feet.
tom Watson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
tom Watson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Watson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30

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