PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Mathews (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.

Watson
vs
Mathews

171 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ivan Watson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, James Mathews!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Summer Carpenter and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mathews fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Watson, pushing him back against the cage.
Watson avoiding damage as Mathews throws knees to the body.
Watson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mathews walks away with a smile on his face. Watson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mathews throws a combination. Watson tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Mathews moves into the clinch successfully.
Mathews has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Watson after a bit of a struggle.
Watson scores a nice knee to the body.
Watson lands a body shot in the clinch.
Watson is trying to pull guard but Mathews turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Watson jumps guard.
Watson keeping moving, preventing Mathews from controlling successfully.
Watson wants to get back to his feet but Mathews is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathews slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Mathews gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Mathews clinches up with Watson and pushes him back against the cage.
Watson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Watson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mathews misses with a hook to the ribs.
Watson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Watson gets control of Mathews's arms and successfully pulls guard. Watson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mathews content to stall in guard here.
Watson has his hands on Mathews's head, controlling the position.
Mathews is looking to pass into half guard but Watson pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Watson is in guard.

Watson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Watson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mathews's head.
Mathews looking to hit a scissor sweep but Watson is one step ahead there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mathews controlling Watson's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathews has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Watson has passed into side control.
Watson working away.

That's four 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.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Watson stands up.
Mathews misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Watson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mathews pinned against the cage. Mathews gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Watson blocks a head kick by Mathews.
Watson throws a series of punches but Mathews moves out of range.
Watson has a takedown stuffed.
Mathews feints the counter takedown.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Mathews darts in and clinches Watson up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but James Mathews will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Mathews connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Mathews throws a low kick, looking for Watson's leg but Watson calmly moves out of range.
A nice combination there by Mathews.
Mathews looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Watson is fending him off so far but Mathews persists. Nope, Watson circles away and we're back to standing.
Mathews throws a chopping leg kick but Watson manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Watson went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Watson is defended easily by Mathews.
Mathews misses with a few strikes there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Watson forces Mathews back against the cage and clinches.
Watson prevents Mathews from breaking the clinch.

Watson jumps guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathews missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mathews working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Watson could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Watson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mathews wants to control from the top but Watson keeps moving.
Mathews might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Watson haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Watson tries to strike from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Mathews is looking to pass into half guard but Watson pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Watson is in guard.

Watson wanted to stand there but Mathews had control of 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.
Mathews throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mathews looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mathews is pulling down on Watson's head. It's preventing any offense from Watson, at least for the moment.
Mathews 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.
Mathews wants to improve his position but Watson is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathews trying to control from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Mathews scores with a leg kick.
Watson shoots in for a double leg but Mathews sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mathews connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Watson's hands.
Mathews is looking to land body kicks.
Watson closes the distance and clinches up with Mathews, looking for a takedown. Watson pushes Mathews against the cage but Mathews circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Watson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Watson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mathews.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
James Mathews seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Watson dives in for a single leg takedown but Mathews sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Mathews rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Watson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A left and a right from Mathews both land. Nice combination.
Mathews thumps Watson with a low kick.

Watson gets tackled into the cage by Mathews. Mathews maintains the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Watson is trying to pull guard but Mathews turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Watson fails to land.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Watson missing with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Mathews showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Mathews throws a series of strikes that have Watson backpedaling.
Watson shoots in but Mathews avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Mathews is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Sloppy strikes from Mathews. Those never looked like landing.
Watson seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Mathews lands a two punch combo.

Watson tries to keep at a distance but Mathews has taken the fight into the clinch.

Watson pulls Mathews into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mathews sitting in guard here, content to control.
Watson looking for a sweep. Not yet Watson, not yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathews throwing strikes but missing.
Mathews trying to control the position from guard on top but Watson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mathews is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Watson keeping moving, preventing Mathews from controlling successfully.
Mathews trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Watson manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Mathews is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Watson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Watson trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mathews's guard.

Watson stands and steps away. Mathews gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Mathews displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Watson has Mathews up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson connects with a nasty looking knee right to Mathews's face.
Mathews fails to pull guard.
Mathews has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Mathews pulls guard.

Mathews has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Watson has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Watson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mathews walks away with a smile on his face. Watson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Watson shoots in for a takedown but Mathews shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Watson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Mathews.
Mathews connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Mathews clinches with his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Watson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Watson tries to land knees in the clinch but Mathews avoids the damage to the body.
Watson is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mathews to keep the fight standing.
Watson takes a knee right on the jaw!
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!

Mathews breaks from the clinch.
Mathews lands with a good body shot.
James Mathews is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A left and a right from Mathews both land. Nice combination.
Mathews lands a high kick!

Mathews moves into the clinch successfully.
Ivan Watson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mathews.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Mathews comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Mathews 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Mathews!