PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brian Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pepe Ceuref (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Watson comes to the cage accompanied by Roll Right. The crowd seem to be enjoying Ceuref's choice of entrance music: French Fighter. Pepe Ceuref is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Watson
vs
Ceuref

180 cm
40
180 lbs
40 - 27 - 2

180 cm
25
169 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 40 - 27 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Brian Watson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pepe Ceuref!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, John Kavanagh and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ceuref throws a body kick that misses.
Ceuref scores with a crisp jab that stopped Watson in his tracks.
Ceuref tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Watson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ceuref tries to avoid it but Watson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ceuref to the ground. Ceuref escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Watson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ceuref throws a hook but Watson avoids it easily.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Watson checks a leg kick.
Ceuref throws a leg kick but Watson sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Watson appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Watson walks forward, straight into a front kick from Ceuref.
Ceuref does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Ceuref misses the shot to the body.

Watson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ceuref working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Watson.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Watson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Watson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ceuref is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson content to stall in guard here.
Ceuref wants to sweep but no luck.
Watson throws an elbow that misses. Ceuref uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Watson's guard. Nice move by Ceuref!

Watson wants to get back to his feet but Ceuref is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ceuref showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Watson wants to stand up but Ceuref is controlling him.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ceuref plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Ceuref throws a sloppy head kick and Watson moves out of range easily.
Watson half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Ceuref throws a head kick but Watson moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ceuref lands a high kick!
Ceuref shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Ceuref thumps Watson with a low kick.

Watson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Ceuref!
Watson working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Watson working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Watson working the ground and pound from side control.
Ceuref can't do much from the bottom here.
Watson tries to advance to mount but Ceuref denies him.
Ceuref regains half guard there - taking advantage of Watson's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Watson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Watson throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Ceuref to regain full guard.
Ceuref pulls Watson in close to his closed guard and prevents Watson from doing any damage or advancing position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Let's hope that Ceuref has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ceuref dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Watson. That did some damage!

Watson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Watson throwing strikes from guard but Ceuref blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ceuref not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Watson wants to control from the top but Ceuref keeps moving.
Watson looking to sit in guard and control but Ceuref gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ceuref won't allow Watson to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A looping hook to the body misses from Watson. Ceuref does a little dance to reset his feet.
Watson goes for a double leg but Ceuref avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ceuref continues to drive forward.
Pepe Ceuref seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Watson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Watson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ceuref is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Brian Watson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson postures up in Ceuref's guard and throws a big left but Ceuref blocks it.
Watson stopping the sweep attempt from Ceuref.
Ceuref preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ceuref wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Watson throws a big elbow that misses.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ceuref is looking to chop away at Watson's legs.
Pepe Ceuref seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ceuref defends it nicely.
Ceuref moves out of range as Watson strikes.
Ceuref throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Watson.

It looks like Brian Watson has been cut.
Ceuref throws a leg kick but Watson sees it coming and moves out of range.
Brian Watson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Watson checks a leg kick.
Watson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ceuref.
Ceuref avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Ceuref leaves Watson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian Watson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ceuref tries to land a front kick but Watson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Ceuref fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Watson has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Watson feints and as Ceuref raises his hands in defense, Watson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ceuref keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson working some strikes from top position.
Watson tries to free his leg and advance position but Ceuref is retaining full guard.
Ceuref keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Watson looking to sit in guard and control but Ceuref gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pepe Ceuref will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Brian Watson's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Watson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Watson on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ceuref. Ceuref obviously looking to wear him down.
Ceuref throws a solid leg kick but Watson takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Ceuref.
Ceuref dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Watson. That did some damage!
Nice sprawl there from Ceuref as Watson shoots in.

Watson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Ceuref was covering up waiting for the punch and Watson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Ceuref keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ceuref is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ceuref keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.
Watson tries to free his leg and advance position but Ceuref is retaining full guard.
Ceuref keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.
Watson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Ceuref preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Watson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A thudding body kick lands there by Ceuref!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Watson shoots in but no luck this time.
Ceuref looks for the body kick but Watson saw that one coming.
Ceuref attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Ceuref throws the left hand but Watson avoids the punch easily.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Ceuref enables Watson to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Ceuref manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Brian Watson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ceuref can't keep his opponent in guard - Watson advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Watson is trying to control. Ceuref wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Watson tries to pass to full mount but Ceuref defends it.
Watson trying to advance position but Ceuref counters by regaining guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Watson stopping the sweep attempt from Ceuref.
Watson is stalling in the full guard.
Watson trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Ceuref manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's four 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 seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Pepe Ceuref is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Watson is looking to stand up but Ceuref isn't so interested in that idea.
Watson keeping moving, preventing Ceuref from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ceuref controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

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 Brian Watson.
I think Ceuref 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Brian Watson!
A very excited looking Brian Watson made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.