PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Watsz Mawe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Rizal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rizal has chosen ONE OK ROCK - The Way Back as his entrance music. Watsz Mawe is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Mawe
vs
Rizal

170 cm
23
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

168 cm
29
149 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Watsz Mawe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jose Rizal!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mawe fails with the takedown
enabling Rizal to counter with a crisp jab.
No joy there for Mawe, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rizal lands a lovely overhand right.
Rizal throws a shot from downtown. Mawe moves away and avoids it.
Mawe appears to be looking for a big counter.
Mawe gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Mawe looks for a takedown but Rizal sprawls well.
Mawe looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rizal missing with a left hand there. Mawe was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mawe feinted with a counter takedown.
Rizal throws a body punch but Mawe moves out of range.
Mawe seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Rizal's coach down at England Fight Club MMA was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Rizal's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Rizal connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Rizal rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Mawe connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rizal connects with a single shot there.

Mawe rushes Rizal and presses him up against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rizal.
Mawe wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Watsz Mawe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mawe is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rizal struggles to land a body shot inside as Mawe controls his hands.
Rizal is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Rizal swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rizal gets underhooks to prevent Mawe's takedown attempt.

Mawe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mawe shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rizal but Rizal pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Rizal. That snapped Mawe's head back.

Mawe closes the distance and pushes Rizal back into the cage.
Rizal prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rizal stops a takedown attempt from Mawe.
Mawe is looking to take this one to the mat.
Mawe goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rizal prevents it.

Mawe's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rizal comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Mawe changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rizal looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mawe looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Rizal takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Rizal can't do much from the bottom here.
Mawe has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rizal is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Mawe is chipping away with strikes.
Mawe controls the position.
Mawe works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Mawe taking a breather here.

Mawe thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rizal manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Mawe tries to roll over but Rizal keeps him under control.
Rizal slows the pace down in half guard.

Mawe is defending against the submission attempts here by Rizal.
Mawe slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jose Rizal will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mawe shoots in looking for a takedown. Rizal tries to sprawl out of it but Mawe keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rizal manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rizal stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Mawe slips under a jab from Rizal.
Mawe misses with a takedown attempt - Rizal sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mawe shoots in looking for a takedown. Rizal tries to sprawl out of it but Mawe keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rizal manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Watsz Mawe. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mawe closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Rizal did well to prevent Mawe getting side control.
Mawe content to control rather than advance.
Mawe wants to control but Rizal is keeping him busy.
Mawe drops an elbow to the side of Rizal's head.
Mawe looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mawe looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Mawe is working for a submission of some sort.
Mawe is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Rizal wants to control but Mawe is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rizal looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rizal taking some punishment here, with Mawe in his half guard.
Watsz Mawe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mawe perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Mawe is trying to work for a kimura but Rizal is defending well.
Mawe looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Mawe is nestled in close to Rizal, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mawe is taking a breather. Rizal says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Mawe slips a nice elbow through Rizal's hands, connecting with Rizal's forehead.
Mawe looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rizal with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Mawe with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Mawe works his way into side control.

Mawe goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Rizal rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Mawe's guard! Nice work there by Rizal!
Mawe seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rizal trying to control but Mawe is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Watsz Mawe dominated that second 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. And we move into the final round!

Rizal throws a hook but Mawe blocks it.
Rizal misses with a straight left.
Mawe changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Mawe forces Rizal back against the cage and clinches.
Rizal tries to work over Mawe's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Rizal ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rizal no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Mawe works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Mawe seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Mawe is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mawe is taking a breather. Rizal says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rizal looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mawe perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Rizal trying to control from the bottom.
Mawe wants to take a breather but Rizal is having none of it.
Nice strikes from Mawe there.
Mawe is nestled in close to Rizal, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Mawe looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mawe frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Mawe trying to control but Rizal is having none of it.
Mawe punishing his opponent with strikes.
Rizal wants to control but Mawe is having none of it.
Rizal is squirming around, avoiding Mawe's attempts to control the action.
Rizal tries to lock up and control but Mawe gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mawe breaks from Rizal's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mawe trying to control but Rizal is having none of it.
Mawe controlling the position easily from mount.
Rizal tries to lock up and control but Mawe gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Mawe controlling the pace for now.
Mawe scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Mawe tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Mawe tries to control but Rizal wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mawe dominating with strikes here.
Mawe tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Mawe wants to control the pace but Rizal is squirming around nicely.
Mawe controlling the pace for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rizal wants to hold on but Mawe pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Watsz Mawe showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mawe 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Watsz Mawe!
Jose Rizal spoke after the fight, saying 'I don't see why I should bow my head when I could hold it high, or place it in the hands of my enemies when I can defeat them'.