PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lucas Matos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andy Watcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matos comes to the cage accompanied by Linkin Park - New Divide. 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.

Matos
vs
Watcher

186 cm
22
185 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

195 cm
21
200 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

RMC - $ 11 Shorts!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lucas Matos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andy Watcher!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Emerson Jorge and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watcher is looking to clinch but Matos is avoiding it.
Watcher misses with a hook. Matos ducked under it nicely.
Matos lands with a shot to the body.
Matos shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Watcher as he avoids it easily.
Nice straight punches there by Watcher. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Watcher.
Matos uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Watcher.
Watcher jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Matos missing with a left hand there. Watcher was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Watcher looks to land a left hand but Matos moved out of range nicely.
Watcher throws an overhand right that lands on Matos's shoulder, as Matos tries to avoid the shot.
Andy Watcher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matos misses with a jab, cross combination.
Watcher throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Watcher tries to clinch up.
Watcher tests Matos's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Watcher connects with a crisp jab.
Watcher lands with a right hand.
Watcher misses with a body shot.
Nice defenses there by Matos.
A punch lands to the side of Matos 's head but he takes it in his stride.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A slow jab from Matos misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matos ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Watcher stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Watcher wants it to stay on the feet.
Matos uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Watcher.
Watcher uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Matos has time to react.
Matos misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Watcher.
Watcher might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Watcher misses with a straight right.
A big left from Watcher misses.
Matos shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lucas Matos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jab, jab by Watcher - just one landing.
Andy Watcher is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Matos keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Watcher.
Watcher cracks Matos with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Matos has a takedown stuffed.
Watcher throws a jab but it's blocked by Matos.
Watcher throws the left hand but Matos avoids the punch easily.
Watcher misses with a straight left.
Watcher throws a looping overhand right but Matos ducks down to avoid it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Matos.
Matos shoots in but Watcher avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matos shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Watcher but Watcher pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Watcher is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Matos had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.

Watcher has Matos up against the cage in a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watcher slows down the pace here.
Watcher tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Matos dodges an elbow strike from Watcher.
Watcher tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Matos is trying to pull guard but Watcher turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Watcher throws an elbow but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watcher misses with a short punch on the inside.
Watcher lands with a short shot to the head.
Watcher doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Watcher scores with a shot to the side of Matos's head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Watcher.
Watcher misses with the head strike.
Matos blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nice body punch from Watcher - that landed with a thud.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Watcher creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Watcher tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Matos blocks an elbow strike.
Matos blocks an elbow strike from Watcher.
Watcher fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Watcher doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watcher misses with some punches.
Matos blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Watcher tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Watcher stops a takedown attempt from Matos.
Watcher lands an elbow just above Matos 's eye.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Watcher.
Watcher is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Watcher gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Watcher looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Watcher.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watcher lands with a right to the head.
Watcher misses with a body punch.
Matos is trying to drag Watcher to the mat but Watcher just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy Watcher dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Matos shoots in for a double leg but Watcher sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Matos takes one to the chin there.
Matos keeps the fight on the outside.
Matos pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Watcher looks to land a right hand but Matos moved out of range.
Nice defenses there by Matos.
Matos fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Watcher throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Matos.
Watcher tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Matos has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Matos there as he acknowledges the shot.
Matos misses with a straight right.
Watcher ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Watcher misses with a lunging right hand

and Matos counters with a nice double leg into side control. Watcher won't be happy with that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Watcher wants to control but Matos postures up.

Matos is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Watcher is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matos wants to control but Watcher is keeping him busy.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Watcher manages to work his way to half guard, despite Matos's best efforts.
Matos is trying to control the action in half guard but Watcher is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Matos thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Matos is looking to take a break and control but Watcher is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Matos 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.

Matos 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.
Watcher wants to improve his position but Matos is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matos seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Watcher does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Watcher wants to improve his position but Matos is controlling well.
Watcher is trying to control but can't.
Watcher tries to get to full guard but Matos has control of the leg.

Watcher is defending against the submission attempts here by Matos.
Matos moves into full mount! Watcher won't be happy about that!
Matos looking to finish with strikes here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watcher is in all sorts of trouble here.
Matos sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Watcher really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Matos. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Watcher wants to control but Matos is having none of it.

Matos is working for a guillotine from mount but Watcher frees his head quite easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watcher wants to control but Matos is having none of it.
Matos 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.
Matos misses with a head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Matos wants to finish this one by submission but Watcher is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Matos.
Watcher is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Watcher tries to reverse the position but Matos maintains control.
Matos scores with a couple of good head shots there.

Matos looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Matos 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.
Watcher keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Matos has hold of Watcher's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Watcher manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watcher working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucas Matos dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Watcher looks to land a right hand but Matos moved out of range.

Matos fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Watcher to the ground. Matos is now in Watcher's guard.
Watcher tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Watcher utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Matos trying to control the position from guard on top but Watcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watcher looking to hit a scissor sweep but Matos is one step ahead there.
Lucas Matos overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Matos pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Watcher is keeping the position for now.
Watcher trying to keep a closed guard but Matos is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matos wants to control from the top but Watcher keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Matos lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Watcher circles away quickly and effectively.
Watcher lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Horrible takedown by Matos or perhaps it was just good defense by Watcher which made him look bad.
Matos looks for a takedown but Watcher sprawls well.
Matos throws a right hand that Watcher ducks under and follows up with a left that Watcher also avoids with ease.

Watcher closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Matos blocks the elbow strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Watcher just misses with a elbow thrown towards Matos's brow.
Watcher swings wildly with an uppercut but Matos uses good head movement to avoid it.
Watcher slows down the pace here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Watcher.
Watcher working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Watcher misses with a punch to the body.
Watcher looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Watcher doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Matos jumps guard but Watcher stands there with Matos around his waist. Matos gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lucas Matos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Matos has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Matos fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Watcher manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Watcher.
Watcher scores with a shoulder strike.
Matos wants a takedown.
Watcher lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Matos backwards.
Watcher lands an elbow that stopped Matos in his tracks for a moment.
Watcher throws a head punch that misses.
Watcher's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Watcher scores with a shoulder strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watcher pushes Matos back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Matos.
Matos blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Watcher lands a left hand that snaps the head of Matos backwards.
Watcher misses with a body punch.
Matos blocks the elbow strike.
Matos tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A shot in the inside from Watcher.
Lucas Matos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watcher lands a shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Watcher lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Watcher.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andy Watcher comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Watcher has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Andy Watcher!
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight for Andy Watcher!
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight for Andy Watcher!

Andy Watcher wins by unanimous decision!