PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Charlie Watson (ranked 7275 p4p, 560 weight class) and Shamil Gasanov (ranked 9012 p4p, 619 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Watson
vs
Gasanov

170 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
18
145 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Pit Bull Development

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 - 0, fighting out of London, Charlie Watson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shamil Gasanov!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Nard Betker and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gasanov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Watson tries to avoid it but Gasanov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Watson to the ground. Watson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gasanov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Watson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Charlie Watson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watson walks into a left hand.
Watson wants to clinch.
Gasanov shoots in for a takedown but Watson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Charlie Watson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shamil Gasanov.
Gasanov tries to clinch
and Watson counters with a series of strikes. Gasanov will be more careful next time no doubt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watson smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Gasanov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A lazy left from Watson finds it's target.
Gasanov shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Watson pinned against the cage. Watson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson lands a nice looking body shot.

Gasanov clinches up against the cage.
Watson gets underhooks to prevent Gasanov's takedown attempt.

Gasanov manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Gasanov trying to keep a closed guard but Watson is proving a slippery customer.
Watson wanted to stand there but Gasanov had control of the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gasanov holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Watson would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Gasanov has Watson pulled in close to control his posture.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Watson wanted to stand there but Gasanov had control of the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Gasanov goes for a double leg but Watson avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Watson continues to drive forward.
Charlie Watson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Watson getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Watson throws a nice outside leg kick.
Gasanov takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gasanov darts in looking for a takedown but Watson gets double underhooks and turns Gasanov into the cage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gasanov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Watson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Watson throws a big counter combination but Gasanov scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Gasanov looks winded!
Horrible takedown attempt by Gasanov or perhaps it was just good defense by Watson, which made it look bad.
Watson lands with a nice body punch.
Nice shot by Watson.
Watson ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Watson lands with a straight right. Gasanov didn't see that one coming.
Watson tries to close the distance and clinch but Gasanov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Watson scores with a jab to the body.
Watson lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson is looking to slow Gasanov down with leg kicks.
Watson is looking to wear down Gasanov with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Watson doesn't manage to clinch there - Gasanov circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Watson. Gasanov does a little dance to reset his feet.
Watson throws a series of punches but Gasanov avoids them all with ease.
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!

Gasanov drives through and clinches with Watson against the cage.
Gasanov should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Watson lands with a left to the head.
Watson lands with a right to the head.
Gasanov holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Watson stalling in the clinch but Gasanov improves position.
Watson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charlie Watson dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Watson tries to close the distance and clinch but Gasanov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Watson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Watson uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Watson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gasanov can do to turn this around?
Watson swings for the body but Gasanov moves out of range.
Gasanov looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Nice uppercut there from Watson.
Gasanov on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Watson. Watson obviously looking to wear him down.
Gasanov keeps the fight on the outside.
Watson connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Gasanov momentarily.
Watson is looking to clinch.
Charlie Watson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Watson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Gasanov rushes Watson and presses him up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gasanov jumps guard but Watson stands there with Gasanov around his waist. Gasanov gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gasanov is trying to pull guard but Watson has him pressed against the cage.
Watson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gasanov avoids it.

Watson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Watson throws a leg kick but Gasanov sees it coming and moves out of range.
Watson is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Gasanov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Watson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Charlie Watson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shamil Gasanov.
Gasanov tries to clinch up.
Watson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gasanov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Watson misses with a body shot.

Watson moves into the clinch.
Gasanov is pushing Watson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gasanov tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Watson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Watson works over Gasanov's head and body with a nice combination.
A good leg kick by Watson.
Watson bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Watson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gasanov shapes to counter with a head kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watson jabs at Gasanov's body.
Watson falls off balance throwing a combination

and Gasanov moves into the clinch.
Watson working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Gasanov.
A right handed body shot lands from Watson.
A nice left hand lands by Watson.
Gasanov tries for a takedown. No joy.
Watson prevents the takedown attempt.
Gasanov has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Watson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gasanov is breathing heavily.
Gasanov avoiding damage.

Gasanov has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Watson clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Watson staying busy and making it hard for Gasanov to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson wants to get back to his feet.

Watson fending off the submission attempt from Gasanov.
Watson is trying to get back to his feet but Gasanov has full control of the position and if anything, Watson has just worked his way into a worse spot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charlie Watson dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Watson wants to clinch up but Gasanov keeps it at a distance.
Gasanov drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Watson defends it well.
Watson wants to clinch up but Gasanov keeps it at a distance.
Watson displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Watson clobbers Gasanov with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Watson throws a good cross that connects.

Gasanov closes the distance and clinches.
Gasanov keeps control of Watson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Watson has had enough of the clinch but Gasanov keeps him there for the moment.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gasanov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gasanov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Watson as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson stuffs the takedown attempt from Gasanov. Gasanov gets slowly back to his feet.
Gasanov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Watson as he jumps to the side.
Charlie Watson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shamil Gasanov.
Watson wants to clinch up but Gasanov keeps it at a distance.
Watson tries to clinch up.
Watson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Watson cracks a nice hook into Gasanov's ribs.
Watson paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Watson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Watson lands with a hook. Gasanov tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gasanov.

Gasanov instigates a clinch.

Watson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice body punch from Watson.
Watson closes the distance but Gasanov moves to the side

and Gasanov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Watson tries to kick Gasanov off in order to stand up. Gasanov Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gasanov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Watson keeps working.
Gasanov just content to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gasanov throws a strike aimed at the side of Watson's head but Watson avoids it well.
Watson being controlled for a moment.
The ground and pound from Gasanov seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Gasanov controls the position from side control.
Charlie Watson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gasanov in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Watson is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Gasanov has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Gasanov throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Watson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Gasanov is controlling him well.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gasanov has a takedown stuffed.
Shamil Gasanov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Watson lands with a nice body punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Charlie Watson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Watson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Charlie Watson!