PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Olexandr Khomenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ceejay Watford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khomenko comes to the cage accompanied by "Replica" by Fear Factory. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Khomenko
vs
Watford

188 cm
25
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

184 cm
26
177 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Olexandr Khomenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ceejay Watford!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Peter Branson and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khomenko scores with a punch to the head.
Khomenko looks to land a combination but Watford avoids it well.
Khomenko thuds his right hand into Watford's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Watford shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Khomenko avoids the head kick by Watford.
Khomenko misses with a body shot.
Khomenko throws a series of punches but Watford moves out of range.
Khomenko has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Khomenko misses with a straight right.
Khomenko scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Watford rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Khomenko moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Khomenko takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Khomenko lands a right hook to the body.
Khomenko avoids a punch combination nicely.
Watford scores with a jab. Khomenko acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khomenko looks to score with a jab to the body but Watford is just out of range.
Khomenko scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Khomenko misses with a body shot.
Watford tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Khomenko is able to avoid easily.
Watford misses with a looping right.
Ceejay Watford seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watford stuns Khomenko with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Khomenko takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Watford looks to clinch
and Khomenko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A punch lands to the side of Watford 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Khomenko misses the body punch
and Watford counters with a straight right hand.
Watford fails in his attempt to clinch.
Khomenko throws a big shot that misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Watford looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watford is looking to score with low kicks.
Watford's coach down at Cozad The Island was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Watford's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Watford has Khomenko up against the cage in a clinch.

Watford breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A swing and a miss from Khomenko.
Khomenko misses with a series of wild punches.
Watford wants to clinch
and Khomenko counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Watford thinking.
Khomenko tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Watford was well out of range. Poor timing from Khomenko.
Khomenko slips a jab and a cross from Watford.
Khomenko circles away from the clinch attempt
and Khomenko makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watford misses with a double jab.
Khomenko just misses with a punch to the body.
A combination from Khomenko does no damage.
Khomenko misses with a shot to the body
and Watford counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Watford throws a leg kick but Khomenko checks it.
Watford fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Olexandr Khomenko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Watford tries to clinch there but Khomenko circles away.
Watford loads up on a big right hand but Khomenko slips the punch.
Watford fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Khomenko avoids it really well and circles away.
Khomenko throws a predictable looking body shot
and Watford counters with a one-two to the body.
Watford is looking to clinch but Khomenko is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watford tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Khomenko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Khomenko misses with a body shot.
Khomenko digs a good body shot into Watford's ribs.
Watford moves in looking to clinch but Khomenko pushes him off.
Khomenko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Khomenko misses the shot to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Watford is defended easily by Khomenko.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A looping hook to the body misses from Watford. Khomenko does a little dance to reset his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Watford dodges the punch combination from Khomenko.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ceejay Watford will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Khomenko scores with a hook to the body. Watford takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Khomenko misses the jab.
Watford tries to clinch but Khomenko is having none of it.
Khomenko scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A right-left combo lands from Khomenko.
Khomenko misses with a few strikes there.
Watford throws a head kick but Khomenko moves out of range.
Watford ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Khomenko misses the target.
Watford keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Khomenko throws a right hand that Watford ducks under and follows up with a left that Watford also avoids with ease.
Khomenko throws a poor cross that misses
and Watford counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khomenko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Watford lands with a cross.
Khomenko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Watford avoids the body shot from Khomenko.
Watford throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Watford lands a nice hook to Khomenko's body. Khomenko takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Khomenko throws a left and a right that both miss
and Watford counters with a series of strikes. Khomenko will be more careful next time no doubt.
Watford connects with a body shot.
A head kick misses from Watford.
Khomenko takes a swing at Watford's ribcage but misses.
Watford lands a slapping body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watford throws a head kick but Khomenko moves out of range.

Khomenko gets tackled into the cage by Watford. Watford maintains the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Watford breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Khomenko takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Ceejay Watford is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Khomenko clobbers Watford with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Khomenko swats away the attempt to clinch by Watford.
Watford pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Watford throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Watford misses the shot to the body.
Khomenko with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Watford to score with a decent uppercut.
Khomenko throws a body punch but Watford moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watford avoids the body shot from Khomenko.
Ceejay Watford seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Watford moves out of range as Khomenko strikes.
Watford misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Watford avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Watford throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Khomenko throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Khomenko avoids the head kick by Watford.
Watford tries to close the distance and clinch but Khomenko swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Watford dips to his left and cracks Khomenko with an uppercut!
Khomenko misses with a body punch
and Watford makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Khomenko slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watford wants to clinch.
Khomenko scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Watford tries to clinch up
and Khomenko counters with a series of strikes. Watford will be more careful next time no doubt.
Khomenko scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Watford moves in looking to clinch but Khomenko pushes him off.
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.
Watford throws a series of punches but Khomenko moves out of range.
Khomenko looks to score with a jab to the body but Watford is just out of range.
A slow jab from Khomenko misses its intended target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ceejay Watford will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Khomenko ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Watford moves away.
Watford misses with a low kick.
Khomenko displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Watford misses with a two punch combination.
Watford uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Khomenko.
A right-left combo lands from Khomenko.
Khomenko throws a body punch but Watford moves out of range.
Watford tries for a takedown but Khomenko sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Khomenko thows a body shot but no joy.
Khomenko swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Khomenko misses with a few strikes there.
Khomenko misses with a wild body shot.

Khomenko gets tackled into the cage by Watford. Watford maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khomenko tries to throw a body punch but Watford avoids it by throwing Khomenko back against the cage.
Watford misses with a hook to the ribs.

Khomenko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Watford is looking to score with low kicks.
Khomenko misses the jab.
Watford misses with a body kick.
Khomenko tries to bum rush Watford with a series of wild strikes but Watford uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Khomenko takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Khomenko misses with a right hand
and Watford counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Khomenko keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Khomenko looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watford is looking to clinch but Khomenko is avoiding it.
Khomenko misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Watford.
Watford is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Watford throws a leg kick but Khomenko sees it coming and moves out of range.
Khomenko thows a body shot but no joy.
Watford tries to clinch up but Khomenko circles away and keeps his distance.
Watford slips a jab from Khomenko.
Khomenko swings for the body but Watford moves out of range.
Watford tries to close the distance and clinch up but Khomenko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Khomenko throws a combination. Watford tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Olexandr Khomenko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watford tries to clinch up but Khomenko circles away and keeps his distance.
Watford misses with a low kick.
Khomenko just misses with a punch to the body.
Khomenko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Watford misses with a low kick.
Watford is looking to clinch.
Watford misses with a head kick.
Watford tries to clinch but Khomenko is having none of it.
Watford throws a head kick but Khomenko moves out of range.
Watford is looking to chop away at Khomenko's legs.
Watford misses with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watford uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Khomenko.
Watford shoots in and drives through. Khomenko sprawls well.
Watford wants to clinch but Khomenko slips to the side
and Khomenko counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Watford thinking.
Ceejay Watford is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Watford walks into a jab.
Khomenko misses with a combination
and Watford makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Khomenko checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Watford is looking to clinch but Khomenko is avoiding it.
Khomenko throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Watford tries to clinch but Khomenko is having none of it.
Watford throws a push kick but Khomenko slaps the foot to one side.
A jab lands there for Watford.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Olexandr Khomenko.
I think Watford 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Ceejay Watford!
The defeated Olexandr Khomenko had this to say: 'That loss bad. Losing bad. Opponent good.'.