PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mark Makkea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dion Watts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dion Watts will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Makkea
vs
Watts

160 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

172 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mark Makkea!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dion Watts!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, David Schapiro and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watts fails with a takedown attempt.
Watts looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Makkea fails with a takedown attempt.
Watts steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Makkea. That one must have hurt.
Watts on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Makkea shoots in for a double leg but Watts sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mark Makkea seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Makkea scores with a spinning back kick!
Watts takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Makkea closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Watts to the mat! Watts manages to get full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makkea wants to pass the guard but Watts is keeping the position.
Makkea slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Watts has a closed guard, preventing Makkea from standing up.
Makkea is in close to Watts's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Makkea postures up.
Makkea stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Watts swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Makkea throwing strikes but missing.
Makkea has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Watts is proving hard to escape from.
Makkea missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Makkea might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makkea trying to stand up but can't free himself from Watts's guard.
Watts can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Makkea controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watts keeping moving, preventing Makkea from controlling successfully.
Makkea is looking to stand up but Watts won't let him.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Mark Makkea just wasn't active enough.
Makkea shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Watts pinned against the cage. Watts gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Makkea. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Watts slaps away a takedown attempt from Makkea, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makkea shoots in for a takedown but Watts shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A combination from Makkea does no damage.
Watts misses with a takedown
and Makkea counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Watts is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Makkea with a lazy takedown attempt

and Watts counters with a shoot takedown. Makkea fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watts wanted to stand there but Makkea had control of the position.
Makkea wants to stand but Watts is controlling the position.
Makkea working a defensive guard here.

Watts decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Makkea, up you get!
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.
Watts keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Makkea works Watts's body with a nice hook.
Watts shoots for a double leg takedown but Makkea sprawls well. He's pushed Watts's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Makkea has Watts up against the cage in a clinch.
Makkea is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Watts pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Watts is breathing heavily.
Makkea tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Makkea can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makkea is trying to break the clinch but Watts is controlling him.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Makkea is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Watts is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Makkea. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Makkea tries to stall but Watts uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Makkea looking for a takedown.
Makkea is trying to break the clinch but Watts has him pressed against the cage.
Makkea stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makkea tries for a takedown. No joy.

Watts breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Makkea throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Makkea throws a right hand that Watts ducks under and follows up with a left that Watts also avoids with ease.
Makkea throws a leg kick but Watts moved away.

Makkea gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Makkea fails to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makkea tries to stall but Watts uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Makkea is trying to force a seperation but Watts has the dominant position.
Watts is pressed up against the cage. Makkea has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Watts down to the mat. Watts avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Makkea goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Makkea swinging wildly here.
Makkea shoots in for a takedown but Watts shows good takedown defense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watts throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Makkea's waist but Makkea gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Watts off to one side.

Watts manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Makkea on his heels. He'll look to pass Makkea's guard now, I'm sure.
Watts is looking to stand up but Makkea won't let him.

Makkea is looking for a triangle here but Watts uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Watts has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mark Makkea will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Makkea fails with a takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Makkea.
Makkea throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Watts's waist but Watts gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Makkea off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mark Makkea. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Makkea forces Watts back against the cage and clinches.
Makkea wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Makkea manages to break the clinch.
Makkea thows a left - swing and a miss!

Makkea moves into the clinch successfully.

Watts breaks the clinch.
Makkea shoots in for a takedown but Watts shows good takedown defense.

Makkea pushes Watts up against the cage in a clinch.

Watts breaks the clinch.
Dion Watts has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makkea throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Makkea moves into the clinch successfully.
Makkea changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Watts fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Watts takes a kick to the side of the head.
Watts tries for a takedown but Makkea circles away easily
and Makkea counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makkea cracks a nice hook into Watts's ribs.
Makkea tries for a takedown but Watts sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Makkea clinches up with Watts and pushes him back against the cage.

Watts breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Makkea moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Mark Makkea is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makkea gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Watts counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Watts wants to stand and escape but instead Makkea has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
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!
Makkea being controlled here momentarily.
Watts really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Makkea. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Watts has a closed guard, preventing Makkea from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dion Watts.
I think Makkea has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:28
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mark Makkea!