PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Knowles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and JJ Watt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Knowles
vs
Watt

197 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

205 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes musicals

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 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Antonio Knowles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, JJ Watt!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, John Mangel and Darius Henderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Watt closes the distance and clinches.

Watt pulls guard.

Knowles got a little sloppy there for a moment and Watt has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Knowles has managed to get both his arms back between Watt's legs - danger averted.
Knowles wants to control from the top but Watt keeps moving.
Knowles looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Knowles throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watt is controlling Knowles's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watt striking off his back but it's not causing Knowles any problems.

Watt is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Knowles defends well.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Watt throws a head kick but Knowles moves out of range.
Knowles avoids a kick to the body.

Watt shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Knowles's guard.
Watt trying to control but Knowles is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watt throws a big elbow that misses.
Knowles wants to get back to his feet but Watt is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watt content to stall in guard here.

Knowles looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Knowles preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Watt throws a big right hand that misses.
Watt won't allow Knowles to get back to his feet.

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

Knowles tries to keep at a distance but Watt has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Watt gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Knowles regains guard.

Knowles has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Watt has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

Watt has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Knowles is trying to keep an underhook but Watt manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Knowles is trying to get back to full guard.
Watt is controlling the pace.
Watt is thwarting Knowles's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watt takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Watt missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Watt decides to stand up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Watt manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Knowles on his heels. He'll look to pass Knowles's guard now, I'm sure.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Watt stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Knowles swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JJ Watt dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Watt scoring well with a low kick there.
A clash of legs there as Watt blocks the low kick.

Watt closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Knowles makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Watt tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Knowles tries to clinch there but Watt circles away.

Watt closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Knowles to the mat! Knowles manages to get full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Knowles wants to stand up but Watt is controlling him.
Watt wants to control from the top but Knowles keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knowles wants to stand and escape but Watt is having none of it.
Watt must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Watt drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Knowles manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Watt has Knowles in his guard.

Knowles wants to control from the top but Watt keeps moving.
Knowles stays in close to Watt's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Knowles won't allow Watt to sweep him here.
Watt is controlling Knowles's posture.

Watt is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Knowles defends well.
Knowles scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Knowles sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Watt drives through and clinches with Knowles against the cage.
Watt prevents Knowles from breaking the clinch.
Knowles wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Watt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Knowles has a takedown stuffed.
Knowles wants to clinch.

Watt gets a double leg takedown into Knowles's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Watt postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Knowles is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Watt, into his guard.

Knowles trying to control but Watt is working from the bottom.
Knowles preventing the sweep.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Watt is pulling down on Knowles's head to control his posture.
Knowles throws a strike but Watt rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

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

A close second round but JJ Watt will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Knowles's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Watt avoids the head kick by Knowles.
Watt is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Knowles is looking to chop away at Watt's legs.
Knowles really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Knowles doesn't manage to clinch there - Watt circles away.

Watt shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Watt showed some decent athleticism there.

Knowles manages to escape and get back to his feet!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watt lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Knowles backs up against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Watt closes the distance and pushes Knowles back into the cage.

Knowles manages to pull guard.
Watt sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Antonio Knowles overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Knowles uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Watt is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Knowles's half guard.
Knowles blocking the ground and pound attempt from Watt.
Knowles is looking to control Watt's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Knowles avoid being mounted?
Watt trying to control the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watt thows a huge punch but Knowles dodges it nicely.
Watt missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Knowles is trying to maintain the position but Watt is very close to passing his half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Well, if Watt is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Watt shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watt performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Watt sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Knowles defending well though.
Watt is trying to control. Knowles wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Watt looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

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.
Knowles is trying to control but can't.
Watt prevents Knowles from improving his position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
JJ Watt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Knowles tries to close the distance and clinch up but Watt swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Watt cracks the inside of Knowles's front leg.

Watt shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Watt showed some decent athleticism there.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to JJ Watt.
Well Watt has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... JJ Watt!