PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dante Esposito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Watt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Watt is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Edmund Fitzgerald. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Esposito
vs
Watt

178 cm
27
161 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

185 cm
33
165 lbs
15 - 24 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dante Esposito !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Scott Watt!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Columbo Gatti and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watt takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Esposito swings for the body but Watt moves out of range.
Watt misses with a lunging right hand
and Esposito counters with a nice body shot.
Esposito takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
We've been informed that Watt has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Watt tests Esposito 's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Esposito misses with a left hand
enabling Watt to counter with a crisp jab.
Esposito misses with a lunging right hand
and Watt counters with a straight right hand.
A left lands for Watt.
Esposito misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Esposito takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Esposito has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Montreal Elite Gym in the buildup to the fight.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Esposito misses the shot to the body.
Watt shapes to counter with a head kick.
Watt swinging wildly here.
Esposito lets loose with a powerful body kick. Watt will feel that in the morning.
Esposito misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esposito misses with a looping right.
Watt ducks under a wild hook from Esposito .
Esposito connects with a leg kick. Watt looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A head kick misses from Esposito .
Esposito tried to score with a low kick but Watt checks it.
Esposito gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Watt.
Watt takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Watt misses with a right hand
and Esposito connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Esposito throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Watt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Watt connects with an inside leg kick.
Esposito tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Esposito wants to land a leg kick but Watt is out of range.
Watt throws a hook to the side of Esposito 's head but Esposito sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Esposito appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Esposito does it's job there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Watt lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Esposito misses with a straight left.
Watt tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Esposito appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Esposito tries a head kick but it misses.
Esposito jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Watt throws a right hand that misses
and Esposito counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Esposito connects with an inside leg kick.
Esposito throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Watt misses the target.
Esposito looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Watt with a jab.
Watt on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Esposito throws a leg kick which misses Watt's front leg but catches the back leg as Watt tries to avoid it.
Good leg kick by Watt there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Watt has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esposito throws a body kick that misses
and Watt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Esposito throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Watt looks to land a left hand but Esposito moved out of range nicely.
Esposito fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Watt sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Watt misses with a hook.
Esposito just misses with a punch to the body.
Esposito lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Esposito misses with an uppercut.
Watt steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Esposito .
Watt throws a lazy uppercut
and Esposito makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Watt really felt that one!
Esposito rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Watt counters with a slapping leg kick.
Watt moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Esposito looks to land a body kick but Watt moved away.
Watt tries to counter by closing the distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watt tries a head kick but it misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A looping hook to the body misses from Esposito . Watt does a little dance to reset his feet.
Watt moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Esposito misses with an uppercut. Watt saw that one coming.
Watt is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Esposito had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Watt avoids the head kick by Esposito .
Watt is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Esposito lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Watt takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Watt looks to land a left hand but Esposito moved out of range nicely.
Esposito throws a nice inside leg kick.
Esposito misses with a body kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Esposito is looking to score with low kicks.
Esposito throws a push kick but Watt slaps the foot to one side.
Esposito misses with a lunging right hand
and Watt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Esposito dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Watt throws a sloppy head kick and Esposito moves out of range easily.
Esposito moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Esposito is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Watt can do to turn this around?
Crunch! Esposito slams his shin into Watt's torso.
Watt lands with a straight right. Esposito didn't see that one coming.
Watt looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Dante Esposito is winning the standup battle so far.
Watt missing with a left hand there. Esposito was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Esposito looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Esposito is looking to land body kicks.
Watt is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Watt takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Watt's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Watt takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watt lands a really nice looking cross but Esposito seems unphased.
Nice defenses there by Esposito .
Watt moves out of range of the body kick from Esposito .
Esposito gets off balance looking for a body kick
letting Watt counter with a right hand.
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!
Esposito dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esposito steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Watt.
Watt tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Esposito uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Watt.
Esposito stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Watt throws a hook to the side of Esposito 's head but Esposito sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Esposito tried to counter with a leg kick but Watt avoided it.
A swing and a miss from Watt.
Esposito stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A lazy left from Watt finds it's target.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Esposito .
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Esposito .
A low kick from Esposito misses
and Watt counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Esposito darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
An inside leg kick from Esposito misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Watt smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Some bone on bone action there as Watt checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Watt lets loose with a powerful body kick. Esposito will feel that in the morning.
Esposito throws a solid leg kick but Watt takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Esposito .
Esposito is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Watt tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Esposito counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Esposito takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Esposito misses with an uppercut. Watt saw that one coming.
Watt throws a low kick but Esposito moves out of range easily.
Watt swings widly with a right hand
and Esposito finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Watt walks into a stiff left hand from Esposito .
Esposito on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esposito throws a push kick but Watt slaps the foot to one side.
A head kick misses from Watt.
Watt misses with an uppercut.
Watt misses with a hook
and Esposito counters with a slapping leg kick.
Watt feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Esposito s jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Watt connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Esposito chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Esposito looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Watt crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Esposito - the referee stops the clock and Watt gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Esposito . Watt manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Esposito throws a leg kick but Watt sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Watt swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Esposito half committed to a counter leg kick.
Watt keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Watt throws a big counter head kick but Esposito avoids it with no problem.
Watt ducks under a wild hook from Esposito .
Watt throws a head kick but Esposito moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watt moves out of range of the body kick.
Left hook, right uppercut from Watt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watt tries a head kick but it misses.
As Watt backs away, Esposito returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Esposito will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Watt takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Watt is looking to clinch.
Esposito avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Esposito throws a leg kick that misses.
Esposito thumps Watt with a low kick.
Watt throws a head kick that half lands.
Watt throws a low kick but Esposito avoids it.
Esposito misses the shot to the body.
Esposito moves out of range as Watt strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Scott Watt will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Esposito takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Watt keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
A big right from Watt misses.
Watt misses with a hook
and Esposito counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Esposito scores with a spinning back kick!
Watt has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Esposito .
Watt lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Watt lands a head shot.
Esposito lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Esposito lands a nice shot that snaps Watt's head back.
Watt lands a lovely overhand right.
Watt slips under a jab from Esposito .
Esposito wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Watt throws an overhand right that lands on Esposito 's shoulder, as Esposito tries to avoid the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Esposito takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Esposito . Watt shrugs it off though.
Esposito slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Watt misses with a left hand
and Esposito counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Scott Watt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Esposito scores with a jab to the body.
Watt takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Watt tries to clinch there but Esposito circles away.
Watt takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Esposito lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Watt lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Esposito is looking to slow Watt down with leg kicks.
Watt needs to keep his hands up - Esposito had a free shot at his head there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A big right from Watt misses.
Nice cross by Watt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Esposito throws a body kick that misses.
It seemed like Watt was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Esposito throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Esposito cracks the inside of Watt's front leg.
Esposito plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Watt fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Esposito misses with an uppercut.
Esposito moves out of range as Watt strikes.
Esposito finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Esposito slips a straight right by Watt.
Esposito throws a head kick but Watt moves out of range.
Watt throws a head kick that misses.
As Watt backs away, Esposito returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Esposito circles away from the clinch attempt
and Esposito counters with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Esposito tries to land a leg kick but Watt saw it coming and moves away.
Esposito blocks a head kick by Watt.
Esposito defending well as Watt loads up on a big left hand.
Esposito was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Esposito misses with a body kick.
Watt has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Esposito .
Esposito jabs Watt to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Esposito looks to throw the jab but Watt is out of range.
Esposito takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Esposito staying out of range there.
A quick step to the side and Esposito tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Esposito misses with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Esposito scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Watt doesn't seem bothered though.
Esposito throws a body kick that misses.
Watt keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Esposito slips a jab from Watt.
Watt thows a left - swing and a miss!
Esposito misses with a straight left.
Esposito waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Watt.
Watt wants to counter with a clinch but Esposito pushes him away.

Watt instigates a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Watt.
Esposito lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Watt is looking to control Esposito 's arms but Esposito gets an underhook and turns him. Now Watt has his back to the ropes.
Esposito fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Watt is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Watt trying to control the position but instead, Esposito has worked for underhooks and has pushed Watt into the ropes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dante Esposito showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Esposito has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dante Esposito !
During a confident post fight interview, Dante Esposito thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.